Page 85 of The Kidnapped

“Hollis didn’t say anything about you being a jerk.”

“She wasn’t a jerk,” Hollis said before moving to take the empty cup from her mom, filling it with water from the tap, and placing it back on the table. “And I’m getting you that electrolytes drink the doctor suggested. So, drink that when you’re thirsty, okay?’

“Were you a jerk?” Olivia asked Raleigh, who had sat down next to her.

“I was,” Raleigh said. “And your saint-of-a-daughter has allowed me to try to make it up to her.”

“She’s a good one, isn’t she?” Olivia asked.

“She is.” Hollis watched as Raleigh leaned in. “I kind of hope I get to keep her,” she whispered to Olivia as if Hollis couldn’t hear.

“Good.” Olivia nodded slowly. “I want her to have someone.”

“Mom!” Hollis chuckled. “It’s been, like, three days.”

Raleigh smiled at her and then added to Olivia, “I was thinking about staying over tonight, if that’s okay with you. It’s your house.”

“Of course, it’s okay,” Olivia replied.

“And would you mind if I help out so Hollis can get some sleep since the nurse couldn’t come tonight?”

“I would love that. She’s not sleeping well,” Olivia noted.

“There. It’s settled,” Raleigh said to Hollis. “Her house. Her rules.”

“Come on, Mom. Let’s get you back to bed. The drinks I got you are in your bedroom. I’ll put two on the table for you in case you get extra thirsty, okay?”

“They’re blue,” Olivia pointed out to Raleigh. “She got mountain blastoff blue flavor. That’s not a flavor; that’s a color. What the heck is a mountain supposed to taste like when it’s blasting off?”

Raleigh and Hollis both laughed.

CHAPTER 27

“Is she okay?” Hollis asked.

“You’re supposed to be asleep,” Raleigh said, walking back into the guest room Hollis had made her own, closing the door behind her.

“I usually leave the door open a crack in case she yells for me,” Hollis said.

“She just needed me to change the bedpan,” Raleigh explained.

“You should’ve gotten me for that. The nurse suggested a bedpan would be easier for her than having to get out and back into bed whenever she needed to go to the bathroom.”

“Hollis, it’s fine,” Raleigh replied, sliding under the blanket and opening her arm so that Hollis could move into her and rest her head against Raleigh’s chest. “Your mom is sweet. She told me to make sure you get to sleep a night through because she’s worried about you.”

“She’s worried about me?”

“Babe, you’ve been taking care of her and working non-stop since you got here. She knows that.”

“She’s my mom. It’s my job,” Hollis said.

“She’s lucky to have you,” Raleigh replied, kissing the top of Hollis’s head. “Oh, she also mentioned that this is an old house with good, solid walls.”

Hollis looked up at her, confused.

“She also winked,” Raleigh added, smiling.

“Oh, my God… She thinks we’re in here having sex?”

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