Page 64 of Love and Other Lost Things

“It feels better now.”

“Good. You’re going to need to take it easy for a few days, okay? No running around.”

Scarlett nodded.

“Your mom said you like to read, so I did some digging.” He slid the tote off his arm and reached in, pulling out a small pile of chapter books. He set them on Scarlett’s lap. “Have you read these Warrior Cats books yet?”

Scarlett’s eyes lit up as she took in the colorful covers, each with a different cat’s face. “No! Thanks.”

“Let me know what you think, okay?” He hitched his chin at her cast. “Now, are you going to let me sign that thing?”

“Sure!”

Jane’s eyes trailed after him as he grabbed a Sharpie from the nurses’ station and came back to scrawl the words Dr. Nik, Uno Champion on the textured green material.

“Nooo!” Scarlett protested, laughing. “What happens when I beat you next time?”

Nik appeared to give it some thought. “Then I’ll let you write Scarlett, Uno Champion on my arm. Deal?”

“Deal.”

Nik held out a hand and they shook.

Still grinning, he came around to the back of the wheelchair. “How are you feeling?” he asked Jane, leaning in. “Did you get any sleep on that couch?”

“Not much,” she admitted, running her fingers through her tangled hair, self-conscious now that he was standing so close. The nurse had given her a small toiletry bag, so Jane had brushed her teeth and washed her face, but she’d been wearing the same clothes for twenty-four hours and didn’t even want to think about the dark circles under her eyes she’d seen in the bathroom mirror that morning.

Nik nudged Jane aside so he could take over wheelchair pushing duties. Jane let him, her heart stirring at the small but thoughtful gesture. She was tired, he stepped in to help. Simple as that. But it wasn’t simple to Jane, and her thoughts from last night went whirling again.

Mom had pulled the car into the loading zone, and when she saw them coming, she climbed out to open the door. Scarlett was a little unsteady on her feet, so Nik helped her into the back and reached over to click the seatbelt while Jane stood by and marveled again how much easier everything was with a little bit of help. When she wasn’t trying to do everything on her own.

Nik closed the back door, and Mom gave a smile in his direction. “It’s nice to see you, Nik. How is your mother?”

“She’s great. Probably baking. It’s her favorite thing to do this time of year.”

“Oh, yes.” Mom smiled. “I remember her famous Christmas cookies.”

Jane could still remember the taste of Mrs. Andino’s triple chocolate peppermint cookies. They might have been the single confection better than Pete’s peanut butter brownies.

“What are your plans for the holiday?” Nik asked, looking back and forth from Jane to Mom.

“We’re just going to have a quiet day,” Jane said. She’d picked up one more gift for Scarlett on her errands yesterday and, knowing Mom, there would probably be pancakes. But they didn’t have plans beyond that. Still, it would probably be the best Christmas they’d ever had.

“Why don’t you join us at my mom’s?” Nik asked.

Jane had so many happy memories from Mrs. Andino’s house. But Christmas was in two days. “Oh, we couldn’t just show up at the last minute.”

“Since I’ll be helping her cook, I know we’ll have plenty of food.” He cocked his head. “And I know she’d love to see you and meet Scarlett.” He turned to Mom. “And to see you too, Mrs. McCaffrey.”

Mom’s face creased with longing and, unexpectedly, Jane felt a lump in the back of her throat. Mom is as isolated as I am. She’d been alone raising a child… and then just alone, with Dad, for decades. She’d lost her family, her community, her best friend, too.

Before Jane could change her mind, she nodded. “If you’re sure you have room for us, we’d love to.”

On the way home, they stopped at the pharmacy to fill Scarlett’s prescription, and Jane ran inside. She was headed down an aisle toward the back of the store when a tall man about her age stepped out of her path. His blue eyes and dark, curly hair looked vaguely familiar, but she didn’t realize she knew him until he called out her name.

Jane turned around. “Martin?” They’d gone to high school together. She remembered him as tall and skinny, a bit nerdy. He’d worn glasses and braces and had gotten straight As in the honors classes.

He’d filled out in the past ten years, with broad shoulders and more muscle than she remembered. The braces were gone, obviously, and though he still wore glasses, they were the clear-rimmed, trendy kind. His tailored suit looked out of place in the aisles of the local pharmacy, though it fit him impeccably. “How are you?”

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