Page 115 of Indiscretion

“I’ll meet you at the hospital at noon and wait downstairs with one while you take the other up. I’m looking forward to trying out the cafeteria’s imitation grilled cheese you told me about anyway.”

“Sure you are.” She laughed. “Hopefully this time they remember to take the plastic wrapper off the fake cheese slices.”

“I’ll meet you in the lobby.”

“Thank you, Dawson. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

***

“Have you ever been married?” Ryder threw down two cards and tossed a Cheez Doodle into the middle of the table. He’d been tapping a foot and biting his fingernails sitting in the hospital lobby, so I’d decided to take him to the cafeteria for a snack. Then I broke out the deck of cards I’d brought to occupy the kids. Somehow we were now using Cheez Doodles as chips.

I slid him two replacement cards. “Nope. You?”

Ryder rolled his eyes. “Any kids?”

“No little monsters.”

He smirked. “Probably why you’re playing cards with a ten-year-old. It’s not very good parenting.”

I chuckled. “You’re a little shit, you know that?”

He wagged a finger at me andtsked. “Using bad language with a minor, too. Maybe you shouldn’t procreate ever.”

I was more impressed he knew the wordprocreatethan I was offended. I pushed a Cheez Doodle into the middle of the table and then added two more, upping the bet. “Call.”

Ryder turned over three fours. I grinned and turned over a full house, then swiped a Cheez Doodle from the bag and popped it into my mouth. “Serves you right.”

“I dropped the Cheez Doodles in that bag on the floor while you were in the bathroom,” Ryder said. “That’s why I haven’t eaten any. This place is filled with sick people. You’re probably gonna die now.”

I gagged and spit the Cheez Doodle out into a napkin. “Great. I might need to get some shots.”

“Really?”

“Nah. I have a good immune system.”

Ryder went quiet for a moment. “Is my mom gonna die?” He swallowed. “I won’t tell Molly if you tell me the truth. I can take it.”

“No, your mom isn’t going to die. I mean, we’re all gonna die someday, but when we’re old and wrinkly and get those gross brown spots all over our skin that no one wants to look at—not anytime soon. Your mom is doing great. She’s kicking ass. The doctor told her it could take up to thirty days for her to be able to have you guys visit, but it’s only been less than two weeks. That should tell you how well she’s doing.”

“Or…they’re letting us see her because she’s gonna die.”

“She’s not going to die, Ryder. In fact, there’s a good chance she could be cured when this is all over.”

His shoulders relaxed a bit. “Are you gonna marry my aunt?”

“I don’t know. Maybe if I’m lucky.”

“Lucky about what?” Naomi’s voice caught me by surprise. I hadn’t expected her to be back down here so quickly. She and Molly had only gone up to visit maybe twenty minutes ago.

Ryder pointed to me. “He wants to marry you.”

Naomi lifted a brow. “Oh? Did he ask for your blessing?”

“My what?”

She chuckled and put her hands on my shoulders. “They asked that the kids visit for an hour or less, so I’m back to swap out.”

Molly had on a yellow dress and a matching yellow bow in her hair. She joined her brother on the other side of the table, sharing his chair, which he didn’t look too thrilled about. “Get your own place to sit.”

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