Page 68 of Single Mom's Daddies
I shrug. “No. But I’m better.”
Saffron smiles faintly. “That’s all I can ask.” She starts for the door, but then pauses. “I don’t want to tell her you’re her dads yet.”
Knife to the heart. “Why not?”
“Because when she learns that, I want it to be a happy thing. Not the same day she finds out she’s not leaving the hospital.”
One more thing to swallow down. But I get it. “Understood.” Roman’s jaw flexes like he wants to argue, but he nods. Victor breathes deep and doesn’t say anything.
When Saffron is sure we agree, we go back inside. The light from the window has shifted. It paints long, soft lines across Ivy’s blanket, stripes of filtered sun that make her look even smaller than before.
She’s awake now, propped up slightly on a wedge of pillows. Her hair’s messy from sleep. Her cheeks are pale. When she sees us, her eyes go to Saffron first. A tiny smile blooms. “Hi, Mama!”
“Hey, baby,” Saffron says, moving to the bed.
I hang back, just inside the door. So do Roman and Victor.
Ivy’s eyes drift toward us, curious but not afraid. She’s clearly used to nurses and visitors. Her gaze lingers on Roman for a second—he gives her a small, closed-mouth smile—then on Victor, who lifts a hand in a little wave. Then she sees me again, and she nods.
That’s it. Just a nod. Like she recognizes me from before. The kneeling man by her bed. The one who said hi.
I take a step forward. “Can I come closer?”
She shrugs.
Saffron chuckles. “That’s a yes.”
I move to the same spot I took earlier, to the side of her bed. This time I don’t kneel. I just lower myself into the chair nearby and lean forward slightly, elbows on my knees.
Ivy watches me for a moment. “You were here before.”
I nod. “Yeah. Just for a minute.”
“You smiled.”
“I’m not good at smiling, but you made it easy.”
She frowns slightly, like she’s processing that. “Are you my mom’s friend?”
I hesitate.
Saffron answers. “He is. They all are.” She introduces us to our daughter. I sit back a little. Roman finds a seat across the room. Victor leans against the wall. Saffron takes Ivy’s hand gently, brushing her thumb over her knuckles. “They’ll be around a lot.”
“Okay. It’s nice to meet you.” She yawns. Time for sleep, I guess.
“Next time we visit, can I bring anything?” I ask.
Ivy perks up slightly. “Books.”
Saffron’s mouth lifts. “She reads like crazy.”
“What kind?” Victor asks.
“Anything. And stuffed animals too,” Ivy adds, suddenly bold.
Roman smiles. “You got it, kiddo.”
The nurse comes in to check her IV. Ivy’s used to it. She doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t complain. Just watches.
