Page 10 of Choosing My Happiness
Janie’s face lit up. “We are always proud of all our kids.” She glanced sideways at me. “You remember our last conversation about the boys?”
I nodded and grinned. “You went through with it?” I asked.
She nodded. “And have never regretted a day since. He’s made me so happy. Him and the other kids we adopted.” She brushed his hair in a gesture of pure love. It kicked me in the heart how much time had passed and how much I’d missed watching Janie achieve her dreams.
“I’d love to catch up, but I’ve got to check in on my other patients,” I told her. I was working after all. I went to move on, but Janie caught my arm.
“I’d love to catch up too, Daiz…there have been so many changes I need to catch you up on. I promise not to…well I promise to keep your secret.”
I looked at her hopeful face. Something in my hard shell cracked. I missed her. I quickly wrote my number on her hand while I still had my pen.
“I’m on night shift this week, so I can meet up in the afternoons. If I don’t answer, just leave a voicemail.”
The smile on her face made her look 10 years younger.
She gave me a hug again.
“I missed you, Daiz.”
I moved on to my next patient, an old guy having trouble breathing. I just observed Bull coming in with someone I guessed would be Eric’s grandmother and three more children. They all hugged and kissed Eric and took Manny before leaving Eric and Janie alone to wait for surgery.
Bull’s hair was grayer, but I’d never seen him so happy. I saw another man greet him at the door and take Manny, then offer Grandma an arm to lean on. His kutte had the name Midwife over the top of the club logo. He also looked familiar, and this time it didn’t take long for me to place him.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. Jim had been made full brother and he looked good…reallygood. His shoulders had filled out, but his movements were the same confident and considerate ones that I remembered from that night. I wondered who called him Midwife, but it suited him.
Then, my patient decided he was tired of waiting to be seen, and if the doctor wasn’t coming, he was going to find him. Apparently, the youth of today had no respect, and seeing as we were all younger than him, we were all youth. I rolled my eyes, pulling my hard shell back over my emotions and concentrating on my job. Eric’s case called for the nice nurse butthiscrankyold bastard needed my ball-breaker side. I delivered just in time for the doctor to appear.
7
Chapter 7: Daisy
Over the next week, Janie and I caught up. Once Eric was able to eat solid food, I even smuggled in some McDonalds and helped him hide it in between visitor hours. He was a very serious kid, slow to smile but so sweet and concerned about others. From these visits I learned that he had 4 siblings, one was obviously his own younger brother Trey. But then Bull and Janie took on another African American girl whose mother had suffered a brain injury and had to be placed in 24hr medical care. His eyes softened when he told me her name was Daisy, but she was called D2 because her mother was also called Daisy. He almost smiled when I asked if that made me D3.
The last of the family was Manny and Stella. They were of Puerto Rican descent, and social workers were still trying to find their relatives. They were found in front of a church with a letter and nothing else. Eric hoped they didn’t find any relativesbecause he liked having them around. He was trying to learn everything he could about Puerto Rico so he could make Stella feel safe.
I saw Janie peeking through the door when he was talking, low and carefully like his adoptive father. Her face was full of pride. A few days later, Eric was discharged, and Janie and I were relegated to phone catch ups. Or so I thought.
* * *
A week after I last saw Eric and Janie, I stumbled out of the hospital with still half of my Stanley cup filled with coffee. Half good because we were too busy to take breaks. Half bad becausedamnI had needed the caffeine during the night shift, not now.
I stifled a yawn and checked my phone. Janie had sent a text.
Hey Daiz, can you call me when you get this? It’s urgent. Don’t worry about waking me, I’m used to it with the kids.
I put my mug on top of the car as I unlocked it, and then called Janie.
“Hey Mumma,” I greeted her as I opened the door.
“Hey Daiz, just let me get out here.” I heard her mumble to someone, and then some sounds of movement. I took the opportunity to grab my cup and climb inside the car.
“Ok, I’m all good,” she said.
“You said to call you?” I reminded her.
“Yeah.” She sighed. “You remember how I said I’d keep your secret and not let anyone know where you are?”
“Yeah,” I said, starting to get nervous.
