still crippling to hear her upset. Clearing my throat, I asked, “What’s going on?”
Hearing the strain of her words as she fumbled over what to say, my pain folded into sympathy. Gail finally found the words and said, “My mother’s ill.”
My lips tightened together as I kept my quiet. Having lost my father not even five years prior, I understood the pain. “I’m sorry. That’s got to be hard.”
“It is . . .” She paused. Her tone shifted entirely, into almost a longing tone of voice. “Cindy checks every single band aid, cane and medical piece of equipment she can get her hands on in the pharmacy every time we go to the store.” She let out a sigh. “All in the hopes of finding one of her daddy’s company’s logos attached to the bottom.”
I grinned. S and E’s logos would never be found on a product, but it warmed my heart to know Cindy still loved me and was searching for things that reminded her of me. She was my little princess, and I missed her.
Cindy was due for a visit with me in August. I’d get to spend three whole weeks with her, but the thought of not seeing her again for months after that pained me. “I miss her so much, Gail.”
She sniffled and then said, “I know. I know she’s supposed to visit in a couple of months . . . but what do you think about both of us coming in a couple of weeks to visit? I’m off all summer because of school, and Bill’s running around the country on tour with the band. I think it’d be nice to let Cindy see you early and for me to visit with my mother.”
“All right. Yeah. You're staying at your Mom’s then, right?” I asked as I looked over at Kip as he tried leaping up on the twig in his cage.
“Well, yeah.”
Turning back toward the house, I saw Janice and Katie at the kitchen table, talking and laughing. I said, “I’d love to see Cindy.”
The smile in her voice was noticeable as she said, “Good. I’ll keep you posted on when we’ll be there.”
“Sounds great, Gail.”
Hanging up with her, I went inside and broke the news to Janice.
“Why can’t she just drop Cindy off and go away?” Janice asked with a look of contempt. She loathed Gail and held it against her that I ever ended up damaged and broken the way I did, not physically, but mentally. I agreed that it was messed up what Gail did, but I was more focused on seeing my little girl, not on Gail’s coming to town.
“I should go,” Katie said, wiping her mouth with her napkin and setting it on her plate.
“No. No. No . . .” Janice said.
Katie looked at her with a frozen expression.
“You need to know who Gail is.”
Katie raised her eyebrow and shook her head. “I’m just helping Clay with physical therapy. I don’t need to know about Clay’s ex-wife.”
Janice shook her head. “Doesn’t matter. Gail will think you’re moving in on Clay and make your life a pain.”
Putting my hands up, I said, “Wait a second, Janice. Gail and I aren’t together anymore. She’s not going to do that. You’re over thinking this.”
Janice dropped her napkin down on her own plate, stacked Katie’s on top of hers, and began to make her way into the kitchen. “I’d put money on it that she tries to screw with you two.”
“I’m his nurse,” Katie said defensively. Pressing her hand against her chest, she said, “I’d never show any interest in a patient.” Looking over at me, she said, “No offense.”
“None taken,” I replied with a nod. “It’ll be fine.”
Janice came back over and finished clearing the food from the table. “What about the bird cage? You do that for all your patients?”
Katie took a step back and said, “I don’t want to cause issues between you and your ex-wife, Clay. I got the bird cage for Kip because the bird is important to you.”
“No. It’s not like that. Gail won’t be a problem, Katie.” I smiled as I paused. “I totally spaced on thanking you for the cage, by the way.”
Katie grinned. “You’re
Hearing the strain of her words as she fumbled over what to say, my pain folded into sympathy. Gail finally found the words and said, “My mother’s ill.”
My lips tightened together as I kept my quiet. Having lost my father not even five years prior, I understood the pain. “I’m sorry. That’s got to be hard.”
“It is . . .” She paused. Her tone shifted entirely, into almost a longing tone of voice. “Cindy checks every single band aid, cane and medical piece of equipment she can get her hands on in the pharmacy every time we go to the store.” She let out a sigh. “All in the hopes of finding one of her daddy’s company’s logos attached to the bottom.”
I grinned. S and E’s logos would never be found on a product, but it warmed my heart to know Cindy still loved me and was searching for things that reminded her of me. She was my little princess, and I missed her.
Cindy was due for a visit with me in August. I’d get to spend three whole weeks with her, but the thought of not seeing her again for months after that pained me. “I miss her so much, Gail.”
She sniffled and then said, “I know. I know she’s supposed to visit in a couple of months . . . but what do you think about both of us coming in a couple of weeks to visit? I’m off all summer because of school, and Bill’s running around the country on tour with the band. I think it’d be nice to let Cindy see you early and for me to visit with my mother.”
“All right. Yeah. You're staying at your Mom’s then, right?” I asked as I looked over at Kip as he tried leaping up on the twig in his cage.
“Well, yeah.”
Turning back toward the house, I saw Janice and Katie at the kitchen table, talking and laughing. I said, “I’d love to see Cindy.”
The smile in her voice was noticeable as she said, “Good. I’ll keep you posted on when we’ll be there.”
“Sounds great, Gail.”
Hanging up with her, I went inside and broke the news to Janice.
“Why can’t she just drop Cindy off and go away?” Janice asked with a look of contempt. She loathed Gail and held it against her that I ever ended up damaged and broken the way I did, not physically, but mentally. I agreed that it was messed up what Gail did, but I was more focused on seeing my little girl, not on Gail’s coming to town.
“I should go,” Katie said, wiping her mouth with her napkin and setting it on her plate.
“No. No. No . . .” Janice said.
Katie looked at her with a frozen expression.
“You need to know who Gail is.”
Katie raised her eyebrow and shook her head. “I’m just helping Clay with physical therapy. I don’t need to know about Clay’s ex-wife.”
Janice shook her head. “Doesn’t matter. Gail will think you’re moving in on Clay and make your life a pain.”
Putting my hands up, I said, “Wait a second, Janice. Gail and I aren’t together anymore. She’s not going to do that. You’re over thinking this.”
Janice dropped her napkin down on her own plate, stacked Katie’s on top of hers, and began to make her way into the kitchen. “I’d put money on it that she tries to screw with you two.”
“I’m his nurse,” Katie said defensively. Pressing her hand against her chest, she said, “I’d never show any interest in a patient.” Looking over at me, she said, “No offense.”
“None taken,” I replied with a nod. “It’ll be fine.”
Janice came back over and finished clearing the food from the table. “What about the bird cage? You do that for all your patients?”
Katie took a step back and said, “I don’t want to cause issues between you and your ex-wife, Clay. I got the bird cage for Kip because the bird is important to you.”
“No. It’s not like that. Gail won’t be a problem, Katie.” I smiled as I paused. “I totally spaced on thanking you for the cage, by the way.”
Katie grinned. “You’re
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