Vital Signs. Bobby Hutchinson
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time I talked to her.”
He had a great voice, rumbly and compelling. She sneaked a sideways peek at him. Hell, he had a great everything.
“How long have you been in pediatrics, Hailey?”
“Ever since I graduated. I wouldn’t work anywhere else—I love the kids.”
“And they love you. Nicole said it was refreshing to meet someone who’d found the exact job she wanted to do.”
“What does Nicole do?” It was obvious he was smitten with the woman. He kept bringing her up.
“She’s a lawyer, but her big dream is to have her own gardening business.”
“Wow.” Hailey was astounded. “I never would have guessed lawyer. She looks like a fashion model. And gardening. She doesn’t look like the type of woman…” She caught herself. “Would you just listen to me, making idiotic assumptions?”
“Nobody would guess that someone who looks like Nicole would like to be up to her elbows in compost and dirt.”
“She’d sure clean up good,” Hailey said. “She seems like quite a woman,” she added. “You’re a lucky guy.”
Roy looked surprised. “Hate to burst your romantic bubble, but Nicole’s my sister.”
“Your sister?” She was astonished.
“Yeah, she got all the looks in the family.”
That was debatable. “Is there just the two of you?”
“Nope. We’ve got four more siblings—two sisters, two brothers.”
No wonder he was so easy with kids. “Lucky you, growing up in a big family. I only have one sister, and I always wanted a brother, as well.” Maybe instead of, but she didn’t say that.
“I didn’t actually grow up with them,” he said. “I was adopted at birth, and I grew up as an only child. I found my birth family when I was in my late teens. Well, in fact, they found me. It’s a complicated story. I’ll tell you about it when we have more time.”
“I’d really like to hear.” God, that sounded lame, but she didn’t know what else to say. He hadn’t needed to tell her such intimate stuff, but he had, anyway. It made her feel privileged. “You’re sure honest about it.” That was one more huge thing in his favor. The guy must have some severe faults, but they weren’t evident right off the bat.
“I have to be honest, because I have a terrible memory.”
In unison, they recited, “And a liar needs a good memory.”
They both laughed, and Hailey said, “One of my gran’s favorite sayings. Who drummed it into you?”
“My mom. My adoptive mom, that is.”
“It must get complicated, having two mothers.”
“Two fathers, as well. Different as it’s possible to be. My adoptive dad was a farmer who also worked as a handyman. My genetic father is a lawyer.”
“Two dads,” she marveled. “Some guys have all the luck. The only one I had died when I was a kid.”
He didn’t respond because they’d reached David’s room, and Hailey could see through the window that he was awake. For the first time he was sitting up, watching the door, his little face somber. She had yet to see a smile, but she was going to work extra hard to win one. As always, his battered toy dog was clutched to his chest.
“Hey, Davie boy, just look at you, wide awake and rarin’ to go.” She went over to him and checked his diaper. It was dry. She’d be a lot happier when it was soaked all the time, which would mean his body’s fluid level was stabilizing. Next she checked the IV level, and then reached her arms out to him. “Wanna come walk about with Hailey? I should go and make sure my yoga students aren’t busting their necks.”
David gave her a long, searching look and then nodded, just once. She felt thrilled at his acceptance of her.
“Why, that’s a yes. Let’s do it. C’mon, sweetie,” she cooed. “Ooh, you’re such a big boy.” She lifted him into her arms, careful to take the dog, and kissed his downy cheek. Resting him on her hip, she pointed at Roy. “This guy’s your special friend. His name’s Roy. Can you say Roy?”
David gave Roy a suspicious look and shook his head.
Roy reached out and touched the toy dog with a forefinger. “Who’s this fellow, David? Does your friend have a name?”
They waited, and when David didn’t respond, Hailey said, “That’s Dog, silly. Anybody can see that’s Dog, right, Davie?”
To her surprise, he shook his head. “Bonzo,” he said clearly. He had a husky little voice, and his articulation was excellent.
“Oh, your dog’s name is Bonzo. That’s a good name for a dog.” Hailey was elated. He was beginning to talk.
“It’s time you and Bonzo met some of the other inmates, young man. Can you bring that pole, Roy?”
“Sure thing.” With Roy making engine noises and steering the IV, they sailed out into the hallway and down to the playroom. There were now several girls there, as well as the boys, all playing with a building set.
“Hey, everybody, this is David,” Hailey said. “And the big guy’s Roy.” She lowered herself to the floor with David on her lap.
“Are you a doctor, Roy?” Four-year-old Elizabeth had cystic fibrosis. She was giving him the once-over. “’Cause I didn’t see you before.”
“Nope, not a doctor,” Roy said with a wide smile. “I’m David’s social worker.” He sank down on the rug beside the rest of them, agile and easy. He was wearing jeans, and Hailey noted that they fit him the way jeans ought to fit.
“So what’s a social worker?” Elizabeth was noted for asking questions.
Roy was quiet for a moment as he thought that one over.
“It’s a person whose job is to help people who have troubles.”
“What kind of troubles does David have?”
“That’s sort of private between him and me,” Roy explained. “But I work with other people, too, and some of them might have problems with money, or with their family, or with getting a job. Mostly I help little kids who have no families find people who love them and want to take care of them.”
“So how does that make you feel?” Elizabeth was frowning, peering at Roy like a miniature psychologist, and it was all Hailey could do to keep from laughing. It was the question she asked most often of all her patients, and Elizabeth was a quick study. Hailey had found that too often with kids, adults didn’t ask how things made them feel. When she did, she always found the kids heartbreakingly honest and forthright in their answers, and she waited to hear what Roy would say.
He was obviously taken aback at first. He glanced at Hailey and lifted one eyebrow. She gave him an encouraging wink.
“Well, I guess sometimes it makes me sad,” he began in a hesitant voice, and Hailey was impressed. Most guys she’d met didn’t do feelings at all when asked that question. They answered from their head, instead of their heart.
“Do you cry?” Elizabeth was persistent. “I cry when the nurses hammer on me to loosen my mucus.”
“Yeah, sometimes I cry,” Roy admitted. He was redder than usual, and he didn’t meet Hailey’s eyes, but she was bowled over by his honesty. “And there’re other times that make me laugh, so I guess it balances out.”
“Hailey always makes us laugh,” Elizabeth stated.
Then Tommy, who’d been listening, said, “Hailey really, really makes us laugh. Sometimes she gets in trouble for it, too.” He leaned toward