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Amy gave the flowers to the aide assigned to A
In the waiting room Heath sat alone, his eyes fixed on the checkered floor.
* * * *
When Amy returned to A
“Who from?” Amy asked.
“The blue and white carnations are from Tim, and the glads are from my editor. The jade plant is from Daniela and Victor.”
“Where’s Heath?”
A
“Yes, he was here just before I left and he said he would wait until you woke up to visit you.”
A
“You didn’t see him?” Amy asked in astonishment, looking around as if Heath might be lurking somewhere in the room.
A
“I can’t believe it. He had this huge bunch of roses and—” Amy stopped. “You mean, he just left?”
“Apparently so.”
“Why on earth would he do that?”
“Lost his nerve?” A
“Heath? Never.”
“You don’t know him the way I do.”
“That’s true,” Amy said archly.
“Did he see the baby?” A
Amy nodded. “He was very touched, A
“Not touched enough to stick around,” A
A nurse came into the room carrying a squalling bundle. “Somebody’s hungry, Mother,” she said.
A
“Will you feed the kid, already?” Amy said. “He sounds like a fire siren.”
“Healthy lungs,” the nurse said approvingly.
A
“You’re pretty good at that,” Amy said wonderingly, smiling.
“He does all the work,” A
“Did Mrs. Bodine’s visitor leave?” Amy asked the nurse.
“Which one?”
“Her husband,” Amy said dryly.
“That young man was Mr. Bodine?” the nurse said, surprised. “He never told me. He left about an hour ago. That reminds me, I’ll go and get the flowers he brought.”
Amy waited until the nurse had gone back into the hall before she said, “I’ll never understand that man.”
“Maybe he just wanted to see the baby, not me,” A
“Oh, A
“I don’t know.”
“It says Baby Boy Bodine on his isolette, maybe you can stick with that.”
A
“Healthy digestive system,” the nurse confirmed as she entered the room again with Heath’s flowers arranged in a vase and an ivy plant in her other hand.
“This place is starting to look like a greenhouse,” Amy said, making room for the ivy on A
“One of Heath’s employees.”
“I guess you’ll be getting a few more of those.”
“Probably. I’ll ask the staff to deliver them to a rest home or something.”
They both looked up as Heath suddenly appeared in the doorway, his arms laden with a football, a basketball, and a pair of roller skates. The expression on his face as he saw his son nursing at A
“I’ll be back tonight, A
“Congratulations, Daddy,” she said, and left.
“There’s a sporting goods store across the street. I thought I’d kill a little time until you woke up,” Heath said nervously by way of explanation.
“I think he’s a little young for those, Heath.”
“I know. I just wanted to do...something,” he said lamely. He put down his burdens and pulled a chair next to the bed, watching wordlessly as the baby fed, making satisfied sucking noises.
“He has a good appetite,” Heath said.
“Yes.”
The baby’s activity slowed as they looked on, fascinated. His jaws finally ceased motion altogether, his eyes closed and, in seconds, he was asleep.
“That fast?” Heath said.
“The nurse said they go out like lights at this stage.” A
When she looked back at Heath, he had slumped visibly and had put his head in his hands.
“Heath?” she said softly.
He looked up, took her free hand, and held it to his lips.
“Isn’t your son beautiful?” A
He nodded, swallowing painfully. Then, to A
“I didn’t want you to be alone through this,” he said thickly. “I wanted all of it to be different.”
“It’s all right,” A
“You don’t understand.” He lifted his head and she saw that his face was stained with tears.
Even when they were teenagers she had never seen him cry.
“I thought so many times of calling you, but...” He gestured, unable to continue.
“What?” A
“Even from the begi
“I want the package,” she said, “but—”
The nurse bustled into the room as Heath hastily turned his head away from her.
“Sleeping already?” she said, picking the baby up and feeling his bottom. “Still dry, too. Well, he’ll just have a nice nap and then come back to visit this evening. Your son is a handsome fellow, isn’t he, Mr. Bodine?”
“Yes,” Heath replied, clearing his throat.
“I’m glad to see you. We thought you were missing in action earlier.”
“Just a visit to the store,” A
“New fathers can never wait for the athletic equipment,” the nurse said, chuckling as she left with the baby.
“What do I have to do to get some privacy here, rent out a whole ward?” Heath said disgustedly.
“It’s a hospital, Heath. They run in and out constantly. There’s nothing you can do.”
“Yes, there is.” He got up and closed the door. On the way back to her bed, he pulled his wallet from his pants pocket. He extracted two cards and handed them to her.
“I’ve joined a group called Adult Children of Alcoholics,” he said. “That’s the name and number of my partner. I’ve already attended two meetings.”
A
“And I contacted a doctor—a family counselor— on Big Palm. I had a first session with her. We have to go back together as soon as you’re able. If you want to try again with me, that is.” He looked at her warily, as if afraid she might say no.
“Of course I want to try,” A
“I can’t promise anything. Just going to see those people in the first place was hard.”
“I’m sure it was.”
“But I want... to get better,” he said lamely.
“You will. Taking the initial step is the most difficult. The rest will be easier.”
Heath dropped his head to her lap again, wrapping his arms around her legs, which were covered by the sheet.
A
“I love you so much, Princess,” he said, his voice partially muffled by the bedclothes.
“I love you, too, Heath.”
“I’d like to name the baby after Joe, if it’s okay with you, that is.”
“What a nice idea.”
“He’s been more of a father to me than my biological father ever was.”