When You Are Mine(5)

"He didn't tell me that part. Just that you guys ended up attached at the hip."

"Men are not attached at the hip." He scoffed with affronted male  dignity. "But we were close by the end of the summer. A few fights,  several pranks, and lots of trash talk later."

"I know he feels really lucky to have found you and your family."

"We felt lucky to find him. I always wanted a brother. He was it."

An awkward silence fell between them when they realized their  destinations would take them in different directions. Walsh knew that he  shouldn't, but he looked for an excuse to prolong … again.

"I know you have your crafts class, but do you have time to meet Iyani?"

"I'd love to." She glanced at the watch on her wrist. "I have a few minutes."

They entered the sterile room, both watching the little girl swallowed  by the large hospital bed. Walsh made a note to brighten things up next  time he came.

"Mr. Bennett!" Iyani stretched her IV'd arms toward him, like little wired pencils. "You came."

"I told you I would." He gave her a quick hug and a smile. "And I brought someone to meet you."

Walsh noticed Kerris blinking away tears at the sight of the little girl  whose smooth, dark skin contrasted against the stark white sheets like  coffee against milk. Soft, dark curls were just starting to grow back on  her smooth scalp, but a scar streaked its way along one side of her  head like an angry lightning bolt. The other side looked swollen, the  growth below pushing against the skin. In contrast to the battle-scarred  head, her bright smile and shining eyes glowed with simple joy.

"She's so pretty," Iyani said in her softly accented voice.

"Well, I was just thinking the same thing about you." Kerris's smile  widened when Iyani brightened even more under the faint praise.

"How are you feeling today, Iyani?" Walsh leaned in to drop a kiss on her forehead.

"I am good, Mr. Bennett," she assured him with a vigorous nod. "A little tired from our long trip."

"Did you enjoy your first plane ride?" He brushed his hand across hers.

"It was a lot of fun!" Iyani shared a heart-melting smile with Walsh and Kerris.

"Well, I think your doctor will be coming through in the next hour, so I  thought I'd come hang out for a little while until then," Walsh said.

"No more Uno." Iyani left her voice serious, but her eyes laughed.

"I thought you loved Uno." Walsh put on a mock-offended frown.

"Just so much … " Iyani scrunched her nose.                       
       
           



       

"We got bored on the plane, so we kind of played a little Uno," Walsh explained to Kerris.

"Sounds like more than a little." Kerris's eyes teased him. "Well,  Iyani, if you have some time, I'm about to meet some other little girls  down the hall, and we're going to make necklaces and bracelets and  rings. Would you like to come?"

"Can I, Mr. Bennett? Please, please, please?" Iyani clasped her small hands together under her chin.

"Let me get this straight. You'd rather go make jewelry with a bunch of girls than hang out here with me and play Uno?"

"Yes! I mean … just this once?"

"I think it'll be fine." He laughed, hazarding a glance in Kerris's direction. "Lead the way."

"Oh, you're … you're coming with us?" Kerris's smile slipped a little.

"Well, I'm responsible for this young lady. I need to see what she's up to."

An hour later, Walsh watched Kerris flit from one small, drawn figure to  the next, helping them bead strings and glue on sparkly ornaments. She  showed that same compassionate heart to these desperately sick children  that he'd glimpsed with the sweet old lady.

He thought of the childhood she'd probably had, similar to Cam's. This  loving, generous, captivating woman had probably lived through hell and  emerged like a butterfly with scorched wings. He wanted to pull his eyes  away from the vibrancy of her, but he just couldn't.

"Okay, kiddos." Kerris passed her smile out to each of the girls. "I'll see you on Tuesday."

The gaggle of girls laughed and squealed their excitement, admiring their handmade treasures.

"Iyani." Walsh reached for her hand. "Come on, sweetie. It's time to meet Dr. Myer."

Her small face fell. He knew that, for a little while, she had actually  forgotten her reason for being in this hospital so far from home. Then  she brightened and turned in Kerris's loose embrace.

"Will you come again on Tuesday? We could make jewelry again." Iyani's  eagerness and hope strained and stretched out of every pore.

"Sure will." Kerris gave her a gentle squeeze and bent down to whisper  in her ear, just loud enough for Walsh to hear. "And maybe I'll see you  before then. Would that be okay?"

Iyani offered a shy smile and nod, shuffling her feet under the stiff hospital gown.

"Iyani, we have to go," Walsh reminded his small charge, glancing at Kerris. "I guess I'll see you at the river later."

"Maybe." She pushed back a dark brown tendril that had slipped forward. "I have an appointment that could take a while."

"What could be more important than lounging by the river?" Walsh knew he  should just let her go, but between his genuine curiosity and his  desire for a few more minutes with her, he couldn't stop talking.

"Well, I'm opening a business."

"Didn't you just graduate last week?" His laugh provoked her to roll her eyes.

"Yes, but my roommate, Meredith, and I are opening a thrift store."

"A thrift store? Like a Goodwill kind of thing?"

"Think a step above." A defensive note entered her voice and pride  tilted her chin. "Higher end, gently used stuff. Items that are  excellent quality, and when first bought, were probably pretty  expensive. When the wealthies are done with them, they pass 'em onto  places like ours. And the wealthies' gently used is usually barely  used."

"The wealthies, huh?" Walsh glanced down at his jeans, which probably  cost as much as a small car payment, and figured he'd fall into that  category. "That's your term?"

"Yeah, my term, but I don't mean it in a bad way." She offered him a  smile that stole any sting from her words. "Your family's the best kind  of wealthies. Not snobs. Always looking to help. I don't resent people  who have money."

"I've never felt guilty about it. My grandpa Walsh taught me you  shouldn't feel guilty about having money. You should feel responsible,  and make sure you do the right things with it."                       
       
           



       

"He sounds like a very wise man."

"He was."

"Well, I'd better run." Kerris ran her hand over Iyani's hair as the  girl waited, twisting the beads on her new bracelet. "We're scoping out a  few locations, and I'm already late."

Walsh watched Kerris until she'd disappeared down the hall, but the  images of her from the afternoon they'd spent together lingered in his  mind. Laughing with the children. Patiently showing them how to make  their precious jewelry. In his circles, most of the women had led a  pretty privileged existence. Other than his mom and Jo, he'd never met  one who gave as much as this woman, despite her having been given so  little in life. The combination of her kindness, beauty, and sweetness  filled his thoughts after he left Iyani and drove to meet his friends by  the river.

When Walsh reached the riverbank, Cam, Jo, and even Sofie, his childhood  friend from New York, along with the rest of their usual summer  entourage, headed farther down the Eno River, looking for the rope  they'd used to dive into the icy water years ago. Walsh passed, saying  he'd grab a few winks and be ready to play when they returned. He spread  out a blanket on the verdant grass, succumbing to the rest he'd been  denying himself since he'd departed Wilson Airport in Nairobi two days  ago. A dark-haired girl awaited him in his dreams, and she set his pulse  pounding even in his sleep.





Chapter Five



Kerris pulled her ancient car half in one space and half in another,  barely pausing to lock the doors before dashing across the street to the  bungalow where she saw her best friend's Volkswagen. Something good was  going to happen. She could feel it. Though you wouldn't know it from  Meredith's face.

"Mer, you okay?" Kerris asked, thrown by the frown marring the delicate features of her usually optimistic friend.

"You're late, and I'm about as nervous as a cat ready to be spaded."  Meredith held out one hand, loaded down with silver rings. "Look at my  hands. They're shaking, Kerris!"