In answer, Matty takes a giant bite out of the second triangle of his sandwich. It’s so giant, both his cheeks are blown up and I can’t make up my mind if he looks like Alvin, Simon or Theodore.
“I think you’re my favourite person, Matty,” I blurt, since it hits me so clearly and perfectly.
Matty continues chewing, but uses his free hand to blow me a kiss. That’s it, that’s all it took. Head over heels in love with this kid.
***
When we come back from the cafeteria, I decide I don’t care if the wicked witch of the west is there or not. I’m going to see Hunter in Monitored Care. Even with my assertive walking, even with my staring straight ahead like I’m supposed to be there - I get stopped by a nurse, who stares me up and down, without even looking at the kid attached to my hand.
She looks like a sexy librarian with the square black glasses she has on - even the high ponytail on her head manages to look glamorous on her.
“And you are?”
I clear my throat, straightening my spine. “I’m here to see a patient. Hunter, the diabetic?” Shit. I don’t even know his last name. Wonderful. I’ll be oh so convincing now.
“I’m looking for my Daddy,” Matty says from thigh-level. His voice is high in an excited way, like he knows whatever he’s going to step into behind that heavy blue door is going to be magical.
My heart squeezes down on itself when I think of what waits for us behind the door. How my life is going to change because I’ve given my heart to the little boy holding my hand. And how life, that putana, pulls you into shit to learn something important.
“NURSE!” Christ, that bellow, he sounds like the Beast from the Disney movie. Which means he might have a castle – which means he might have a library! God, get a grip, Sera.
“NURSE!” Hunter roars again, as the door swings open with a harried doctor coming through and nearly colliding with us. Sexy Librarian Nurse spins on the heel of her purple crocs and makes her way into the Monitored Care section. I squeeze in behind her, tugging Matty along.
“Matty!” Hunter yells, struggling with his IV drip, pulling on the tubing hard enough that the needle comes out shooting saline at everyone in a two-foot radius. I have an insane urge to laugh. Sexy Librarian Nurse attempts to calm him down, grabbing a hold of his arm to get his IV back in.
The kid pulls me with him, closer to the bed, instead of letting me go to run to his Dad which I find strangely sweet. The big guy instantly calms when he sees his kid, wrapping a big hand around Matty’s waist and pulling him close.
“You scared me,” Hunter hoarse-whispers. I shouldn’t be here. This is a family moment, and I shouldn’t be here. Matty finally lets go of my hand and creeps closer to the bed.
He giggles, the sound bubbling out of his mouth until I find myself fighting back a grin. Everyone in Monitored Care is either drugged up to their eyeballs or sleeping. The laugh sounds so out of place.
“I scared you? I think you scared Sera! She’s super strong, Daddy. I’ve never seen anyone able to hold you up before!”
Yes. My alter-ego is Supergirl.
Hunter’s muddied blue eyes come up to meet mine. His jaw tightens, a muscle popping up on the side from strain. His whole body’s gotten tight, and the hand that’s on Matty’s body spasms, like he’s trying to keep the kid away from me.
“How long are you in here for?” My voice sounds cranky, even to me. Wonderful, I am now a whiny princess. I keep going when he opens his mouth to interrupt. “Because if you’re going to be in here a couple of days, I can have Matty stay with me for the weekend. I could even call in sick Monday, if you need me to.”
I’ve somehow said the wrong thing. I thought I was just being helpful. The Cro-Magnon lying down on the bed in front of me, studiously ignoring the hottie for a nurse he has, glares at me with something like hate in his eyes.
“Or you know, you can try finding a babysitter for him from your hospital bed if you prefer,” I say, flashing my teeth at him in a smile only a moron would think was friendly. I start to turn to leave, still stinging from his rejection.
“Wait.” He grits his teeth, then shakes his head. His eyes are still glittering with something like hatred. I feel it in every cell of my body. “I don’t know you, understand? I’m not gonna leave him with just anybody. Especially a stranger. I’m a diabetic, not a crack-pot.” The way he says diabetic makes my stomach turn, like its worse than dirt, likes he’s less than human because of it.
I cross my arms over my chest, hiding my nerdy shirt. He doesn’t even deserve to look at it right now as I get a full-frontal of his entire body. They haven’t made him change into a hospital gown yet, and the nurse has finally got his IV back in. Hunter doesn’t seem to notice the fleeting pain.