When It's Right(28)

His head ordered him to go directly to the kitchen door like he always did. His heart took over for his brain yesterday, so he walked to the garage stairs and took them up two at a time, crossing the landing to Gillian’s door and peeking in. Sound asleep, she lay on her stomach. Justin sat on the bed next to her, playing with a lock of her hair. He traced the ends across his cheek, back and forth.

Blake tapped his fingertip against the glass to get Justin’s attention. He didn’t want to scare the boy or wake Gillian. He opened the door quietly and stepped in. Gillian didn’t stir from her deep sleep. Her breathing remained steady and even. Golden hair spread over her back and pillow like a field of wheat. Thick waves that begged him to grab a fistful and see how soft it felt sliding against his skin.

“Hey, buddy. What are you doing up so early?”

Justin leaned in closer to Gillian against a particularly bad cut with lots of stitches. His eyes filled with apprehension.

“Your sister could use some more sleep. Want to come with me and get something to eat?” Blake lifted his head and inhaled. “Smells like pancakes.”

Justin’s eyes narrowed on him. The boy swept his gaze over Blake’s tall frame, assessing him. Blake stayed at the end of the bed, giving him a chance to make up his mind if he trusted Blake and thought he’d be safe. Blake couldn’t remember being that guarded at six years old. Most kids at that age thought everyone was a friend.

“We’ll only be downstairs. If you want to come back up to Gillian, you can.” He gave Justin a reassuring smile.

Justin scooted to the edge of the bed. Blake turned his back, squatted to his level, and said over his shoulder, “Hop on. I’ll give you a ride.”

Justin hesitated. Blake waited patiently. With slow deliberation, Justin leaned on Blake’s back and grabbed hold of his shoulders.

Blake stood, and Justin wrapped his legs around his waist. Blake put his arm under the boy’s butt to hold him in place and turned back to Gillian. She slept soundly, although he didn’t know how she could be comfortable with the brace on her leg. She’d pushed the pillow out from under her head and lay on the mattress with her purple casted arm by her head. Probably easier to sleep flat.

“She’s pretty when she isn’t hurt.”

“She’s beautiful no matter what,” Blake said.

“You like her,” Justin said from behind him.

“I like you both.”

Justin leaned forward, put his chin on Blake’s shoulder, and looked down at his sister. “If she hadn’t come home in time, he would have taken me from Mrs. Wicks and done something bad. She hid me lots of times. She saved me.”

“Yes, she did, buddy. She sure did.” She’d saved Justin when he was a baby, and she’d been saving him ever since.

The sun shined through the window like a spotlight on her face. She peeked out one eye. Early, the sun wasn’t very high. She should have pulled the roller shades down, but she’d loved staring out at all those stars. She could do without the sun, especially this morning, when her head pounded and the muscles in her back screamed in agony.

She pressed herself up on her elbows and hung her head between her shoulders, stretching the muscles. Then it hit her. Justin wasn’t in bed with her. His sharp scream came from downstairs.

She rolled out of bed without any thought to her injuries and hobble-­ran for the stairs. She hopped down them on her good leg, each step another painful lightning bolt to her back, rushed into the kitchen, and stopped dead in her tracks. Unable to speak, she stared. Justin lay across Blake’s strong arms. Blake brought Justin’s belly to his mouth and pretended to eat him, making silly chomping noises and blowing zerberts. Justin screamed and laughed with such joy that it brought tears to her eyes. She’d never seen him so carefree and happy.

Dee stepped in front of her, blocking her from Justin’s view. “Good morning. How’d you sleep?” The false cheer in her voice didn’t match the deep concern in her eyes. Under her breath she said, “He’s fine. Take a breath. Blake’s just playing with him.”

Gillian’s seized lungs let loose and filled with air. Her pounding heart stopped battering itself against her sore ribs and slowed. “I know. It’s me. I overreacted. I heard him scream.” She took a deep breath to try to calm herself.

“That’s it, dear. Now, would you like a cup of coffee?”

“Desperately. Cream or milk if you have it.”

“Sit down, and I’ll get it. I’ll bring you something to eat.”

It took Gillian a minute to let the pain settle and for her to accept its pounding presence, then ignore it the best she could. She walked over to the table, where Blake had deposited Justin into his chair. Justin held a mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream on top, a spot of it on his nose and a mustache above his lip. The silly smile he gave her made the last of her fear disappear.