“What time is it?”
“A little past three, I think.”
David stilled as though listening. “It’s still raining?”
“Yeah.”
Rising to his elbow, David pressed the back of his hand to Oliver’s cheeks and forehead.
“His fever is gone,” he said with relief, lying down again.
I smiled. “That’s great!”
“Thanks for being here with me.”
“I’m glad to be here. But,” I hesitated. “Well. I just don’t want you to get the idea that I’ve somehow made Ollie better. I don’t think I have anything to do with it.”
“What about Angus? He really has improved tremendously since you got here.”
“I was thinking about that, and maybe finding a mate did it for him. But, come on, David. We’ve known each other for a long time. Have I ever healed anything?”
David frowned. “What about that time Mr. Tibbs got really sick and you had to hold him all night? He got better. He also lived a lot longer than rats usually do.”
“That isn’t exactly proof that I can heal,” I said.
“And what about that time Gleesa had the flu? You were the one helping her eat and giving her medicine. She recovered in half the time other people did that we heard about.”
“David, come on, be real, would you?”
“It’s possible, Ben.”
“It’s ridiculous,” I said. “You know my story. How could someone like me be special? I’m glad Ollie is doing better.” Gently, I ran my finger down the baby’s arm.
“You are special to all of us,” David said.
I gave him a look that said he knew what I meant, and we dropped the subject.
Eventually, Oliver began to fuss, and David tried feeding him. He latched on, like he did the last time, and I held my breath, hoping he wouldn’t stop too quickly. When he kept drinking, raising his little hand to his ear to play with it like he liked to do when he nursed, both David and I breathed sighs of relief, and a tear slid down David’s cheek.
“I was so afraid he was…” he left off.
“He’s going to be okay,” I said, resting my hand on Ollie’s head. I didn’t believe I had anything to do with the positive turn, but if believing it made David feel better, I wasn’t going to keep arguing the point.
When Ollie finished nursing, David changed his diaper and wrapped him in a blanket before we ventured into the living room. Alisanne and Serena were playing in a little gated area someone had set up, and Angus was talking with Carter and Jackson.
When Angus saw me, his eyes lit up. Then he took in David and the baby.
“Ollie doing better?” he asked hopefully.
David nodded, smiling. “His fever’s gone and he’s nursed a lot. Where’s Maddox? I want to tell him.”
“He and Colt went out to check the newborns. Gotta keep them warm during this cold downpour,” Angus informed him.
I went to sit beside Angus on the loveseat, resting my head against his arm, which he immediately rearranged to wrap around my shoulders.
“How are you doing?” he asked me.
“I’m good,” I said.