Page 72 of Trial By Fire
As though conjured by my thoughts, I see Madi walk into the bookstore and then remember what day it is. My heart sinks, and I jump to my feet. "Oh, no."
"What?" Bronwyn asks from nearby.
"I'll be back. I have somewhere I have to be," I say, glad I've maintained the habit of always wearing my small cross-body bag because it's with me now.
My car and clothes had arrived while I was in the hospital, and I’m relieved I can stop using other people’s vehicles.
"Linds? Lindsey, where are you going? You're supposed to be resting!" Bronwyn calls after me.
"I'm fine!" I feel amazingly better since my hospital stay and the antinausea meds kicked in. The doctors warned me that my body will get used to them, and they might need adjusting, but for now, I'm living the antisick high life that comes with hours and hours of restorative sleep and being able to eat and drink normally.
The heat of the late August day leaves my shirt sticking to my skin as I drive the couple of blocks to Itty-Bitty Bakery. I practically run to the door. The bakery is closed, but I see Mak inside behind the counter and knock frantically. "Hey! Mak! Mak, please let me in!"
The tiny woman looks up and smiles when she sees me, hurrying over to unlock and open the door.
"Hey. Are you okay?" she asks.
"No," I say. "Please tell me you have cupcakes left over so a little girl won't hate me."
"Ah, yeah, I have some," she says with a thoughtful frown. "I was boxing them up for tomorrow's sale bin."
"I'll take them. All of them," I tell her.
"You got it," she says. "But really. Are you okay?"
"Fine. I just— I forgot to make cupcakes for Dani's dance class."
"Oh, that's right. Birthday week at dance for her, huh?" Mak asks, knowing from experience because she'd done the same for her daughter's birthday a few weeks ago.
"Yeah. We were supposed to make them together, but—it's a long story," I say, leaving out the part about my hospital stay.
"Hey, I get it. No worries. Do you have drinks?"
"No." Do I have time to make another stop? I glance at my watch and note I'm even later than I thought.
"Don't panic. I got you. Grab whatever you need from the case. I'll refill it later."
I follow her nod, and on the bottom of a narrow, clear-glass case are the tiny water bottles Dani loves so much. "You're an angel. I'll take four sets of those too. What do I owe you?" I whip out my card and pay, and then I'm off again, careful not to jostle the cupcakes too much while Mak follows me, carrying the water to the car. While I load it, Mak returns to the shop and grabs the other two six-packs of water.
Traffic is thick and slow this time of day, and I impatiently tap the wheel as though it will hurry things along. Finally I make it to the dance studio, assuming Pierce is already there with Dani.
I know I probably should've let Elena and Kace handle things, but I'm the one who'd promised Dani cupcakes, and I wasn't going to break that promise.
I dump the contents of a small suitcase into the back of my car and load it with the water to wheel inside, then grab the cupcakes and make my way into the large building, smiling at the squeals of excited little kids racing around in a mix of leotards, leggings, and dance clothes.
I frown and come to a stop when I don't see Dani.
"Lindsey, hi. I see you're ready for Dani's big day," the instructor says with a smile. "I'll keep it short today so we don't run over pickup time."
I smile and nod, nervous but excited about seeing the little girl who'd so quickly crawled under my skin and into my heart. I'd thought maybe I'd see the girls at the hospital for a short visit, but…they hadn't come.
Nor had Kace, even though I know he had rehab in the same hospital building. That told me more than anything. Whatever I'd become to him in that house, it apparently wasn't enough to make him walk down that hallway and see me.
The instructor begins to gather the girls, and I worry when I still haven't spotted Dani among them.
"Lindsey!"
A small body barrels into my legs from behind as tiny arms wrap around me in a stranglehold. I laugh, and I adjust my stance so I don't topple over. "There you are. I was beginning to think you weren't coming."
