Page 71 of Sherry and Sunflowers
"Everyone's so kind. How am I ever going to repay you all?"
"You're not. That's not how it works. Kindness doesn't come with a bill. It's given freely. Out of love."
He probably shouldn't have used that word, but there was no point tiptoeing around it. She had to know that his dad and Faye loved her and Zia. And if he wasn't ready to spell out his own feelings, it was only because he didn't know how she'd receive them.
~ ~ ~
When they arrived at Dr. Ambrose's office, Clara greeted them with a smile and got to her feet, pointing to the door beside her reception desk. "Come on through. Caroline's waiting for you."
Alara froze for a moment, and Reaves put his hand at the small of her back. "Are you okay? Are you ready for this?"
She nodded. "I am. I keep telling myself it's silly to be nervous. I mean, come on, Reaves. The first time I walked into this place, I feared I'd be facing a whole lot worse than iron infusions."
"I know. But I'm not going to try and encourage you by claiming this is nothing, either. This is what we have to face today. And we'll get through it."
She smiled at him. The way he'd turned them into awewas something she'd resisted ever since she met him. Now it meant the world to her.
They followed Clara down a short hallway, and she knocked on a door before pushing it open. "Hi, Caroline. Alara's here. I'll leave her with you."
Alara stepped inside and Caroline looked up. "Hi. Come on in." She glanced at Reaves. "Are you joining us? If you're coming back for her, I'd say give it an hour and a half."
Reaves came to stand beside Alara, looking determined. Alara chuckled—they'd already discussed it. "I'd like for him to stay, please."
Caroline grinned. "Okay then. Reaves, you can sit in the corner and do as you're told."
He winked at Alara. "You have to remember; I've been coming here since I was a kid."
"Andyouhave to remember," Caroline told him, "that Henry said it wasn't up to you whether you stay."
That made Alara smile. She loved that Dr. Ambrose would look out for her like that. In her experience, people with any kind of authority were more likely to make her decisions for her than pave the way for her to make them herself.
"Come and take a seat over here."
Alara went and sat warily on the chair while Caroline turned to Reaves again. "And what on earth have you got there? The blanket, I understand. But an entire picnic basket?"
"Faye loaded us up. She's in charge of diet and nutrition." He set a box on the desk. "And this is a special delivery for you. Her cupcakes, with a message that you're taking care of a very special patient here. And thank you."
Caroline smiled at Alara. "You must be special, if you've got Faye advocating for you."
Alara didn't know what to say. "She's wonderful. She's been so kind to me."
"That says a lot about you. Don't get me wrong—Faye's a lovely woman. But she doesn't take to everyone."
Alara glanced at Reaves, and he nodded. "It's true."
"Anyway. Let's get on with it, or we'll have you here all day." Caroline patted the back of the chair. "Sit back, will you? All the way back. There's no point perching on the edge like that as if you're about to get up and leave."
Alara settled into the reclining vinyl chair, propping her elbows on the arms of it, and Caroline pulled her stool across and picked up a clipboard.
"Right. Boring bit first. Any allergies at all, that you know of?"
"No."
"Any reaction to any medication, ever? Anything that's given you a rash, made you itch, made you feel unwell?"
"Not that I can remember."
"Have you ever had iron by IV before?"
