Page 62 of Under Control
Thank you again. I’m sorry.
We’re fine.
Amber got there first, almost an hour later. She knocked this time, but was through the door before Olivia could cross the room to open it.
“Hi, Olivia. Thank yousomuch for picking her up. I swear, this almost never happens.”
“I’m glad I was able to help,” she said, but Amber had already turned her attention to her daughter.
“Oh, honey.” She knelt next to the couch and put her hand on Julia’s forehead.
“I went to the nurse and threw up there, so I didn’t throw up in the trash can in class like Simon did last year.”
“That’s good, sweetie. How many times have you been sick?”
When Julia shrugged, Olivia stepped in and gave Amber a recap, wrapping it up with the single cracker and few sips of water that had stayed down for about twenty minutes now. “She’s been drifting in and out, watching TV, but she looks a little less pale than she did when I picked her up.”
“I can’t thank you enough. Derek said you run your own business and you’re super busy so I’m sorry he had to call you, but...Jason was nervous about this appointment and Julia seemed fine this morning. And it’s hard with Derek, with the job and all. He’s one of the most dependable people I’ve ever met, but you can’t depend on him being available, if that makes any sense.”
As if they’d summoned him, Derek walked through the door. He was still in his uniform pants and T-shirt, and his hair looked stiff and was sticking up. Probably from his helmet, Olivia thought. There were smudges on his face and he didn’t smell great, but she was still glad to see him.
“How’s she doing?” he asked, walking toward the couch without waiting for an answer. “Hey, pumpkin.”
“I’m sick, Daddy.”
“I heard. I’m sorry I couldn’t pick you up, but I had to wait for somebody to come in to work for me.”
“S’okay. Olivia got me and she took good care of me.”
He ruffled her hair and then turned to give Olivia a smile that could warm a February day. “She did, huh?”
“Yeah. You should buy her a treat. Like a strawberry frosted doughnut with sprinkles.”
“I’ll do that.”
Olivia gave Derek a firm look. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
“Doughnuts are one of my big weaknesses,” Amber said, “and I have no willpower around them, so the kids only get them as very special treats.”
“Then I’m honored she thinks I deserve one.”
They both laughed, and it felt as if a part of Olivia was watching from the outside. This was Derek’s ex-wife and she was the new woman in Derek’s life, and yet they were laughing together, talking about doughnuts. Amber was nothing like Deborah, and Olivia was no Marge, and she felt the weight of that concern fall from her shoulders. Hopefully forever.
After tucking Julia’s blanket higher around her shoulders, Derek walked over to them so he could keep his voice low as he spoke to Amber. “Do you think she should stay here?”
“I don’t know. We’ve all been exposed to whatever bug she’s got, so if Isaac’s going to get it, he’s going to get it. And at least there’s two of us there. It’s a lot for one person.”
After a long moment and a glance at Olivia she couldn’t decipher, he shrugged. “Whatever you think is best. I just want to make sure it’s not too much for you, with the baby and all.”
Amber smiled. “If I get sick, I get sick. It won’t hurt the baby, and it won’t be the first time I’ve been sick while pregnant.”
“As long as you’re sure. I don’t mind if she stays, but you know if she wakes up sick in the dark, she wants Mommy.”
It didn’t take long for Amber to gather Julia’s things, and Derek pulled her SUV up to the curb before carrying his daughter out and buckling her in the back seat. Once they were gone, he closed the door and leaned against it with a sigh.
“I’m sorry, Olivia.”
“You don’t have to keep apologizing.”
