Chace disconnected with her, connected with Deck, gave him the head’s up and then he pulled into the hospital parking lot. He grabbed the books, headed in, got Malachi’s new room number and went to his room.
He stopped just at the door when he saw what was happening inside.
Malachi’s color was definitely better. He was wearing the pajamas Sondra had bought him. He was awake, alert, his hair cleaned, the bruising on his face fading and he was smiling at Faye who was sitting in a chair beside his bed and had her hands up in front of her.
“Are you this old?” she asked, moving her fingers around, flashing numbers at him that Chace couldn’t entirely see because he could only see her left hand but that hand opened wide and fisted three times. In other words, he counted fifteen on just one hand.
Still smiling, Malachi shook his head.
“Okay, how about this old?” Faye went on.
More flashing of hands. More of Malachi smiling and shaking his head.
Her voice got softer, sweeter and she asked, “How about this old?”
Malachi’s eyes dropped to her hands, they shifted to her face and, the smile still in place, he nodded.
“Nine,” she whispered then, “I have a nephew who’s going to be nine this week. His name is Jarot.” She leaned in and shared conspiratorially, “But when you meet him, you can’t tease him and call him carrot. He doesn’t like that.”
Malachi’s smile got bigger but it fled his face when his eyes darted to the door and he saw Chace.
Faye twisted in her chair and she aimed a smile at him.
He smiled at her then looked at Malachi. “You’re good, buddy. I’m just here to bring your books.”
Malachi’s eyes dropped to the crate Chace was carrying and stayed there as Chace rounded his bed, giving it plenty of room as he went to the windowsill.
“I’ll set them up here and you can tell Faye where you want them after I’m gone,” Chace muttered.
He moved to the deep windowsill, set the crate down and carefully arranged the books as they’d been arranged in the box, keeping them in order and placing them as Malachi had had them in the shed.
When he turned back to the bed, he stayed at the window and saw Malachi’s eyes on the books, going up and down, counting, reading, assessing they were all there. Chace also saw, on the hospital table positioned over his bed, the book Faye had been reading him last night as well as a row of plastic wrapped Snickers bars that had been opened, two empty wrappers showing he’d dug in.
“I’m gonna steal Faye a second, talk with her and then I gotta go back to work,” Chace told Malachi and the kid’s eyes shot to him. “You need me to pick anything up when I come back after work?”
Malachi stared at him then shifted his eyes to Faye.
“Malachi isn’t up to talking yet, honey,” Faye said quietly and Chace looked to her. “You have to give him yes or no questions,” she advised.
When Chace looked back to Malachi he saw a hint of fear in his face and tenseness in his body. This said loud and clear he wasn’t up to communicating with Chace at all.
When Faye spoke again, Chace would know she’d read this as well.
“Chace is staying over there, sweetheart,” she said gently. “He would never hurt you. He was the one who sent his friend to find you so we could get you to the hospital, make you better then take care of you. But we both get things are a little scary now. Still, he’s willing to do a favor for you so maybe you could help him out by letting him know what you want like you do with me. Just nod your head but to Chace. Okay?”
Malachi held her eyes for some time then, what Chace assumed was a yes, he looked at Chace.
So Chace asked, “Do you want a cucumber?”
Malachi’s head jerked slightly, his eyes flashed then, thank f**k, his lips twitched before he shook his head no.
“Broccoli?” Chace went on and he heard Faye’s soft, quiet giggle but he didn’t take his eyes from Malachi who again shook his head no.
“Twix?” Chace continued and Malachi pressed his lips together and nodded. “Strawberries?” Another nod, another eye flash, the kid liked strawberries. Finally, quieter, Chace asked, “Have you read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe?”
His lips parted, he liked that a f**kuva lot better than strawberries and he shook his head.
“When I was your age, bud, that was my favorite,” Chace shared. “You want Faye to read that to you?”