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Part 6: Problem Child

Reynolds provided us with a much insight as possible and his main takeaway was that for now, with medication and monitoring- Henry with be as fine as he can be.

He can't exactly fix his heart until there's something he can actually do.

So the most anyone can do, is medicate and care for the poor boy until he either moves up the transplant list or a hole develops and Reynolds can fix it.

The social worker- Eva was extremely kind as we told her what was going on. With this knowledge, she found a couple in Hoboken who have a biological six year old daughter who has an enlarged heart. They were well aware of what this entails for Henry and them- but they simply took it as a sign from God, because they have been trying to get pregnant to hopefully have a son.

It is all bitter sweet and as I pack up for the day, I find Max leaning on my doorframe.

"Headed home?" He asks and I nod. "I know today was rough...but..."

"All those children, Max. All those sweet innocent little babies abandoned, abused, neglected...I just don't understand how people can do that. To a child." I shrill slightly and he comes in and shuts the door.

"I don't know, Helen. I don't know why people do what they do. All I know is that you made a difference for those kids. Every single one." Walking towards him with my purse on my shoulder and my pink jacket buttoned- he looms down at me and searches my eyes.

"Thank you, Max. Thank you for allowing me to be apart of that today."

"So you didn't mind my off the wall idea?" He smirks and I shake my head with a slight smile.

"I didn't say that."

"Rude."

"Haha...I enjoyed working together again. I didn't realize how much I've missed it." Shyly saying, I readjust my bag on my shoulder and his smirk softens into a small smile.

"I've missed it too...and Earl—not really though." Laughing at him, we turn and start out of my office, turning off the lights and locking the door as I go.

"Lord, I forgot about Earl. Smiling bag of poison."

"If it cures nutella- it must be good for you right?"

"Oh you are funny." Walking to the elevator, hands stuffed in his scrub pants pocket, he becomes quiet and seems to ponder something. "How do you think Mina and Luna have been?"

"Well, I stepped in at lunch and they seemed good enough. No fits, no blood, nothing out of the ordinary: I think you made a great call." He says as we press the button and wait for the metal box to arrive.

"I made a suggestion. It was your call because she's your daughter." I state matter of factly.

"Yeah...but your thoughts and opinions matter the most to me." Before I can even remotely process his words to reply, the elevator dings and he steps inside. "You coming?"

"Yeah..." Getting in beside him, we are once more surrounded by awkward silence.

"You know...I was thinkin'."

"Oh Lord, that's never a good thing." That's right, relax and be playful. Don't just stand here with your teeth in your mouth.

"Haha!"

"So you were thinking?"

"Yeah...now that I have a babysitter...I should actually start leaving my apartment every once in a while."

"Probably- its called a life Max and you're allowed to have one." I state politely and he nods.

"Well, I was thinkin'."