A Time For Love (A Time For Love Series-Book 1)

Late Cafe Talks

"You and I haven't gotten a chance to chat." Mike says as he had taken Bird to the small cafe after seeing her crying in his sister room. Even if it had been three months since the shooting him and Bird had not actually spoken but he had checked on her progress with the nurses to see how she was making out. It was just who Mike was and he cared a great deal for Bird and in no way wanted her to feel that any of this was her fault as Lena had explained to him earlier that Bird was thinking.

It was only a few hours that Lena had spoken to Mike for the first time, well second, if you count when he was wheeled into the hospital the night of the shooting and she reassured him that he would be ok. Of course he remembered her face, and was fully aware that the woman had been leaving his sister flowers, and a card for him. She was kind, he felt, and seemed to care a great deal about what had happened to all of them. To top it off he was shocked to find out she had attended Tess funeral and he greatly appreciated that kind gesture. Big time as Bird sips the hot chocolate.

"How you making out?"

"Ok I guess. I'm sorry though." Her voice is remorseful and sad as Mike bites into his donut and slides one over to Bird.

"For what?" 

"I got you all hurt and your friend died. I'm a bad person." Bird says as the man leans over the table grabbing the little girls hand and holding it as he could see tears start to spring in her eyes.

"No way. You are good person Bird. Not a bad bone in your body. That guy was a horrible person and his friend. He was the bad person honey. And we were doing our job, protecting you. None of that was your fault." Birds sniffles not eating the donut Mike had gotten her as he hands her a tissue. He can see how visible upset she is and he was sure she was struggling with nightmares from it as he decided to change up the conversation a little.

"So, I heard Lena is helping you with your physical therapy?"

"Yeah, she's really nice. She said she is trying to help my knees and arms so I can play ball one day again."

"Ah yeah she mentioned that. And that you and my sister had a bet going."

"Yeah." The girls nods her head as she take a small bite into her donut.

"Well hate to break it to you ya kid but you and my sister both lost."

"What? Bird didn't make it? Neither did Magic?"

"Oh no Magic made it, but my sister changed her bet. I had a bet with her and she changed it to Celtics at the last minute. You must have had some affect on her because she listens to no one. She's as hard headed as they come." He laughs as Bird giggles a little. "Still she'll be happy to know you made your team."

"I didn't get a chance to tell her."

"You will." He smiles as Bird takes another small bite of her donut. "Listen, my sister is strong woman. Very, and the last thing she is gonna do is let this get her. Might take her a bit but she doesn't give up. Ever. So mark my words ya'll be able to tell her."

"She was really nice to me." Bird admits as Mike smiles at her.

"I know she was. That's who she is. She wouldn't be any other way. And she wouldn't want you blaming yourself Bird for what happened because it's not your fault. My sister takes her job as a cop very serious. We all do. And when we get a call, especially like yours, we just want people like you to be safe."

"Even if you know you could die?"

"Yeah. We put our lives on the line everyday, and my sister will be happy to know that you are ok." Mike smiles at the little girl as Bird nods her head still feeling a giant weight on her shoulders as she wipes her tears. 

"She held my hand and looked at me." The girl says looking back at Mike as he smiles not surprised by what he was hearing. "Tonight. I sneak in to see her and tonight she squeezed my hand. And she smiled at me and went back to sleep. She never did that before. Did she with you?"

"You know Bird they give her some strong meds at night to help with some of the pain. And were you talking to her?"

"Yeah. I always talk to her and hold her hand. You know incase she's scared. I try to make her feel better."

"I'm sure knows you are there. Because those meds knock her out. I mean really knock her out so she must of heard you talking to her. Do you remember what you were saying?" The man continues to smile as Bird nods her head at him.

"Yeah, I was telling her I was sorry she got hurt and that I hope she's ok. And that I wanna be a basketball player and a cop like her. And that I hope she doesn't die. That I don't want her to die Mike."

"Then she woke up and looked at you and smiled?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, that sounds like my sister. There's just no woman tougher and listen, she's gonna be ok. That much I can tell you sweetheart." He gently grabs the girls hand again holding it as Bird nods her head once again. "And you can tell her how you both lost the bet."

Giggling at Mike now she takes another bite of her donut looking at the dark haired man. "Mike?"

"Yeah kid?"

"My Mama isn't a bad person. She just kinda did bad stuff but she didn't mean it." The girl admits sadly. "I'm sorry she got you hurt and your friend and Stef."

"Listen, I'm sure your mother is a good person, I believe you. And sometimes good people get mixed up in bad things or bad people."

"She did drugs."

"Yeah, drugs can be a monster Bird. Listen, I know it can't be easy I know that having the cops talk to you and having your mother missing and, well, the shooting. I know all of that is hard. But I want you to know that you aren't alone. Yeah you have a great team of nurses and doctors but you have me and Lena and well, I know when my sister is able to tell you, she will tell you that you have too.  We care about you. So don't worry we are gonna do right by you." He smiles as Bird feels a little more at ease as she bites into her donut again looking back at the cop.

"Mike?"

"Yup?"

"No one will take me to see Stef. I sneak to see her late at night and um I pretend to be asleep when the nurses check on me. But, can you take me? Somedays I'm not able to sneak and I like seeing her everyday. Would you be able to?" Her voice is so innocent as well as the look on her face as Mike smiles yet again.

"I sure can. How about I take you after breakfast. She's not so crabby then." He laughs as Bird agrees with a big smile on her face.