For Fiona

17. Aunt Genny

Fiona was decidedly not happy, so she put her hands on her hips and looked around the hospital room as she made her feelings known, "I don't want to go home! I want to stay with you!"

Lucy tried to reason with her, "Your daddy will be in the hospital for a few days getting tests done and talking to doctors. During all that time, you can be home and play with Kojo to keep him company."

"What about my bows? Daddy ties my bows!"

"I know, but the doctor just said this morning he can't really move for the next day or two, so he can't tie your bows."

"Can you do it?"

"What about Nell? You love Nell."

Tim frowned and whispered, "Go home with her for the morning."

"I'm not leaving you alone for a second," Lucy refused.

"Please, our daughter needs you," he begged. "I don't want our relationship to get in the way of our kid."

"This isn't about our relationship. It's about you being in the hospital."

"Would you be here if we weren't...what we are?" He had no idea how to describe their relationship.

"Of course I would, because I care about you." She glanced at Fiona and sighed, "And I care about our daughter more. I'll take her home and help her get ready for the day so she can have some semblance of her routine, but I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Don't worry. There are plenty of doctors and nurses here to take care of me."

"None of them will worry about you like me." She bent down to be at eye level with her daughter. "Okay, Fi, say 'bye' to your daddy. We're going home together you and me."

"Can't daddy come with?"

"He has to stay in the hospital."

"Why?"

"Because he hurt his back, remember?"

"I want him to come home now, too."

"Sorry, Fi, I wish I could come home with you," Tim apologized. "It'll only be a few days, and then I'll be home again."

"How many days? I can count."

"Seven."

"Seven!" Fiona exclaimed. "Mommy, we can't have Daddy away from the house for SEVEN days! That's so many."

Lucy sat down at the edge of Tim's bed by his hip and motioned for her to get close enough, so she could be picked up and placed in her lap. "Fiona, honey, I know this is really scary. Your daddy is in the hospital, and he's not feeling well, but this place will make him feel all better really soon. Until he's fixed up, he'll have to rest and lay down, so he won't get to do the things he usually does, but it's only for a little while. While he's in the hospital, you can come for a few hours to see him, but I don't think you'll have a lot of fun in this room if you're here all day. When your daddy and I go to work, you spend the day with Nell playing with all of your toys, and going outside, and petting Kojo. We still want you to have all that fun like when we're at work, and then you can come by afterwards."

"What about bedtime hugs? If Daddy isn't feeling well, he needs bedtime hugs."

"Okay, you can stay every night for bedtime hugs."

"Can Kojo come?"

"Dogs aren't allowed in hospitals."

"But he's my best friend."

"I know, sweetie, so you can stay home with Nell and hang out with him for a while before you come to be with us like around the time we usually come home from work."