I chuckled. “That’s pretty silly, isn’t it?”
She took a bite of her mixed fruit. “I mean, how did he even get it up there? What did he drop it off of?”
I pointed my finger at her. “These are the types of questions the American public needs.”
She pumped her fist into the air. “Yeah! Someone like the president!”
I laughed alongside her, and for the life of me, I couldn’t remember the last time I had laughed like this. Aurora had an outgoing personality, and her love of old school cartoons poked at the small part of me that still wanted to relive my childhood. I peeked down at the small girl nestled against me, and I couldn’t help but notice how much she looked like Leslie. They had the same color hair and the same shape for their eyes. She had Leslie’s petite yet strong nose. She even had Leslie’s broad shoulders.
I wonder if our kids would like her, too.
“Mr. Trey?”
I blinked. “You can just tall me Trey if you’d like.”
She smiled. “Okay, Trey. But why are you staring at me?”
I winked down at her. “Don’t you know? I’m helpless in the presence of a beautiful girl.”
She smiled even brighter than before. “Thank you. That’s nice.”
I nudged her softly. “No thanks needed for the truth… kiddo.”
We paused before she wrinkled her nose at me. “Maybe just say my name next time.”
I nodded. “I’m not akiddokind of guy, am I?”
She shook her head. “Nope. You’re a first-name kind of dude.”
I turned my attention back to the television. “Well, then I guess you’ll have to put up with me calling you Aurora.”
“Or you could call me Rori. All of my friends do.”
I swallowed hard. “Are we friends?”
She slid her small hand into mine. “Why wouldn’t we be? I like that we’re friends.”
I squeezed her hand softly, trying not to cry. “I like that we’re friends, too.”
As I sat there, watching cartoons while holding the hand of the most precious girl I’d ever come across, I wondered if I would ever have a daughter of my own to dote on and protect. I wondered if she’d look like me or if she’d look more like her mother. And I wondered if she would be just as headstrong and as brave as Rori had been through all of this chaos.
But, the hospital door bursting open caused me to jump to my feet as my fists balled up at my sides. Whoever the hell thought they could come in that hot and ruin mine and Rori’s moment together had another thing coming.
Until Rori gasped. “Auntie Suri!”
I watched Leslie’s best friend practically throw herself at the little girl. “Oh, my goodness. Are you okay? How long have you been here? What happened? Where’s your mother?”
I cleared my throat. “She’s going to be okay now. We’ve been here since last night. She’s allergic to dust mites. She had another allergic reaction, and Leslie hasn’t come back from slipping out into the hallway.”
Suri’s eyes met mine. “She just left you with Rori?”
I nodded. “We’ve been watching cartoons for the majority of the morning.”
“Yet, you have no idea where Leslie has been all morning.”
I blinked. “I know she took a shower, but then she—”
Out of nowhere, Leslie popped into the room. “Suri, out here.”
