Chapter 7 - WHO GETS TO TAKE HER HOME
Grace remained in the NICU for three weeks.
Daniel recovered slowly.
Ray visited every day.
At first, the two men operated like separate planets.
Daniel signed medical forms.
Ray sat beside the bassinet.
Daniel spoke softly.
Ray talked to Grace like she already understood sarcasm.
But something changed.
Daniel noticed Ray never missed a feeding he was allowed to attend.
Ray noticed Daniel memorized every nurse’s instruction.
One afternoon Daniel struggled to fasten Grace’s tiny diaper because of his injured shoulder.
Ray leaned over.
“You’re doing it wrong.”
Daniel glared.
“You changed exactly one diaper this morning and put it on backward.”
“That was experimental.”
Daniel laughed.
It was the first time Ray heard him laugh since Emily died.
Then came the conversation neither wanted.
Hospital social worker Claire sat with them.
“Once Grace is discharged, she legally goes home with her surviving parent.”
Ray’s body tightened automatically.
Daniel saw it.
“You think I can’t do it.”
Ray started to answer.
Then stopped.
Old Ray would have said:
Correct.
Old Ray would have turned concern into insult.
Instead:
“I think you just lost your wife, you can barely lift your left arm, and you’re about to raise a newborn alone.”
Daniel stared at him.
“That’s not what I asked.”
Ray exhaled.
“No.”
He looked at Grace.
“I don’t think you can do it alone.”
Daniel’s face changed slightly.
Ray continued.
“And neither can I.”
Silence.
“I know motorcycles. I know engines. I know how to scare idiots away from my shop. I don’t know how to raise a newborn.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You raised Emily.”
Ray swallowed.
“And I got enough wrong that I don’t intend to pretend otherwise.”
Daniel was silent for a long time.
Then:
“My apartment has two bedrooms.”
Ray frowned.
“What?”
“Grace’s room and mine.”
Daniel looked almost embarrassed.
“The couch folds out.”
Ray stared.
“You’re inviting me to sleep on your couch?”
“Temporarily.”
“That couch better be reinforced.”
“It isn't.”
“Then we have a problem.”
Daniel smiled.
May you like
For the first time, they were not father and unwanted son-in-law.
They were two grieving men trying to figure out how to keep Emily’s daughter from losing anyone else.
