Hunter pulls out his phone to call Oliver. I can’t believe this moment is actually happening. A fresh wave of anxiety washes over me. I’ve done everything wrong. Showing up unannounced. Barging into his life without even asking for permission. He has every right to refuse to see me. I wouldn’t even be able to hold it against him if he did.
— Come on, man… — Hunter mutters under his breath. I watch as he waits, then grimaces and rolls his eyes.
— It’s still pretty early, — I say, clinging to a thread of hope. — Maybe it’s better to try again later.
— First, he doesn’t pick up, — Hunter grumbles, dialing the number again. — Then he rejects the call. What a jerk! — He suddenly clamps a hand over his mouth. — Oh, sorry for the language… I probably shouldn’t say stuff like that around a kid.
I manage a small smile.
— Only if you don’t want it to be one of her first words, — I reply, taking the TV remote away from Lily as she tries to shove it into her mouth. — Let Oliver be. Maybe he’s busy right now.
— Maybe, but that doesn’t excuse him being so irresponsible, — Hunter leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. — Honestly, if I call him three times in a row, it means I need help. What if his best friend got thrown in jail or is dying? Seems like McKay couldn’t care less either way.
— You said he plays in the NHL, right? — I seize the chance to learn more about my brother.
— Yeah, with the Ottawa Senators.
I know that team. My ex is a fan of theirs…
— Is… is he happy? — I ask, not entirely sure why it matters so much to me.
Hunter gives me a quick glance, then shrugs.
— I think so. Why wouldn’t he be? He’s got his dream job and a girlfriend he chased halfway across the world for. — He smirks, as if recalling something funny. — Daughter of his old coach, by the way.
I find myself soaking up every word. So, he has a girlfriend. A foreigner. Got it…
— How long has he been in Ottawa?
— A few months, since he started playing for the new team. They come back here every couple of weeks to visit Alice’s dad… and me, I guess, — he presses the call button again, and upon hearing the short beeps, mutters: — Damn it. Either he’s asleep or at practice. Guess we’ll have to wait.
My chest tightens. Waiting drives me up the wall. It takes every ounce of willpower not to grab my things and bolt with Lily. The only thing stopping me is that I have nowhere else to go. The hotels aren’t open yet, and it’s raining outside.
— What’s he like, anyway?
Hunter tilts his head slightly.
— What exactly do you want to know?
I shrug.
— I don’t know. Everything.
— Not sure where to start, — he says, leaning back in his chair as if preparing to tell a long story. — Alright, short version: stubborn, sarcastic, ridiculously responsible. Always acts like he doesn’t care, but deep down, he worries about everyone he considers his own. And, of course, he’s obsessed with hockey.
I give a faint smile.
— Has he ever mentioned family?
Hunter shakes his head.
— Not much. He grew up in foster care. Doesn’t know his parents and says he doesn’t want to. He’s pretty bitter about it…
Something inside me aches. I get it. I don’t want to hear about my parents either. If my aunt hadn’t taken me in, I would’ve ended up in foster care too. Though, I’m not sure which would’ve been worse. My life with family was hardly a walk in the park.
— That’s sad… — is all I manage to say.
Hunter looks at me closely, as if trying to piece together a puzzle in his mind.
— What about you? Care to share anything? Why are you looking for McKay now?
My lungs constrict with fear.
— I… I need to feed Lily.
Hunter raises his hands in surrender. He seems to immediately sense that I’m not ready to discuss my personal life with him.
— Yeah, of course, — he says, glancing awkwardly at Lily. — Need anything for that?
— Just some boiling water to make her porridge…
— Oh, thank goodness you didn’t ask for something complicated. Boiling water is my specialty!
He hurries to the kitchen, as if he’s been waiting for an excuse to catch his breath away from me. I watch him go, and Lily starts to cry for no apparent reason. I hope some warm food will calm her down.
***
I unscrew the lid of the baby food container, trying to ignore Lily’s whining. She squirms on my lap, grabbing at my sweater and complaining about life in her tiny but very insistent way.
— Let me help, — Hunter offers, leaning in closer.
My first instinct is to refuse, but then I catch myself thinking it might actually be nice to have a hand.
— Can you hold Lily for a bit? — I ask, giving him an appraising look.
He freezes on the spot, as if I’ve just asked him to hold a beehive full of angry bees.
— Uh… — He glances from me to the baby, then back to me. — Is that… safe?
— For who?
— For all of us.
I exhale.
— She’s not going to explode in your hands, if that’s what you’re worried about.
Hunter doesn’t look entirely convinced, but he cautiously extends his arms.
— Alright. But if I mess this up… just know I didn’t mean to.
I place Lily in his arms, and he instantly tenses up. He holds her like she’s made of glass.
— So… what do I do with her?
— Just support her. And you can rock her a little.
He starts to sway her slowly, but very awkwardly, clearly having no idea what he’s doing.
— Is this even working? — he grumbles.
— If you didn’t look like you’re carrying a ticking bomb, she might actually relax.
He looks embarrassed but tries to feign calm.
— Hey, I just need some practice, — he mutters. — Lily… that’s a pretty name.
I quickly grab the kettle and pour boiling water into the bowl with the porridge, stirring it with a spoon.
— Doesn’t look… too terrible, — Hunter comments thoughtfully, eyeing the porridge sideways.
I lift the spoon to his mouth.
— Want to taste-test it?
He jerks back immediately.
— I’m not ready to take that kind of risk.
I glance at Lily again. She’s resting her cheek against his chest, her little fists pressed to her face, but her breathing… it’s too heavy. And her eyes are red and puffy.
I touch her forehead with my fingers and instantly feel the heat. My heart sinks. No, no, not this.
— Damn it… — My voice is barely audible, my throat tight with panic. I take her back from Hunter, but I have no idea what to do next.
Lily presses herself against me, whimpering softly, her tiny fingers tugging at my hair. She always does that when she’s upset… like she’s looking to me for safety. And I don’t know what to do. My mind spirals into chaos—I need to find a pharmacy, a thermometer, a doctor! But how am I supposed to find a doctor in a strange town I’ve only been in for a few hours?! And I barely have any money. My thoughts flutter wildly like trapped birds.
Hunter frowns, noticing something’s wrong.
— What’s going on? — His voice turns serious in an instant.
— She’s got a fever, — I reply, trying not to panic, but I’m failing miserably.
I frantically run through options in my head, but they all slip through my fingers like sand. What if it’s something serious?! We’ve been to the hospital once before… I shudder just thinking about it.
— It’s okay, we’ll figure this out, — Hunter says confidently. He opens a drawer above the fridge and pulls out a digital thermometer from a first-aid kit.
— Here, check her temperature.
I flinch nervously.
— You do realize she’s not going to let me use that without a fight, right?
— Seriously? — Hunter smirks, taking the thermometer back.
— She’s just… — I glance at Lily, who already looks like she’s gearing up for a protest. — Really stubborn.
— Ahh. Another McKay, then, — he grins faintly. — Hand her over. I’ll give it a shot.
I stare at him, dumbfounded.
— You’re serious? You want to take her temperature yourself?
— I don’t want to, but I can see you’re more stressed than I am.
I hesitate for a moment but eventually pass Lily to him. She immediately starts squirming in his arms, but this time Hunter holds her firmly, even with a bit of confidence. Wow.
— Alright, alright, kiddo, I know you don’t like this, — he mutters, trying to reason with her. — But we’ve got no choice.
— This is impossible, — I warn, crossing my arms. — She’ll scream and fight.
— She doesn’t know who she’s dealing with yet, — Hunter smirks, focusing as he places the thermometer under her arm. He then wraps his arms around her to keep her from moving and starts walking around the room, like he’s giving her a tour of his messy bachelor pad.
Lily, of course, doesn’t go down without a fight. She whines, wiggles, and kicks at his stomach with her tiny feet.
— Come on, little one, just give me ten seconds! — he grumbles. — You know, Sarah, you should think about getting her into hockey someday. She’s a natural forward.
To my shock, Hunter manages to hold out for the necessary thirty seconds, and the device finally beeps.
— Got it! — he announces proudly, lifting the thermometer to read the result. His expression darkens instantly. — 101.3.
I clench my fists. Traveling across the country in this kind of weather… it’s no wonder she got sick. God, I’m a terrible mother.
— We need to give her some medicine. I’ve got syrup with me.
I don’t waste a second, grabbing a teaspoon, measuring out the dose, and trying to get Lily to take it. It’s another battle, but eventually, most of it makes it into her mouth.
— Okay, now she needs to sleep, — I say, wiping the leftover syrup off my sweater. — Where can I lay her down?
— In McKay’s room upstairs, — Hunter replies. — There’s a big bed there.
I nod, lifting Lily into my arms.
— Thanks.
— No problem.
I take her to the bedroom, lay her down, cover her with a blanket, and sit beside her for a long time, making sure she falls asleep. Her breathing evens out, and her fever slowly starts to drop.
Only when she’s completely settled do I leave the room to grab the rest of her things—her favorite toy, her water bottle, and her book about Peter Rabbit.
Hunter is still in the living room. He looks so bewildered that I almost feel bad for him. I get it… I showed up out of nowhere, and with a sick kid, no less.
I sigh, running a hand over my face.
— Hey. Sorry for the inconvenience… I didn’t think it would turn out like this.
— Don’t worry about it, — he smiles. Even through my exhaustion, I catch myself thinking I like that smile. — But I’ve got a question…
— We’ll leave as soon as she wakes up, — I cut in before he can finish.
— Nah, that’s not it! I just wanted to ask… What’s the deal with the porridge? — He nods toward the table where the bowl is still sitting. — Lily’s not gonna eat it now, right?
I blink.
— Probably not…
— Then can I have it? I’m kinda curious to try it.
— What?
— Well, food shouldn’t go to waste, — he shrugs. — Plus, I’m hungry.
I roll my eyes but can’t hold back a laugh.
— Help yourself.
Hunter doesn’t need to be told twice.