Page 11 of Keeping it Real

“He’s a good kid,” he said to Eileen.“I’m surprised he’s their only child.”

Eileen’s face dimmed.“Madison suffered from some nasty postpartum depression after he was born.She was afraid to be alone with him.Not very convenient when your husband is not home half the time.”

“I can imagine.But at least they had you to help.”

Jamie’s aunt shook her head.“Not me.Sheridan dropped out of Syracuse and spent two years in Boston playing nanny.”

“Of course she did,” he murmured.

“And now she’ll be dropping everything to take care of him again.”Eileen sighed.“She’s been applying for a position in Spain for a couple of years.She’s finally gotten it, and this happens.”

“Spain?”

Eileen nodded.“She’s a traveling nurse.A good one, too.”

A nurse.That fit.Something that felt a lot like pride coursed through him.

“And it’s just her?She’s not involved with anyone?”He wasn’t sure why he asked.Except Sheridan deserved to have someone taking care of her for once.Especially now.

“She’s never in one place long enough.”Eileen sounded a tad disappointed before she arched an eyebrow.“And you?What’s your excuse for remaining single?”

Alek shook his head.“We’re not going there.”

Eileen opened her mouth to argue when, lucky for him, Finn arrived with the shadow box containing the magazine.

“It’s heavy,” Finn announced with a gasp.

“Here.Let me hold it.”Alek reached out to take the big wooden box from the boy’s hands at the same time as Finn lost his grip.The glass-topped box shattered on the concrete floor.

The conversations around them stopped.Finn’s bottom lip began to tremble as he choked out a sob.Alek dropped to his haunches to pick up the broken pieces.

“It’s okay, bud,” he tried to reassure the boy.“Accidents happen.This can be fixed.”

“No,” Finn wheezed.“It was Dad’s, and now it’s g-gone t-too.”

Alek jumped to his feet when the wheezing turned into gasps.Finn patted his chest as he struggled to pull in air.Sheridan was by his side in an instant.

“Finn,” she said much more calmly than Alek felt.“Look at me.Focus and breathe.”She pressed an inhaler to his lips.“One, two, three.”

The little boy wrenched his shoulders up and down as he inhaled the medicine.

“Again,” Sheridan commanded, and they repeated the process.

When he was breathing somewhat normally once again, she leaned down and whispered something into his ear.Tears began to slowly roll down his face.She pressed her lips to his forehead when Eileen stepped in.

“Uncle Alan has the nebulizer set up in the kitchen,” Eileen said quietly as she steered Finn in that direction.“Let’s go get some juice in those lungs, and then maybe we can find a popsicle.”

As soon as they were out of sight, Sheridan wrapped her arms around her middle and sighed heavily.

“He has asthma,” she explained.“All of this is exacerbating it.”She turned to face Alek, a tremulous smile on her lips.“He’ll be fine.”

Yes, but will you?he wanted to ask.

She wobbled on her high heels when she squatted down to clean up the broken shadow box.Alek reached for her elbow and towed her back up.

“I’ve got this,” he told her.

“Like hell you do,” a very unexpected voice announced beside him.