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“How do you know he’s a good guy?” I grit my teeth.

“I’m your mother, I know.” Then she gasps. “Oops. Someone just came into the store. Bye-bye now. See you later. Love you.”

She hangs up before I can even get a word in. Ugh! She’s so infuriating. But as I look at Jack and the kids, I ask myself if I’m really mad or performing? Something about the scene warms my heart.

He’s not just sitting there passively, trying to appear homely for the onlookers, no. He’s fully engaged with them—laughing at their jokes, listening to their stories, his attention entirely focused on them. He seems to have forgotten he came looking for me. The thought makes me chuckle.

He’s gentle, easygoing, like he’s known them for years. It’s the way he kneels down to their level, making sure every one of them feels seen. I watch as one of the younger kids shyly hands him a flower, and Jack smiles, accepting it with such warmth.

My chest tightens a little. There’s something so natural about it, and I can’t deny that it strikes a chord within me. The way he’s treating these kids, with so much kindness and patience… it’s nothing like the person I expected him to be. This is a side ofJack I didn’t know, and for some reason, it unsettles me. I don’t want to know him like this.

“He’s so handsome, isn’t he?”

The sound of Nurse Winnie’s voice breaks through the quiet garden, and I turn to see her standing behind me. She’s got a wide grin on her face, clearly captivated by Jack, her voice full of admiration.

I don’t answer right away. Instead, I just glance at Jack again, my chest tightening a little. I can’t deny that he looks good, but the way she’s fawning over him makes me feel uncomfortable.

Winnie doesn’t seem to notice my hesitation, though, as she continues. “And I heard he’s here for you,” she adds, her tone playful, giving me a knowing look.

I roll my eyes, trying to hide how her words make me feel. It’s a simple comment, but it does something to me. Maybe it’s the fact that I haven’t really let myself think about what Jack’s presence here means, or maybe it’s just how much I’ve been avoiding the man himself.

Before I can respond, Winnie’s already pulling out her phone. “Hold on, let me grab a picture,” she says, already aiming her camera at Jack.

I move quickly, stepping in front of her with a slightly panicked look. “I’d prefer you don’t,” I say, trying to sound casual, though my voice comes out sharper than I mean it to. “He came to town for a bit of privacy. But even if you do, please don’t post it.”

Winnie gives me a wide-eyed look, then nods, realizing the weight of what I’m asking. “Got it. No posting. But at least I can talk to him, right?” She winks at me, the playful glint still in hereyes, and before I can protest any further, she’s already making her way toward Jack, adjusting her uniform and patting her hair.

I watch as Jack turns his attention fully to Nurse Winnie, the two of them engaging in conversation with ease. It’s like they’ve known each other for years, the way he smiles at her and nods while she talks. I can’t help but wonder what they’re discussing. Does he talk to everyone like this? Does he act this comfortable with everyone?

My stomach churns slightly as I shove my hand into my pocket, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling creeping up my spine. I can’t stop myself from glancing over at them again, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that it feels so natural, so effortless, between them. I almost feel like I’m intruding on something that doesn’t involve me. And it bothers me more than it should. I’m fighting the urge not to inch closer to them to hear what they’re saying.

Just as I’m starting to feel like an outsider in my own thoughts, Winnie finally straightens up, clapping her hands together lightly to grab everyone’s attention.

“All right, kiddos!” she announces, smiling brightly at the kids around Jack. “Time to head back to your rooms. Let’s go!”

The kids groan in unison, clearly not ready to part from the fun. They become persistent, tugging at Jack’s sleeves and pleading for him to come with them. At first, I think they might give up, but their smiles are too big, and their enthusiasm is contagious. They refuse to leave until Jack walks with them.

And Jack? He doesn’t hesitate for a second. He smiles, getting up without complaint, his hands raised in mock surrender as the kids drag him along. It’s almost like he’s been doing this for years.

Winnie falls into step beside him, chatting with him in a light, easy manner about how exuberant the kids are. Their energy is definitely something else. It’s hard to believe these kids are battling such tough illnesses with the way they’re all laughing and playing around.

I hang back a little, walking behind them, my heart swelling as I watch Jack, of all people, being so genuinely engaged. He’s not faking it—he’s fully present, and I can’t help but smile.

I follow them into the hospital’s brightly colored hallways, and I notice that everyone here is equally as friendly. Nurses and doctors smile and greet Jack as if they’ve known him for years, exchanging jokes and laughs as they pass by. It’s like the whole hospital has embraced him, and it doesn’t matter who he is in the outside world. Here, he’s just another person among many.

Winnie leads the group to the kids’ rooms, and to my surprise, she doesn’t stop at the door. Instead, she opens it wide, gesturing for Jack to follow her inside. The kids are still buzzing with energy, practically bouncing around their beds like he’s the best thing that’s happened to them all week.

I hang back in the hallway, allowing him more time with the kids. I usually kiss them goodbye before I go, but today, I let Jack and Winnie handle it. I quickly head into the bathroom to wash my face and hands before meeting Jack again. There’s a small, quiet part of me that’s still very unsettled, something I don’t fully understand. Jack’s demeanor with the kids, the way he softened around them, left an impression on me I’m not sure how to process. I stare at my reflection, wondering if I’m going crazy feeling this way over him.

So what if he’s good with kids? Am I attracted to every man that’s good with kids now? Or what?

After a few minutes, I feel ready to face the reality outside the bathroom. I open the door and step into the hallway, immediately spotting Jack. He’s standing down the hall, alone, arms folded behind him, staring at the wall of pictures. On this wall are hung portraits of kids who have passed through this hospital, having battled terminal illnesses and won.

My picture is smack in the middle, and Jack is staring at it.

It was taken when I was a little girl, bald and fragile, sitting on a hospital bed with a big smile, surrounded by the staff who helped me through my battle with leukemia. I can still remember that moment. I can remember how sick I felt, how small I was, and yet how loved I felt in that room. It was something I never wanted to share with anyone, let alone him.

I freeze, hoping he won’t recognize that it’s me. After all, it was decades ago, and I was bald, fragile, sick. He suddenly turns, his gaze meeting mine, and it’s full of concern and what looks so much like pity. My heart lurches.