Page 19 of Heal

Beau nodded. "You'll know when the time is right. When the boy is right." He hated that she was scared mentally by what happened to her. Boys, dating, and all that went with it should have been on the top of her list of interests at her age. He wondered if she would ever be ready, and what a guy would have to go through to get her to trust him once she was ready. Thankfully, she was still young enough that Beau didn't worry about her. He was in no hurry to see her grow up. Right now, she was content, and that was good enough for him.

He paused at a closed door. "This is Lisa and Jeff's room. I need to steal Lisa away to run some tests, so if you could keep Jeff company for a bit, that would be great. Then when I get back, we can visit the other two kids."

"Sure." Faith smiled.

Beau knocked on the door as he pushed it open. "Good morning." He wasn't surprised to find Lisa lying beside Jeff in his bed. "How are you two today?"

Lisa sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. "Good. Better than yesterday." Lisa eyed Faith. "Who's this?"

"This is my best friend, Faith. I thought she could visit with you guys today, maybe keep Jeff company while you and I head downstairs for a bit." Beau hoped that would be okay with Lisa.

"She's your best friend?" Jeff pointed at Faith. "Aren't you too old to be friends?"

Faith laughed. "See, I told you that you're old."

Beau rolled his eyes. "I might be old, but that doesn't mean we don't have things in common. Faith wants to be a doctor someday, so we spend a lot of time together, helping her learn all she can. We also both like chocolate, funny movies, camping, and pizza. What more does a friendship need?"

Jeff smiled. It was the first real smile Beau had seen from him since coming into the hospital. "I like chocolate too."

"Then maybe I'll have to get some and sneak it in here later," Beau said.

"I'd rather have pizza." Lisa sat down on her own bed.

"No reason we can't have both. Once we get back from your tests, we can order pizza. Maybe invite Krista and Chad over to eat with us?" Beau asked Lisa.

"That would work." Lisa nodded.

"You okay with that, Faith?"

"Sure, as long as you don't get that yucky stuff you like." She made a face at him.

"Pineapple and Canadian bacon are not yucky," Beau defended his tastes.

"Separate maybe, but not on pizza." Faith sat down in the chair beside Jeff's bed. "You okay if I stay here with you while they go?"

Beau loved how Faith asked Jeff for permission. If anyone could understand what these kids were going through, it was her.

"Yeah, if it's okay with Lisa."

Lisa came over, standing beside Jeff's bed. "They just want to do a couple more tests to make sure I'm okay. We won't be long, will we?" She glanced up at Beau.

"No more than an hour." He hoped the ultrasound would go faster, but this was the hospital, anything could happen.

"Okay." Jeff nodded to Faith.

Beau leaned down and gave Faith a half-hug. "Thanks. We won't be long."

Lisa sat down in the wheelchair that Beau found for her, and waved at her brother as they left the room. Once in the hallway, she glanced up at Beau as he pushed her toward the elevators. "What are they going to do?"

Beau explained everything to her. "Other than the cold goo on your stomach, there shouldn't be anything uncomfortable at all."

"Will I hear the heartbeat?" Lisa asked.

"Do you want to?"

Lisa nodded.

"Then you will hear it." He hoped this wouldn't be too emotional for her. Again, he wished that she would talk to someone besides him, but each time someone came in to try to talk to Lisa, she refused, saying she only wanted to talk to him.