Page 133 of Sinful Hearts

I scrunch up my nose, hating that I had some connection to that pain she suffered. “I’m so sorry, Genesis.”

She offers me a simple smile. “You have nothing to apologize for. It’s the people who see us as currency who need to apologize.”

I return the smile. “I’m glad you’re with Julian. Not my crazy-ass cousin.”

“Yes, I witnessed his craziness firsthand.” She looks up, as if reliving a memory of him. “The man planned to sneak me into Russia.” Her voice turns a tinge more playful. “Now, I consider myself a smart person, but it’d take me a good ten minutes to find Russia on a map. How the hell would I have made it back tothe States? But I’d have stolen a canoe and rowed here if it had come to that.”

I throw my head back and laugh.

She hops off the clinic bed. “I have a class to teach.” Her hand brushes my shoulder on her way to the door. “You let me know if you need anything, okay?”

“Okay,” I reply softly as she disappears from the room.

I turn, looking through the drawers to take inventory, but stop when someone lightly taps on the door. A blond woman wearing a yellow jumpsuit stands in the doorway. A little girl with a sparkly Minnie Mouse headband stands between her legs, peeking through them at me.

“Hello,” I greet, smiling at the mom before sending the girl a friendly wave. “I’m Liliya. Come on in.”

The little girl waits for the woman to move before she follows, nearly at her heels.

“I’m Renea,” the woman introduces herself.

“And I’m …” The little girl starts to say but then slaps her mouth shut, glancing up at her mother like she did a moment ago.

“Go ahead, honey,” Renea urges.

“I’m Nova,” she whispers shyly.

“Hello, Renea and Nova. It’s so nice to meet you.” I point at the door. “Do you mind if I close this to give us some privacy?”

Renea nods and waits until I shut the door to say, “Nova’s throat is swollen. I was hoping you could take a look.”

“Of course,” I say, patting the clinic bed. “Can you hop up here for me, Nova?”

Nova waits for Renea to give her the okay.

When her jump is too short, Renea helps her.

As I slip on gloves and grab a penlight, I listen to Renea list off Nova’s symptoms. I ask Nova to open her mouth wide and sayahhh.

She does, herahhhhsuper long as I examine her throat.

All the classic strep signs are there.

I open a few more drawers, muttering, “Yes,” when I find a rapid strep test.

Nova squirms as I swab the back of her throat.

“Now, just give it a few minutes, and we’ll have the results to see if it’s strep,” I tell Renea as I toss the wrapper and start the timer.

Renea ducks her head toward me. “Thank you, Liliya.”

I smile in response.

As we wait, I notice Renea’s gaze keeps drifting to my ring.

Nova starts singing the ABCs when Renea leans toward me and says, “I’d say your husband must love you a lot. That’s a beautiful ring.”

I raise my hand, admiring my ring for what feels like the hundredth time since Emilio slipped it on my finger.