Jacob
woke up and he heard Dr. Edward on his phone. He clung to the stuffed animal
that Dr. Essie had given him. His bear was long gone in the rubble of
Harborview, but the stuffed wolf was nicer and smelled a lot better. Jacob got
up off the gurney and climbed onto Dr. Edward’s gurney. He smiled at Jacob and
held him on his lap, laying back. He was speaking to someone, but Jake just
wanted someone to hold him. Hanging up the phone, Edward wrapped his arms
around Jacob’s body. “You were snoring, Jake,” Edward chuckled.
“I was tired,” he said, tracing the embroidered letters, OHSU, on Dr. Edward’s chest. “Are you feeling better, Dr. Edward?”
“Jake, I’m not your doctor anymore. You can call me Edward,” Edward said, running his hand down Jake’s back sweetly. Jake nodded, snuggling closer. “You okay, bud?”
“Do you know if Bella’s okay?” Jake whispered.
“She’s still in surgery. I was talking to her dad when you climbed onto the gurney,” Edward explained. “He’s going to come to see her, but he was telling me his plans.”
“When is he going to get here?”
“In a couple of days,” Edward answered, laying back and holding the little boy on his lap. Jake sighed contentedly, his eyes drooping with the soft scratching on his back. Edward looked down and saw that Jake was asleep, his tiny fingers clinging to his scrub top. Tucked between the two of them was a stuffed toy. He smiled tenderly and leaned his cheek against Jake’s hair. He dozed on and off until Esme came into their shared room. “Is she okay?” Edward asked, his voice groggy.
“She’s out of surgery,” Esme said, brushing Jake’s hair away from his eyes. “This little guy must be starved for affection. You’re good with him.”
“You’d think that because I was a man, he’d be afraid of me,” Edward said, hugging Jake a little tighter. “His father was his abuser.”
“Children are resilient and they can also see goodness in people,” Esme smiled. “You’re a good guy, Dr. Masen. You have a good heart. Anyway, the social worker is here, but I can talk to her, asking her to give you more time. I’m certain you want to see Bella. As does this guy.”
“Where will he stay?” Edward questioned. “Some group foster home?”
Esme pursed her lips and her eyes welled with eyes. “I’m hoping that the social worker will place Jake with Carlisle and me. We’re registered foster parents. Due to an accident, I’m unable to have children and we open our home to foster children. But, we’ll have to see.”
“I’m sorry about …” Edward trailed off awkwardly. “That’s why you believe children are a gift.”
“They are. Not everyone is as lucky to have children biologically,” Esme said. “Let me talk to the social worker. Carmen is a close friend and I’m certain she’ll let you watch over Jake until you can see Bella.”
“Am I discharged?” Edward asked, gesturing to his hands.
“You are,” she said. “I’ll bring back the paperwork after I speak to Carmen. Your clothes, I’m sorry, were a lost cause, but your wallet, keys and phone are on the counter in the plastic bag.”
“I was in those clothes, working in them for almost three days straight. I’m certain that they were disgusting,” Edward snickered. Esme wrinkled her nose, nodding. “Sorry. There wasn’t a shower in the rubble of Harborview Medical Center,” he deadpanned. “I still feel gross.”
“Well, you can use the facilities here. Professional courtesy, of course,” Esme said. “I’ll be right back.”
Twenty minutes later, Edward received his discharge papers and spoke briefly to Carmen, the social worker. She would come up to the surgical floor and once Jake saw Bella, she’d take him to the group home. Edward was prepared to go with him, to be his security blanket, but all he wanted to do was hold his girl. They sat in the waiting room and Carlisle came out, pulling Edward into a conference room.
“How
is she, Dr. Cullen?” Edward asked.
