LITMIR.BIZ

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believe that was nineteen years ago. Where does the time go?” Decker chuckled. “That’s swell. Now I’m sounding like an old geezer. Stop me before I become my father.”

      Cindy laughed. Decker looked at his elder daughter’s face, at the dark circles under her eyes.

      “You didn’t go home last night, did you?”

      “I fell asleep. I rested.”

      “Go home, princess. Rabbi Schulman is with Rina. I’ll wait for Rina’s parents to take a shift.”

      “They just arrived with the boys not more than five minutes ago. They’re waiting to see the baby. You should put Hannah in the layette so Nurse Simms can wheel her into the window area.”

      “Oh, sure.” Decker stood, then settled the sleeping infant in her cart. He draped an arm around Cindy. “Did you ask Mrs. Elias if she’d stay with Hannah?”

      “Yeah. She said she’d be delighted.” Cindy lowered her head. “Guess I’m not needed anymore.”

      “Princess, you’ve been an enormous help these last eighteen hours. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

      “If you want, I’ll come back after Mrs. Elias leaves.”

      “Yes, I’d like you to very much. You and Nurse Bellson work things out?”

      “Not really. She still hates me. I can’t figure out why.”

      “Don’t bother. It’s her problem, not yours.”

      Cindy smiled, but she was clearly troubled.

      “What’s wrong?” Decker asked.

      “Daddy, did you know that Nurse Bellson pulls double shifts an average of twice a week?”

      “Where’d you find this out?”

      “Darlene. Doesn’t it sound like she’s overinvolved with the babies?”

      “Sounds to me like Darlene shouldn’t be gossiping with you.”

      “Darlene didn’t say she thought Marie was overinvolved. That’s my observation. And it’s not just the babies, it’s the mothers, too. I happened to overhear her lecture this teenaged mom on how to care for her baby. She was very bossy. ‘Do this, don’t do that.’ And then you know what she did?”

      “No. Why don’t you tell me?”

      Cindy smiled. “She asked a couple of moms to pray to Jesus with her. Don’t you think that’s completely inappropriate?”

      Decker was quiet, taking in Cindy’s words. “Yes, as a matter of fact, it is.”

      “I think we should say something to her boss.”

      Decker exhaled forcefully. “Cindy, while I appreciate your sense of propriety—”

      “I should keep my mouth shut, right? At least while Hannah’s under her care.”

      Decker didn’t answer.

      “Maybe we should move Hannah to another nursery,” Cindy suggested.

      “They’re going to ask why,” Decker said. “Then what do I tell them? Because my daughter doesn’t get along with your top charge nurse who has worked here for over a decade? A nurse who was nice enough to let her hang around even though it’s bending the rules? If Marie had really wanted, she could have kicked you out. But she hasn’t done that. That’s worth something, Cynthia.”

      “Then why does she have such hostility toward me?”

      “Probably because you’re treading on her turf. It’s irrational. From what you’ve described, I’m not saying the woman’s without problems.”

      “Maybe she resents you and Rina because you’re not Christians.”

      Decker shrugged. “I don’t think so. I think she’s just territorial.”

      “Darlene isn’t like that at all.”

      “Are we talking about the same Darlene who left you in charge of a dozen newborns?”

      “She didn’t leave me in charge.”

      “Cindy—”

      “Daddy, better I be in charge than some of the staff during the graveyard shift. It gets real weird here at night.”

      Again Decker paused. “What exactly do you mean by weird?”

      “Darlene said because of the budget cuts, the hospital is forced to use a lot of temporaries and floaters. Some of them are very strange. Believe me, we’re very lucky to have Hannah under Darlene’s care.”

      “Well, that was confidence-inspiring.” Decker bit the ends of his mustache. “Maybe I should check Hannah out today. The pediatrician told me medically she could be discharged. But I really wanted her to stay overnight. It’s going to be another day before Rina can come home, and I wanted to give her a chance to hold Hannah. I didn’t want her to feel isolated from everything. But you’re a sharp kid. If you say it’s weird, I’ll take both of them out of here.”

      Cindy looked pained with the responsibility of decision. “Dad, I’m real tired. Maybe I’m exaggerating.”

      Decker sat back down. “Good Lord, do I know that feeling.”

      “Daddy, I’ll watch Hannah again tonight. Last thing I want is to take the baby away from Rina.” Cindy hesitated. “How’s she doing?”

      Decker didn’t answer.

      “Daddy?”

      Decker ran his hands over his face. “There’ve been a few complications, but she’ll be all right.”

      “Serious complications?”

      “She’ll be all right,” Decker said again.

      “You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”

      Decker looked at his daughter. “I just don’t like talking about Rina when she’s not around.”

      “You’re right. I don’t mean to be intrusive.”

      Decker put his arm around his daughter. “Princess, go tell the nurse to wheel the baby out. Then I want you to go home and get some rest. Come back here when you’re refreshed. I really do need your help.”

      “Daddy, it’s my pleasure being able to help you.” Cindy ran her toe along the ground. “Being able to be with you like this has been really nice. You and I talking like friends. I know you’re my father first. But it’s nice to be friends with your dad, right?”

      Decker tousled Cindy’s rust-colored hair. “Yes, it’s very nice.”

      They had moved her to a regular hospital room—an indication that she was no longer in danger. Now she was just a mere patient. They’d look after her for a day or maybe two, then she’d be released. No matter that she’d leave a shell of what she’d been. That didn’t concern the hospital. As long as her heart was beating and her breathing was steady, she’d be sent home.

      She didn’t look at Rabbi Schulman. From a single glance, Rina knew Peter had told him. One part of her felt angry and betrayed. But the other side whispered relief. The emotional pain was too much to bear alone, too much to comprehend. Why was happiness always ripped away from her? After Yitzchak had died, she thought she’d never love again. But Hashem knew better. She met Peter, and she did love again. It was a miracle.

      Then this.

      Why did He feel the need to constantly test her? Wasn’t her unwavering faith enough?

      Without her realizing it, tears had formed—hot and bitter. Still staring at the wall, she said, “He shouldn’t have told you. It wasn’t his place to tell you.”

      “I knew something was very

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