Chapter 6

Episode 8 - Normal Run of Things

“Really?” Grace’s eyes and mouth rounded into a set of matching O’s, and Brady jumped to interrupt before Rachelle could answer.

“Go put your brush away, Grace. Oh, and—” He paused just a second, searching for a task that would keep the little girl busy without being too obvious. “And see if you can find some matching socks. You’ve got to be dressed up for your party.”

“Do I?” Grace turned her attention back to Rachelle, and Brady held his breath for an instant, but Rachelle threw a quick glance toward him and nodded.

“Yes, you’d probably better. See if you can find pink ones that match your hairbow.”

Grace nodded and hurried from the room again, and Rachelle watched her go, then turned to face the rest of the room, biting her lips as her shoulders slumped a little.

“Sorry, I just—” Brady winced a little, but Rachelle shook her head.

“No, it’s fair. Is this the smartest decision I’ve ever made? Probably not. Is there another one I can legitimately make right now? Not really. We’ve worked so hard and missed so much, and she’s been so excited. If not for the injection, I wouldn’t have a choice. I’d cry and pray and eventually get over it, and find some way to try to make it up to her. But—I’m not stuck in my bed today. I know things could go wrong but—it can’t be worse than not even trying. Giving up to let Shavonne handle it was one thing. But giving it up to run around the city, taking care of everyone except the little girl who’s got no one else but me? I don’t think I can live with that.”

“Not fair to make me cry.” Harper buried her face in her pillow with a sniff, then shifted one wary eye out. “Especially if you’re trying to guilt me into coming along for backup.”

Rachelle breathed the tiniest hint of a chuckle and tossed the red-checkered play tablecloth over her head from across the room.

“No, Harper, I’m not guilting you. Or anyone. You’d have to sleep for something like three days straight afterward. And Brady, before you say a word, you are not helping. You’re going to go out and take care of the city today, so I don’t feel even more guilt for both of us shirking our responsibility.”

“It’s not—” Brady barely managed to form the words before Rachelle stuck a hand on her hip and gave a little stamp of emphasis that shook the floor under their feet.

“I am not subjecting your senses to the chaos of a six-year-old’s party—and whatever else the venue has going on today. You’d be blessed to walk out with only a headache, injection or no injection.”

“Chelle—”

“Brady, I’m serious.” Her voice wavered a little, and Brady swallowed hard. “Believe me, I get how much you want to. And I appreciate it more than you know. But I just can’t put you through that. Okay?”

“What about me?” Marcus asked suddenly, and Rachelle shifted her gaze to his recliner and eyed him thoughtfully.

“Well, what about you?” Brady let a hint of teasing slide into his tone, and Marcus stuck his tongue out in answer.

“Seriously, though. I’m feeling pretty much okay today—so far. I could at least be an extra set of hands that doesn’t crush things.”

“Oh, you’re both comedians.” Rachelle huffed, but a slight smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I don’t know, Marcus. I appreciate the offer, but this is going to be an absolute germ fest. I don’t want you catching something because—”

“Come on, I’m not a total hermit.” Marcus offered her a halfhearted scowl. “I used to go to school at least a handful of days out of the month. And if that’s not a germ fest, I don’t know what is.”

“Guessing your school friends didn’t just lick random surfaces, though.” Rachelle sighed, and Marcus raised a mischievous eyebrow.

“Wanna bet?”

Harper burst into an immoderate rush of laughter and rubbed at her eyes helplessly as she tried to bring it under some semblance of control.

“Oh, man. Teenage boys and ankle-biters.” She choked the words out around recurring gales. “Fully confirmed—only difference is the size.”

“Speak for…” Brady trailed off with a shake of his head. “I don’t know—Marcus and his friends, apparently. Not all teenage boys.”

“Don’t know what—you’ve got to squeal about. You passed that bar before I did.” Harper’s flood of hilarity seemed to be resolving itself into gasping chuckles, and Marcus stuck his tongue out.

“I never said I did it. Just can’t completely rule out that someone did.”

“Okay, yes, I get it. You’re not necessarily scared of germs.” Rachelle reached out as though to ruffle Marcus’s hair but caught herself just in time. “Even though you maybe should be. But do you really think you could handle running after a room full of six-year-olds without ending up on the floor?”

“Yeah, maybe not the running so much.” Marcus grimaced, then tilted his head thoughtfully. “But if the Jacksons are out, you’ve got room, right? I can see if Janelle’s free—maybe she could help.”

“Oh, I couldn’t ask her to do that.” Rachelle’s head was shaking before he even finished. “Not on such short notice—and I barely know her—”

“Nope. Not that one.” Marcus pointed a stern finger at her. “She’s family, and you’re like family. So you get to ask, and you don’t get to feel guilty for it. Or at least I don’t, right? Not to run the party, just to see if she could be an extra hand. That’s what you need most, isn’t it?”

“Pretty much.” Rachelle chewed at her lip, and Brady couldn’t help but be thankful that the injection worked on her skin as well as her muscles. “I—I’m not going to say you can’t ask, but—please don’t pressure her, okay? If she—really wants to come, I won’t turn it down, but—you’re very persuasive, and I don’t want—”

“No puppy eyes. I got it.” Marcus chuckled as he pushed out of his chair and started back toward his room, and Brady heard his footsteps pause at the same time his ears caught the creak of a familiar wheel in the hall. Any words included in Dash’s growl were too low and tangled to catch, but Marcus must have at least taken in their sense, if his laugh was any indication. “Better ask them. I’m working.”

Brady let out a tiny breath of a laugh, and after a few seconds, Dash appeared in the door of the common, his face set in the semi-familiar half-glare that generally marked his expression before his meds had fully kicked in.

“You’re an early bird today.” Harper yawned, and Dash scoffed.

“Not sure how I was supposed to sleep longer with all the noise out here. Someone want to fill me in?” His voice carried a deeper gravel than usual, and he folded his arms across his chest and tucked his trembling hands tightly beneath them. Brady winced, but Rachelle actually seemed to relax a little as she leaned carefully against the doorframe.

“How far back do you want us to fill? Feels like it’s been a day already, and it’s barely started.”

“You’re not wrong,” Brady muttered, and Dash turned a slightly more severe squint on him.

“You talking?”

“Might as well.” Brady made a face as he took a seat on the edge of the couch again. “Started way too early for one thing. I’d say watch out for the new nurse, but I have a feeling she’s never going to neglect the instructions on our charts again.”

“No, I missed this part!” Harper leaned forward eagerly, and Brady shot a quick glance at Rachelle before launching into as concise a description as he could manage of the morning’s rippling chaos. He’d touched on most of the critical bits and was trying to decide how to wrap it up when Dash took the decision out of his hands by turning on Rachelle with a scowl so deep it was almost back to his usual baseline.

“What are you thinking, Midget? Just the thought of this party has your stress through the roof. You think you can stay focused enough to control your powers in that madhouse?”

Rachelle winced and looked away, and Dash’s growl deepened into a bark.

“You’d better get sure fast, or call it off! You think watching you take her friend’s arm off won’t—”

“Whoa!” Brady rocketed to his feet as the color fled from Rachelle’s face, but she held up a hand, and he paused, scanning hurriedly to make sure Grace was still rummaging in her room.

“No, he’s right.” Rachelle’s words were a whisper, but she took a deep breath and her shoulders straightened. “Whatever happens, I can’t touch them. Period. So if I’m going to do this—”

“You need help,” Brady whispered, and Rachelle swallowed hard and shook her head slowly.

“Or—I need to be okay with handling it alone. No matter what. And that’s all there is to it.”

Dash eyed her skeptically for a moment before huffing out a breath.

“If you’re begging, you’re not half bad at it.”

“No, Dash, I’m not begging.” Rachelle groaned, but Brady thought he heard just a touch of a laugh in it. “And I’m pretty sure the play place isn’t wheelchair accessible, so you couldn’t chase them down any more than I can. Besides, I need you and Harper here for Brady. I won’t be able to have an earpiece in at all if I want to focus. I appreciate the warning, and I’ll take it to heart, but I have to do this. Help or no help.”

“And the answer is ‘help.’” Marcus appeared suddenly next to Rachelle, a wide smile splitting his face. “Janelle says the kids could really stand to get out of the house, so if there are spots open and you want the extra hands, she can be there.”

“I guess that’s my answer, then.” Rachelle pushed herself off the wall, causing a tiny cascade of drywall dust, then gave herself a little shake. “And please, no one tell me what it says about the state of Grace’s room that it’s taken her this long to find a matching pair of socks. Brady, call Car and tell her you’re ready. If she can drop us off on the way, I’ll take it from there.”