A Baby For The Doctor. Stephanie Dees

the empty mug. “I’ll be back for more later.”

      Jordan watched her sister swing off the porch onto the well-worn path to the main house. Claire was in her element at Red Hill Farm. She may be struggling a little being a mom while dealing with first trimester sickness, but their brood of kids was thriving here.

      As Jordan walked the few steps into the living area, she realized Levi wasn’t asleep anymore. His dark brown eyes were wide-open and staring at her. His thumb was in his mouth, the pale blue lovey she’d brought to the hospital clenched in his fist, his other hand in Gus’s black fur.

      He blinked, his lashes taking a long, slow dip.

      “Hey, buddy, you hungry? Want something to eat?” Even though she knew he probably wouldn’t know it, she made the sign for eat tips of fingers to mouth. Gus’s tail thumped. “Not you, you dorky dog.”

      Levi didn’t move, just looked at her. At least he didn’t seem scared. “How about some milk?”

      Again, she made the sign along with the word. He didn’t respond. She’d tried a sippy cup last night and he’d refused it. It was possible, considering the neglect, that he’d only had a bottle. Luckily, she had one left from an overnight with one of their former foster babies. She poured milk into the bottle and, after a little thought, added a packet of formula because Levi could definitely use the calories.

      Warming it just enough for the powder to mix, she shook it and showed it to him. His eyes brightened for the first time. She eased onto the sofa and sat beside him. He reached for the bottle, but instead of just handing it to him, she picked him up and put him on her lap, letting him rest against her chest.

      He stiffened, but didn’t pull away from her like he had last night. She put the bottle in his mouth and he wrapped his fingers around hers and took a few sips. He pulled it back, looking at it like he wasn’t sure what he was tasting.

      “It’s okay, buddy. Good stuff.” She let him slide into the crook of her arm so that she could see his face. His eyes were open and, as he drank, he reached with one small hand to explore the hair that had fallen out of her ponytail to frame her face. The touch was so light, she barely felt it.

      His hand dropped to his side and she felt him give a big sigh. Eyes drifting closed, he relaxed against her.

      The privilege of being the person who got to hold this baby and offer him safety was not lost on her. He was beautiful, those long, dark lashes an inky smudge on his cheek. As the bottle slid out of his mouth, a milky peace settled on his face.

      What a strange feeling it was to have someone else’s child in her arms, completely dependent on her. She didn’t want to risk him waking up, so slowly she moved one leg and then the other onto the couch and laid her head back, letting the sleepless night catch up with her.

      * * *

      Ash knocked on the door of Jordan’s cottage. The place had been falling down when his brother, Joe, moved in, but he’d repaired it. Now with Jordan’s touch, there were dark purple and gold pansies spilling out of pots on the whitewashed front steps. The front door was painted a bright coral and the ceiling of the porch a contrasting pale blue.

      He would never have imagined that the colors would work but they did, and the eclectic place seemed to suit Jordan. He tapped lightly on the door. No answer. Glancing at his watch, he confirmed that it was nearly noon.

      Maybe she was at the barn?

      He knocked again, a little more loudly, and heard shuffling on the other side of the door. A few seconds later the door flew inward.

      Jordan, the baby on her hip, squinted into the noonday sunlight. She rubbed the heel of her hand in one eye. “Wow. Bright.”

      “I’m so sorry I woke you up. I brought food?”

      “I could kiss you.” She grabbed his wrist and pulled him in the door. Two bright pink spots of color appeared in her pale cheeks. “But I won’t. I mean, obviously I won’t.”

      He laughed. “You might want to reconsider when you see what’s in the bag. I brought cinnamon bread from my sister Jules’s bakery. Mom sent you sandwiches from the Hilltop for lunch and my sister Wynn is in town and made you a chicken casserole for dinner.”

      “You guys.” She pushed the door open wider to let Gus out and Ash in. “Come on in. I assume you knocked more than once? I’m sorry. We were up most of the night.”

      “How’s he doing today?” Ash laid the armload of supplies onto the kitchen island and began to unpack them into the refrigerator.

      “He took a bottle, which I know he’s technically too old for, but it just felt right. He’s been asleep ever since.”

      Ash held up a brown paper bag. “Toddler formula. I think your instincts are on target. Even if he’s three, he’s probably developmentally delayed. Trauma and neglect have serious consequences. And... I’m not telling you anything you don’t know already.”

      “He didn’t sleep until around four, I guess. He doesn’t seem as scared as he was when I first got him home, but he doesn’t cry so it’s hard to tell.” She brushed a hand over the dark curls. Levi flinched.

      Ash shook his head. “Poor kiddo. He’s had such a rough time.”

      Dark brown eyes opened and scowled at Ash. Jordan was right, though. He didn’t seem terrified like he had in the hospital.

      “You may not know it now, Levi, but we’re going to be friends, you and I.” Ash pulled a construction vehicle sticker out of his pocket.

      Levi curled into Jordan’s side, but his eyes were on the sticker.

      Jordan idly ran a hand over the baby’s arm, gentling him. He wondered if she did it on purpose or if it was just instinct to her, like the bottle. The morning sun poured in through the windows, touching her red hair with fire. She really was something.

      “Have you taken him outside? We could take him on a walk, get him out of the house for some fresh air.”

      “Good idea. Let me throw some jeans and boots on. Don’t want to be walking around the barn in...” Her voice drifted off as she noted his leather loafers.

      He laughed. “A little horse manure won’t kill me. I’ll take him while you change.”

      Jordan shifted Levi to hand him to Ash, but the toddler was having none of it, and his arms locked around her neck in a vise grip. She sighed. “I’ll sit him on the couch. Don’t let him fall off.”

      “Yes, ma’am.” As Jordan disappeared into the bedroom, Ash studied Levi. With his thumb in his mouth and big, dark eyes trained on Ash, he wasn’t letting anything get past him. “I thought we made progress. Remember the lollipop last night?”

      No response. They were going to have to do some testing on this little guy to see where his deficits were. Ash wasn’t even sure that Levi could hear.

      Jordan opened the door of her bedroom, her hair twisted into braids, a ball cap on her head and black Hunter boots over her jeans.

      Levi’s eyes followed her as she moved around the room. She smiled at him, her eyes shining. “Little man, you ready to go for a walk outside?”

      When the toddler looked at the door as Jordan picked him up, Ash figured that answered his question about hearing. He could at least hear and understand some things. “Have you seen him crawl or walk?”

      “No. I put him down on the floor a few times with a toy during the night but he didn’t play. No crawling or walking. He sat in one spot and sucked his thumb, watching every move I made.” She opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. “Wow, it’s really nice out here this afternoon.”

      He grinned. “Spring in Alabama. Severe weather, freezing cold, warm, hot. It changes by the hour.”

      They walked along side by side. The farm was peaceful, in its way. Pastoral, he guessed, was