Page 98 of Lance

And the reason I know this is because his question breaks myheart.

How do I answer him? I close my eyes, trying to think of what Willa would do.She would be honest,a voice in my head whispers. Willa would always be honest. “I don’t know, Simon. I’m sorry. I wish I had a better answer. It’s not fair that your mom left.” I slide out of my chair and kneel in front of him so we’re on the same level, so I can look into his face and he can see mine. “But I promise you thatI’mnot going to leave. I’m going to take care of you. You’re safe with me, Simon, and I love you somuch.”

He practically knocks me backward when he throws his arms around my neck. “I love youtoo.”

* * *

Simon isasleep on my lap when the doctor finally comes out to talk to James. They speak for a few minutes and then James follows him out of the waiting room. Dylan looks back at me but Haylee puts her hand on his arm, saying something before walking towardme.

“Hey,” she says quietly, sliding into the seat beside me. “He’s conkedout?”

“Yeah. Longday.”

“That’s for sure.” She nods over to the door James disappeared through. “They’re letting him see her for a fewminutes.”

“She’s reallyokay?”

Haylee nods. “A broken wrist and a concussion from the airbag,” she says. “They were really lucky—the guy ran a red light but he hit the passengerside.”

I have a brief, horrifying realization that if Haylee had put Simon’s booster seat on the other side…I close my eyes, refusing to gothere.

“What do you think the odds are that he’ll let me see her?” Iask.

Haylee smiles. “I’ll talk to him. Maybe if we say that Simon would feel better if he gets to saygoodnight…”

“Whatever you have to do.” I pause. “Thanks.”

“I figure I owe you one.” She sighs. “I’m sorry I put my foot in it sobad.”

I shrug. “He was going to find out sometime.” I look her right in the eye. “Because I’m not going anywhere. I loveher.”

Her eyes search mine for a moment before she nods. “I’ll talk tohim.”

James is in with Willa for about fifteen minutes before he comes back out. I watch as Haylee talks to him, their heads close together. Eventually he looks up, glares at me, and stomps away, pulling out his phone. She gestures to me and I get up, still holding Simon, and walk over. “He’s calling his mom again,” she says. “You have a fewminutes.”

“Thankyou.”

She tells me where to go and I find a whiteboard with Willa’s name on it, a nurse standing in front of the curtained-off cubicle. “Oh, this must be Simon,” she says, smiling. “Willa’s been talking about him since she woke up. She was realworried.”

“Is it okay if we say goodnight?” I ask, tilting Simon so she can’t see that he’s already asleep. The nurse nods and opens the curtain forme.

Willa is leaning back against her pillows, her eyes closed, and I’m so happy to see her that my knees buckle. I lean against the end of her bed to regain my balance and she opens her eyes. “Lance?”

“Hey,” I say softly, coming around the side of the bed. “How do youfeel?”

“Like my head is full of cotton,” she mumbles, holding up her casted hand. “Look what Ihave.”

“Blue for Captain America?” Iask.

She shakes her head. “That’s TARDIS blue.DoctorWho.”

“I haven’t seen thatone.”

She smiles a little. “I haven’t introduced Simon yet.” She frowns. “Is he okay? They told me he was, but I was soscared.”

“He’s fine,” I assure her. “Tired, butfine.”

“When I woke up and realized what had happened…” Her eyes fill with tears. “He must have beenterrified.”