Page 59 of Game Plan

She gets off the bed and takes the wobbliest steps toward me.

“Look at you,” I say, catching her as she collapses into my arms. “You’re getting so good at that.”

“She fell and bumped her forehead on the edge of the couch last night. Scared the crap out of me,” Layla says.

“Up!” Sunny says, so I stand and put her on my hip.

I press a kiss to Sunny’s cheek. “How are you? How is Branch?” I ask my friend.

Layla sighs, sitting on the edge of the bed. “He’s a mess. His mom called ten minutes ago and said it doesn’t look good. She’s alone and terrified.”

“Did you book your tickets?”

“Yeah. The earliest we can get out of here is seven tonight. I’m glad Finn is here because I can’t be with Branch and get things ready to go at the same time.”

I’m glad Finn is here, too.

“I still need to get a rental car secured,” she says as Sunny babbles away. “And book a hotel. They were talking about transferring Leon to another hospital closer to Nashville, so I’ve tried to wait and see where he’ll be for sure.” She toys with Sunny’s fingers. “But since she’s not going, I’m less worried about that. Branch and I can just sleep at the hospital if we have to.”

“Call me when you know where you’ll be, and I’ll get something booked for you. Please don’t worry about that. If there’s anything I do well, it’s shopping, and making travel arrangements is basically shopping.”

She glances at me and grins through unshed tears.

I sit beside her on the bed, resting a squirming Sunny on my lap. “What else do you need? What else can I do to help?”

“Honestly, just being here right now is more than enough. I don’t know what I would do without you, Poppy.”

“Then it’s a good thing you’ll never know. Because if you even think about trying to get a new best friend, it won’t end well.”

She laughs, and I want to warn her that I’m not joking. One of the reasons I’m currently fake-engaged to her brother was so I didn’t have to see another woman at her dining room table snuggling my goddaughter.

I lift Sunny and kiss the back of her head. She leans for her mom with grabby hands, so Layla takes her, pulling her close.

“This is so hard,” Layla says, stroking her daughter’s hair. “I don’t know if I can leave Sunny. I’ve only been away from her for one night out of her entire life.”

“Mama,” Sunny says, clinging to her mom. She squeezes Layla’s cheeks with her little fingers, bringing their noses so close that they touch. “Mama.”

Sunny’s voice breaks, like she’s going to cry, clearly picking up on her mom’s feelings, and her inherent empathy destroys me. I find her favorite stuffie and play peek-a-boo with it, hoping to make her smile.

Fuck, this is so hard.

My thoughts go to Branch. We knew Dad was sick for months before he passed. Not that you ever have time to prepare, but it gave us time to say the things we needed to say. I can’t imagine thinking I wouldn’t make it to say that I love him for the last time. It’s unfathomable to think of not being beside my mother in her grief.

God, please be with them.

Layla sighs heavily. “I feel like a crappy mother if I leave her.”

“Well, stop that right now. You’re a great mother who is keeping your child safe. It doesn’t get more great mom than that.” I hand Sunny her stuffie. “And I promise to send tons of pictures and videos, and you can FaceTime whenever you want.” I frown at the look on her face. “I know this is hard, and I’m not trying to minimize it. But maybe it’ll help if you just imagine us hanging out, having some milk and coffee, maybe painting our fingernails. And if she has a new wardrobe when you get back, you just mind your own business.”

She rests her head against my shoulder. “Thanks, Pop.”

“Anytime.”

“Are you sure this is okay?” She sits upright. “I don’t know how long we’re staying, or when I can come back. And if he passes away …”

I shake my head. “One day at a time, or you’re going to overwhelm yourself.” Take your own advice, Poppy. “And if you’re there longer than you want to be and miss Sunny, I’ll fly down with her. I’ll bring her to you. We’ll visit, and I’ll bring her back,” I say, coming up with every option to help Layla feel better about this. “You know me. I’m a nomad at heart.”

“But what about your job?”