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“Let’s get you inside and clean you up.” Standing, I hold her with one arm and grab her bike with the other. Once it’s in the garage, I head inside the house, stopping to kick off my shoes in the mudroom. “Do you guys have a first aid kit?”
“It’s under the bathroom sink.”
“Got it.” To the right of the mudroom, there’s a little hallway that leads to the laundry room and a half bath. I set Rosie on the bathroom’s counter, searching in the cabinet underneath until I find the kit. “This is probably going to sting some, squirt.”
She sniffles but nods, squaring her shoulders. Gently, I rinse of her hands, and then I use a wet washcloth to clean her knees. She only winces a little at the soap.
Once I’ve pat-dried her skin, I place bandages on her scrapes.
“Auntie Jade usually kisses my boo-boos.”
“Yeah, my mom used to do that too.” Taking Rosie’s hands, I place gentle kisses to her palms. “Like that?”
She nods. “Thanks, Mister Dominic. They feel a little better.”
“That’s good.”
“Can I have juice now, Mister Dominic?”
I frown. “I think water would probably be better.”
She pouts. “Pleeease?”
“How about some water, and once you’ve finished that, we’ll find your aunt and ask her if juice is okay.”
“But she’ll say no!”
Yeah, I figured.
With a chuckle, I pick Rosie up and head into the kitchen. It’s a complete disaster. The counters are littered with dirty dishes, and the groceries I saw Jade bring in the other day are still in their bags.
I frown. Jade doesn’t strike me as a lazy person. Hell, I’m not sure I’ve ever even met a lazy person.
“Rosie, where’s your aunt?” I ask as I look through the cabinets for a kids cup.
“Her body is hurting, so I told her to take a nap.” She raises her chin proudly, and I have to admit, it’s cute that she thinks she has any kind of authority over Jade.
But I don’t focus on that. Instead I ask, “Her body is hurting?”
“Mmhmm.” Rosie points to one of the cabinets, so I open that one next, finding a couple plastic cups. “It happens a lot. She said her body needs more breaks than other adults. That’s why she’s always sitting.”
“Huh.” As I fill Rosie’s cup from the sink, I realize she’s right. Most of the times I’ve seen Jade playing with Rosie, she’s never standing for long. “So she’s upstairs?”
“Couch.”
I freeze.Shit. Did we wake her?
After crossing the kitchen, I step onto the soft carpet in the living room and peer over the back of the couch. Jade is sound asleep, her dark hair framing her face.
“Mister Dominic?”
“Yeah.”
“My water.”
“Oh, right.” I set her down and hand it to her. Then I look back at the kitchen. It’s a daunting sight, even for someone who doesn’t have chronic pain issues. Assuming that’s what’s going on with Jade. I’m not sure.
“Hey, Rosie?”
