Easy Nights (Boudreaux #6)

“Mama, that’s not just a sore toe.”

The toe is clearly infected, pushing the toes on either side of it out. There’s no way she could wear shoes right now. It has to hurt so badly, I don’t know how she can bear to walk to the bathroom, not to mention down the stairs.

She still also has several open wounds on her legs thanks to the arterial disease she has that prohibits her body from healing itself. That combined with the diabetes makes it tough for her if she gets hurt or sick.

“Why didn’t you call me days ago?”

“Because I’m okay.”

“Mama, you’re not okay.”

“I don’t want to go to the doctor.”

I sigh and scrub my hand over my face. Getting this woman to agree to go to the doctor is like trying to debate with a terrorist.

“I know you don’t, but you need to. I’m taking you right now.”

“My podiatrist is booked weeks ahead. That’s why I gave myself the pedicure rather than go in. A woman needs to have pretty feet.”

“I see. Well, then, we’re going to the emergency room.”

“Benjamin—”

“Mom, we have to.”

She sighs and finally nods. “Okay then.”

I help her dress in sweat pants and a T-shirt, and she wiggles her way back into her slipper, but I can see that it’s painful and takes a great deal of effort.

She moves to stand, but I pick her up and carry her down the stairs.

“Well, aren’t you just the strong one?” she says with a smile. “Been more than a minute since a man carried me anywhere.”

“You shouldn’t be walking,” I reply and get her settled into the car. “Do you want me to call anyone else?”

“No, they’ll probably put me on an antibiotic and send me home. No need to worry anyone.”

I hope so.

***

“She’s going to be here for a couple of days,” I say to Beau on the phone a couple of hours later. “They have to amputate the toe immediately, and we’re hoping the infection didn’t travel up. If it did, there’s a chance that she could lose the foot.”

“Damn,” Beau replies grimly. “I’ll be there in just a bit. Are they taking her in for surgery right away?”

“Yeah, they’re prepping her now. She’s not happy.”

“I’m sure not. Just text me which waiting room you’re in and I’ll be there soon. I’ll let the family know.”

“I haven’t called your mom yet.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll do it. Go be with her while they’re prepping her and tell her we all love her.”

I grin. “For a guy who can be such a badass, you’re sure a softie when it comes to women.”

“As far as I know, that’s how it’s supposed to be,” he replies and then he disconnects the call.

I don’t know if I’ve ever told them all how thankful I am for them. Aside from Mom, I don’t have any other blood relatives that I know of. If there is family out there, they don’t live in New Orleans, and Mom’s never mentioned them.

So having the Boudreaux family in our lives has been awesome.

And this is a reminder to me as to why I can’t ever try to start something with Savannah. Our families are too linked, our lives interconnected.

I’d never risk losing that.

“There he is,” Mom says when I walk into her room. “Don’t tell me you got everyone riled up over this little thing.”

“Amputation isn’t a little thing,” I remind her.

“It’s just a toe, Benjamin. Not a whole appendage.”

“Thankfully,” I reply and lean over to kiss her forehead. “Your eyes are getting droopy.”

“They gave me more drugs,” she says with a sigh. “I’m so tired of medication.”

“I know.” I kiss her again and sit next to her. “But I bet you’re tired of your toe hurting even more.”

“That’s true,” she says and licks her lips. “Can I have water?”

“Sorry, no,” a nurse says as she walks in the room. “We’re about to wheel you back. You can have lots of water after you wake up.”

Mom grips my hand. “This part makes me nervous.”

“You’ll do great,” I reply and ignore the blatant stares the nurse is giving me. “And I’ll be here when you wake up. In fact, I think several of the others will be here too.”

“How nice,” she says with a smile. “Don’t get all fussy with flowers.”

“Mom, we like to fuss.”

And I know she secretly likes it too, but doesn’t want to show it.

Before long she’s out cold and another nurse comes into the room to wheel her out.

The first nurse stays behind, and when we’re in the room alone, she surprises me with, “I like your tattoos.”

“Thanks.” My phone beeps with a text. It’s Beau letting me know that he’s in the waiting room.

“I don’t usually do this sort of thing, because it’s not exactly professional, but—”

“Please don’t,” I say, interrupting her. “I don’t want to hurt your feelings, and that’s all that can come from this conversation.”

Her face falls and she nods, then hurries out of the room.

Shit. I probably could have handled that more gently, but damn it, they just wheeled my mother back to surgery, I’m beating myself up over Savannah, which is fucking stupid because there’s nothing there to beat myself up over, and the last thing I need is my mom’s nurse coming on to me.

I mean, who the fuck does that?

I walk out to the waiting room and am surprised to see not just Beau, but Savannah as well.

“How is she?” Beau asks as they both stand.

“She’s okay. A little scared, but fine. The procedure should only take about an hour.”

“Good,” Van says. “Poor Millie.”

“She’d been stranded upstairs for a couple of days,” I say and drop into a chair facing Beau and Van. “She didn’t call me until today.”

“Shit,” Beau whispers. “She could have even called my mom. She’s right next door.”

“Stubborn woman,” I mutter. “I think I’m going to have to hire a caregiver to come stay with her. I’m not comfortable with her being alone.”

“Do you think she’d go for it?” Beau asks.

“Maybe, especially after this. She may talk a big game, but I could tell that she was scared.” I shake my head, frustrated. “I physically carried her out to the car and brought her here.”

“Wow,” Savannah says, catching my attention. She’s listening intently, her eyes full of concern and something else that I’ve begun to see lately, and don’t quite know how to handle it, even though it’s like a siren’s song that I only want to get closer to.

And that’s a bad idea.

“I’m going to go grab us all a coffee at the cafeteria,” Beau says and stands. “Do you want anything else?”

I shake my head no just as Van says, “I’d rather have tea, please.”

Beau nods and walks away and I’m left alone with Savannah. She moves from her seat to the one right next to me and rubs my arm in firm, soothing strokes.

“She’s going to be just fine,” she says. “I think the caregiver idea is a good one. Maybe for now all she needs is someone to come be with her during the day. They wouldn’t necessarily have to be live in. At least, not for a while.”

I nod, unable to talk. Her warm little hand on me is making my dick twitch, and that’s not at all appropriate while your mother is in surgery.