All for Hope by Olivia Hardin Read Free Book Online Page A

hours later Hope was bouncing little Michelle in her arms as she paced the hotel room, cooing a lullaby in soft tones with her chin against the tiny blonde head. A warm bath, a seemingly tortuous cleaning of that button nose with a bottle syringe and some acetaminophen to knock down her 100.2 degree fever, and the baby’s cries were now just a mere whimper.
    Bren picked at his chips as his eyes followed them back and forth across the carpet. As babies are wont to do, Michelle was fighting sleep, trying to hold her head up even as her red-rimmed eyes drooped.
    After a few more minutes, Hope laid the sleeping little one carefully onto the bed and stacked pillows around her, then forced a smile for Brennan.
    “ Here you go.” He handed her a turkey sandwich and chips.
    Now that the baby was resting, Hope felt the tension ooze out of her body and hunger made her stomach growl.
    “ She okay?”
    Hope nodded, chewing.
    “ Yeah.” She swallowed and continued. “It’s just a cold, I’m sure. Her fever broke pretty quickly so I think she’ll be fine.”
    He nodded and stuffed several chips into his mouth. “How do you know so much? You act like you’re a professional mom.”
    She snorted. “I’ve had some practice.” She grinned and nodded to her bag on the bed. “I also have a book in there that helps sometimes.”
    Silence ensued for a few moments, then Brennan popped the last of his sandwich into his mouth. After swallowing, he turned to her again. “You need to get settled, Hope. She needs some stability.”
    She didn’t say anything, just stared at nothing and took another bite of her sandwich.
    “ Are you listening, Hope? I don’t know anything about babies and kids, but this can’t be the best thing for her.”
    She took a long swig of soda, then turned to him. “I realize that, Bren. I realize we need to find a place to stop and try to make a life. I keep thinking I’ll know where. When I get to the place we should be, I’ll know. Nothing feels right yet. No place feels safe. I’m not ready.”
    She waited for him to argue, but he said nothing. She ate the remainder of her meal in virtual silence. When Hope emerged after a hot shower a while later, she found Brennan asleep on top of the bed-covers with one hand resting on Michelle’s head.
     

     
    Bren awoke to a dark room and something wiggling beside him in the bed. He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone, pushing a button to turn on the screen and provide some light. Michelle was kicking her legs and gnawing on her fingers.
    He reached out to touch her head, brushing his fingers across the downy soft hair. He mentally wondered how someone could tell by touch whether a child had fever. Recalling something he’d seen Jim’s girlfriend do with their son, he leaned down and placed his cheek to her forehead. She felt warm, but not hot.
    As he continued to ponder this, Michelle’s teeny fingers grasped a clump of his hair and tugged. He chuckled low and kissed her temple, then rolled out of the bed and shuffled off to the bathroom.
    It was only about three in the morning. He left the light on in the bathroom when he went back into the bedroom. In the pale light he could see Hope’s silhouette in the bed nearest the window. She was turned away from them and seemed to be sleeping soundly.
    As he changed her diaper, he made funny faces at Michelle, and she giggled and grinned, slobber running in a slippery trail down her cheek. She was still stuffy, and her nose needed cleaning, but he was afraid she’d start shrieking again and wake Hope, so he let her be for now. She didn’t show any sign of going back to sleep. She had gone down so early the previous evening, he figured she’d had enough rest.
    Hope stirred in the bed next to them, and he watched a moment to see if she would awaken. When she showed no signs of getting up, he focused his eyes back on Michelle and smiled. Hope’s constant worry was getting to him. He even