Daffodils in March by Clare Revell

bottle back.”
    David leaned back in the chair and offered Marc the bottle. The baby grabbed it and waved it, showering milk right along with the baby cereal. “There must be an easier way.”
    “There is. Put him in the highchair.” Jackson’s amused voice came from the doorway.
    David glanced up. “How’s Eden?”
    Jackson dumped his bag on the only clean spot and took the baby from David, setting him in the highchair. “She has bronchitis. You don’t feed Marc very often, huh?”
    “It’s Eden’s job.” David grabbed a cloth and wiped his hands, and then his T-shirt.
    “Well, for the next few days it’s your job, my friend. Eden needs a course of antibiotics and rest.” He handed David the bowl. “Now sit and give him a spoon to play with while you feed him.”
    “How did you learn all this stuff?”
    “That would be telling.” Jackson washed his hands. “There’s a script for you to take to the pharmacist. The sooner the better.”
    “I can’t take time off work to babysit.”
    Jackson’s eyebrow vanished into his fringe. “You have no choice. Eden’s sick. I really think you should drop the little man with the grandparents for the next day or so.” Coughing echoed from upstairs. “Eden needs those meds. If she’s no better in a couple of days, ring her GP.”
    “I have no idea who that is. I haven’t seen you in that capacity for ages, either. Maybe I just register her with you for now.”
    “Sure, you know where we are.” Jackson ruffled Marc’s hair. “You be good for Uncle David. I’ll see myself out. Call me.”
    “I will.” David looked at Marc. “So, after I clean this up, we go get Auntie Eden’s medicine. First we ring Nanny and Grandad and see if they can take you for a while. Then I have to try and sort out the rest of this mess. And work.”
    Eden’s parents were only too happy to take Marc. Once Marc was in his car seat and a bag packed for a few days for him, David went upstairs to Eden’s room. As he entered the room, Eden lay curled on her side, coughing and wheezing.
    “Eden?” he sat on the edge of the bed next to her. “How are you doing?”
    “Feel awful,” she whispered.
    “I’m going to get some meds. I won’t be long.”
    “Take Marc to Mum. She’ll keep him. OK?”
    “It’s already arranged; I’m on my way there now. You sleep for a while.” David brushed the hair from her face and stood. As he left the room, his phone rang. “Yes.”
    “I need you to make two deliveries.” Granger didn’t bother with the niceties either. “And within the next hour.”
    “I can’t,” David said.
    “I suggest you find a way. They’re expecting you.” The phone went dead.
    At least doing Granger’s delivery today meant the stuff had only been in the house a few hours.
    Somehow, he wasn’t quite sure how, David managed to drop Marc off at Eden’s parents place, stop by the pharmacy and get back home in forty minutes.
    He checked on Eden and gave her the meds. Praying she’d be OK for the next hour or so, he then crossed the hallway to his old room.
    The train layout filled it. He grabbed the packages from under the train station. He just hoped Eden hadn’t checked out the set like she kept threatening to do. There was no way he could explain the drugs.
    Then, he headed back out. He should just make it.

9
    Eden existed only in a haze of heat, cold and a racking cough that left her gasping for breath, but the one constant was David. Now David’s voice rose in anger in a one-sided conversation.
    “I told you, she’s mine…Yeah, I will, right now she can’t go anywhere…I understand that…yeah, I’ll deal with her.”
    Deal with who? Her? Someone else?
    Another coughing fit wracked her.
    David’s voice grew closer. “I have to go.”
    Something clicked and rattled by her head.
    David’s hand lifted her from the pillow. “Take a deep breath on this, Eden.” He put something plastic and hard in her mouth. She breathed deeply and then