One Hot Momma by Cara North

he seemed more determined than ever to get to the living room on the crutch. He started moving, one painful step at a time. She held her breath between each step, thought of a hundred ways to explain things if he fell, thought of at least ten ways to strap him to his bed where he couldn’t move if he wanted to try this again.
    “ Rafe !” Savannah shouted, and Brice stood up along with her to look at him. Then they remained there like statues.
    “Recliner,” he said with a strained voice.
    Layla turned the recliner toward him and then stood at the back to ensure it did not immediately recline on him. She learned all too well the first time she sat in it that it was sensitive; she thought she was going to flip out of the thing.
    Once in the chair, he smiled, a painful smile of triumph. “Can you turn it back toward the television?”
    “Yes.” She tugged with all of her might. The chair was so much heavier with Rafe in it. Once he faced the television, she made sure the reclining was smooth and easy. His ankle appeared bigger, the stitches in his eye had a spot of blood from his expressions no doubt, and if she could see that, his ribs must have been throbbing, along with the arm in the cast he tried not to use every time his weight had to shift to his right side.
    “I know you don’t want o hear it but…” he started.
    “I’ll get them, and be right back.” She knew he had overdone it, and he knew it, too. So did the two sad faces staring at him. Savannah was already tearing up. “It’s okay, guys. Savannah, come help me for a minute. Brice, why don’t you pick another movie, so we can all start at the beginning? You and Savannah can finish this one later if you like.”
    “We’ve seen it a hundred times.” He shook his head. She knew Savannah had chosen the movie; she chose the same thing every time.
    Savannah followed her to the kitchen. When they were clear of the doorway, she turned and picked her up. Savannah wrapped her arms around her and cried. “Is he going to die?”
    “No, sweetheart, Rafe isn’t going to die. He’s just stubborn. He wants to be with you and Brice, so he got out of bed sooner than he should have, that’s all.” Layla stroked Savannah’s long curly hair and then wiped her tears when she leaned back.
    “He looked like he was hurting.” She sniffed.
    “He is. So be extra gentle if you hug him, okay?” Layla smiled as Savannah nodded. “Be brave, all right. You know it would make him sad if he thought you were afraid of him.”
    “I’m not afraid of him.” She wiped her own tears this time.
    “That’s my girl.” Layla sat her down after another big hug. If losing her job meant gaining these children, it was beyond worth it. “I made cookies earlier. Will you put them on plates?”
    Savannah nodded. Layla set the cookie jar on the kitchen table and headed back to Rafe’s bedroom to get him some pain medicine.
    * * *
    The cookies had been eaten, the movie had rolled credits, and she had carried two children up a flight of stairs to their beds. Unfortunately, though she could tell she was physically stronger now, she couldn’t do the same for Rafe . He was asleep in the recliner. The medicine always knocked him out, which was why he refused to take it unless he was really hurting.
    One phone call later Heath and Jack were there.
    “How did he get in there in the first place?” Heath asked in as much of a whisper as the man could manage.
    “You don’t want to know. We were lucky he didn’t fall since he can’t very well use his arm to support much weight either. I tried to tell him not to. He is so…”
    “Stubborn?” Jack, the youngest brother, said then smiled. They had very similar features, all three brothers; thankfully, Jan got more of her mother’s traits though when she was angry she definitely had Heath’s expressions. “It’s a family thing. Johnsons are known for being stubborn.”
    “Well, let’s get him back in bed. He has one week left;