“What happened? Vivi? How did you come to be in that alleyway?”
She just shook her head. “I can’t tell you.”
There was a sound at the door, and she hid the candy under her bedding. Standing, he moved over and opened the door. Wolfe walked in, carrying a tray with a bowl of broth on it as well as a glass of orange juice.
Kind of a weird combination.
“Soup and juice?” she asked as he set it down.
“The doctor said the broth is good for your stomach. You managed some fine before. And vitamin C is good to have with iron tablets to help your body absorb them.”
“You could have brought me something,” Caleb muttered.
“You’re welcome to go get yourself something. I think Aleki is getting pizza.”
“Pizza? How come I get broth and Aleki gets pizza?” She pouted.
Wolfe stared down at her. “Pizza has little nutritional value.”
“Like jello?”
“Exactly.”
“Wolfe,” Caleb warned. “If she wants pizza, isn’t it better for her to eat something?”
“She will eat something. The soup and juice.”
“That seems unfair,” she muttered.
Wolfe folded his arms over his chest. “Unfair, huh? Tell you what, if you can eat a whole bowl of broth, I’ll get you pizza. How is that for fair?”
He turned his gaze to Caleb. “No need to test it before you feed her. I checked the temperature already. It’s perfect.”
Caleb raised his eyebrows. “You tested it?”
“That so-called nurse nearly burned her with her over-hot soup yesterday. Do you need me to feed her?”
“I think I have it handled,” Caleb said dryly.
Wolfe turned away from them both and headed towards the door. “And I saw that, miss!”
Caleb turned back to find Vivi had her tongue sticking out. She tucked it away, looking embarrassed.
He had to grin.
Wolfe turned back at the door. “Be careful, little girls who stick their tongues out are often given something to occupy their mouths.”
“Did he . . . did he . . .” She looked at Caleb in shock.
“Did he what?” he asked innocently. He had to fight the smile tugging at his lips.
“Never mind,” she muttered, yawning. Poor darling. She was so tired. It hurt him how exhausted she appeared. “I don’t understand what’s going on.”
Caleb gave her some soup. He could tell she wasn’t even going to finish half of it. There went her dreams of pizza. He had no doubts that pizza wouldn’t have sat well in her stomach anyway.
“We’re here to help you,” he told her.
“I’ve changed.”