“I won’t be able to be here all the time. I think Val is going to have me moved.”
“Who’s Val?”
“The nurse you met earlier. She doesn’t like me.”
“Why, honey?”
Anna shrugged.
“Come here,” Zachary said. He waited until she was beside him and held out his hand, and she immediately put her tiny, cool hand into it. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“I don’t want to bore you.”
“Tell me.”
Anna exhaled. “I think she might be jealous because my mom works here. She’s one of the surgeons. My mom wants me to become one, too, but I hate the sight of blood. She thinks I’ll get used to it enough if I’m around it, but I won’t.”
“And I’m guessing she won’t listen to you?”
Anna shook her head. “No. She thinks the only way I will become successful is to become a doctor. My dad wasn’t a doctor, and he was successful.”
She looked toward the door and then back at him. “Do you want to know a secret?”
He nodded. Jesus, she was so fucking cute.
“Last year, I made more than my mother did.”
“How?”
“I’m good with stocks. I got that from my father. I’m also good with computers, but she won’t listen to me.”
He squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
“Enough about me. Can I get you anything?”
“Can you help me sit up farther?”
Anna bit her lip worriedly.
“It’s okay, honey. We can take it slow, and I promise you won’t hurt me.”
“Okay, but only a few inches.”
He gritted his teeth as she slowly raised the bed.
She stopped. “Is that too much?”
He shook his head. “No, I’ve got to get used to being upright. Thank you.”
She handed him the cup of water and waited as he took a long drink.
He sighed, closed his eyes, and rested his head.
She started to move away from him, and he grabbed her hand. “I’m not sleeping.”
“I just don’t want to disturb you,” Anna said.
“You’re not. You’re actually making this bearable for me.”