A Time For Love (A Time For Love Series-Book 1)

Is She Okay?

"I'm telling you, kid, next time if you keep practicing with me, ya'll get it and beat me at chess. Guaranteed." Mike says smiling as he helps Bird put the game pieces away for they had been playing for the past hour while Lena took Stef outside before they would all have lunch together. 

Bird really did enjoy Mike, for he was the first positive male figure she ever had in her life. Initially, Bird had been a little weary of him for a bit, but he had proven to her that he was not going to harm her or strike her or treat her in a terrible way that she was so accustomed to by her mother's boyfriends. 

Mike was different and even had shown her a few basketball moves that she was hoping to try very soon, and Bird looked forward to spending time with him. 

"Mike, I don't want you to leave the hospital. I'm glad you are getting better, but I really don't want you to leave." Bird says, handing the man another chess piece as he smiles softly at her.

"You still have me for a few more weeks, kid. I won't be going anywhere until after New Year's. But even then, I'll still be here to check up on you and my sister. I won't disappear. Plus, a little birdie told me ya'll be going home with Lena as soon as you're better yourself. That's pretty cool." The man smiles as Bird grins widely.

"Yeah, I'm so happy I don't need to go to a scary home. That's the worst." She says, handing Mike another piece as he looks right at her, trying not to cause too much attention to what she was spilling. He had heard horrible stories from many kids he had rescued himself, and some of them still kept him up at night.

"Yeah? You been in some scary ones, huh?"

"Yes. There's a lot of mean people out there, Mike, and I'm glad Lena isn't one of them. She's really cool."

"Oh, she surely isn't. She's a good person and is going to take great care of you." He says as Bird smiles while helping Mike put the chess board back into the box.

"Mike? Are you going to be a cop again?"

"Well, not for a bit. I still have a good amount of PT to do, and even after that, I'll be on desk duty for a bit. But essentially, yeah, I'll be a cop again."

"That's good. I'm glad you get to be one again. Do you think Stef will be able to be a cop again when she's better?"

Moving closer to the girl, he looks Bird right in the face, unsure of how to answer because he didn't really know the answer himself. It was hard to say because no one really knew how long Stef's impairments were going to last and what long-lasting effects her injuries were going to have on her. Would she be the same person she was before? No one really knew the answer to that, and it was not something that could be predicted.

"You know I think when she feels better, we can see what she thinks and how she feels."

"She was a good cop. I have the photo you gave me of her still. It's my favorite."

 "She was, and is.  And even if she can't be on the street again, I'm sure the NYPD can find a place for her. They don't let good cops like her go. Listen, I know you love my sister, and honestly, she loves you too. She loves you a lot." Mike smiles as Bird plays with her fingers, now avoiding the mans eyes.

"Can I ask you something." The girl whispers with a great deal of hesitation in her voice.

"Sure. What's up, kid?"

"Well, I love Lena. Alot. I like her a lot too. She's really nice and she's so much fun. Even if she knows nothing about basketball." Mike laughs now as Bird does as well.  "And I'm happy I get to go home with someone who is nice. I'm really happy, Mike."