Saving Grace by Darlene Ryan

my pie as I was putting Brianna into the car seat. The baby’s nose was red and sore-looking from being wiped so much. “Is there a store that’s open anywhere around here?” I asked. “I need to get some cold medicine.”
    Leslie frowned. “You know you can’t give that to a baby, right?” She bent over and felt the baby’s cheeks and forehead. “She is warm. I think she probably has a fever.”
    â€œAre you sure I can’t just give her some of that stuff they advertise on tv?” I asked. “You know that commercial with that guy from the show about all the doctors. He’s the tall one with the blue eyes. I wouldn’t give her very much.”
    â€œYou can’t give her anything like that. She’s a baby. She’s just a few months old. But you could take her to the after-hours clinic and get one of the nurses to take a look at her.”
    I felt Brianna’s face. She was really warm. I must have looked worried because Leslie said, “I’m sure she’s all right. Babies get fevers all the time. The clinic is just down the street.” She leaned across the table and pointed out the window. “See those lights just down there? That’s it. They’re open till midnight.”
    I could feel that lump again in my throat. I couldn’t finish my pie because I couldn’t swallow anything past it. Brianna was whining and coughing, and there was gunk on her nose again. Buthow could I take her to the clinic? They’d ask too many questions. She grabbed my finger, tightly, the way she did before. All I could think was
I’ll die. I’ll die if they take her away from me. I can’t give her back
.
    My heart was pounding so loudly I was surprised Leslie didn’t hear it. She was gathering the salt and pepper shakers from the tables and setting them on the counter.
    I looked at Brianna. Maybe she wasn’t that sick. Okay, so she was coughing and her nose was running, but that was just a cold. A cold wasn’t that big a deal. And even Leslie had said that babies get fevers all the time. As soon as we got to Halifax I’d take her to a doctor. First thing. But right now we had to get going.
    â€œExcuse me. Can you tell me where the bus station is?” I asked Leslie. She was filling the salt shakers from a giant box of salt.
    â€œSure,” she said. “Go left when you go out the door and then left again at thecorner. You can’t miss it.” She paused. “And the clinic is just up to the right across the street. Like I said, you can see the lights from here.”
    â€œThank you,” I said. I gave her a twenty and waited for my change. Then I put on my jacket, gathered all my stuff and tucked the blanket around Brianna.
    â€œBye,” Leslie said. “Take good care of that little one.”
    â€œI will,” I said. “Bye.” By the time the police showed up to ask questions, if they even did, Brianna and I would be long gone.

Chapter Fifteen
    Brianna started coughing again as soon as we were outside in the cold air. I set the car seat down and lifted her out. For once she didn’t kick or squirm. She just settled in close to me with her head on my shoulder. “Just a couple more hours and we’ll be safe,” I whispered. “I promise as soon as we get to Halifax we’ll find a doctor.”
    I could hear Brianna’s wheezy breathing and it made me think aboutmy mother. I don’t know how old I was, six maybe, and I was sick. It was more than just a cold. I remember she rubbed some kind of awful-smelling stuff on my chest, and she sat by my bed all night. Every time I woke up she was there with a glass of water and a cool cloth for my head.
    I felt a sharp pain stab my chest. Missing my mother hurt the same as thinking about giving up Brianna. Tears filled my eyes and I had to blink hard to make them go away. I didn’t have any time to cry. I hooked