It was a warm May day, and Isla walked with Marcia and Helen. She felt hot in her denim jeans.

Marcia said, "You should have worn shorts."

Helen wore pants that reached her mid-calf, but Marcia had on shorts. They weren't too short but came above her knee. Isla needed to buy cleaning supplies, so maybe she would look for shorts too. She hadn't worn short pants since she was a young girl, but couldn't imagine wearing her heavy skirt and sweater. She had grown accustomed to her new clothes even when men looked at her.

Leo never did, but a part of her wished he would. It was silly, because he was divorced, and Isla had rules. Too bad, she hadn't liked Paul enough, because he met her requirement of having never been married.

It took a few weeks for Helen to ask about her son. Before Isla could answer, Marcia did.

"There wasn't a spark. Right Isla?"

She shook her head. "How did you know?"

"A girl with a spark is excited on date day." Marcia winked.

Helen sighed. "Too bad. I thought you could tame him."

"Tame him?" He wasn't a pet.

"He dates casually. I thought you could settle him down. I remember the spark. Not something I should have been feeling for a priest."

Marcia giggled. Isla knew it was decades ago, but a religious sister shouldn't have been involved with a priest. It was forbidden, as forbidden as the spark she felt when her divorced employer looked at her.

Marcia's giggles continued. "I love a good romance. Do you read romance novels?"

Isla read her Bible. "No!"

Helen said, "Not everything is a sin. Call it research for your next relationship."

"Research? I couldn't." Could she?

Their walk took them past Leo house, occasionally the women came into the kitchen for some water or a cup of tea. Isla didn't feel like talking about relationships and research.

"I have to shop today, before I start my cleaning."

"Okay then." Helen waved.

"See you tomorrow." Marcia smiled.

Once inside, Isla filled a glass with water and drank a quarter of it, before putting it down on the counter. Still feeling hot, she picked it up and drank more. She went downstairs to get some money from her hiding spot. She never paid attention to the piles of books, but a handsome couple caught her eye. It didn't seem like the type of book Leo would read. She continued on to her room.

Once the cleaning supplies on her list were in her cart, she pushed it to the clothing department. Isla stopped and looked at racks of shorts and found a tan pair that looked to be the same length as Marcia's. On a whim, she picked up another pair that were shorter. In the dressing room, she looked at her white, hairy legs. She never shaved in the convent but had when she was younger. Only Sundays required shaved legs but shorts meant she would use her razor more. Feeling daring, she bought three pairs of the shorter style. Marcia was older. Hopefully, Lilli would be proud of her.

Once home, she showered and shaved, and then she put on shorts. It was lunchtime, so her cleaning might not get done. The rigid schedule was hers. Leo told her the house had never been cleaner, but he didn't notice when she cleaned.

On her way to the kitchen, her eyes caught the book. She picked it up again and brought it with her. As she sat down with her sandwich, she opened the cover. The summary, inside the flap, described a new boy to school and a shy girl. Isla wondered if the character was shy like her.

As she flipped to the first page, she stopped when her eye saw something familiar. Leo Nelson. The author wrote, 'Thanks to Dwyer-Mitchell Literary Agency, especially my wonderful, talented agent, Leo Nelson...' It continued, but it left Isla feeling uneasy inside. She didn't know he was talented. He worked a lot, but she never paid attention. Did he have a lot of women thinking he was wonderful?

Isla looked up from the book and looked at the clock. She had to get to school. How had the time flown so quickly?

Riley smiled and told her she liked her shorts. When Leo commented, she felt funny in her belly. Hadn't she read about a similar feeling when the young couple kissed.

Riley said, "Summer's coming. You should have Lilli take you shopping for a swimsuit for the pool."

She gulped. "Pool?"

Leo nodded. "We have a pool we set up in the backyard. They live in it all summer. Can you swim?" She frowned and shook her head. "We can teach you. It's shallow enough that you can still be a good lifeguard."

"Lifeguard?"

Leo nodded. "Watch the kids while they swim." Was he looking at her pasty white legs?

Riley said, "Maybe you can shop with Lilli when Zach helps set up the pool."

"Riley, pool time is still weeks away."

Isla turned away. The couple in the book kissed in a pool. The way the kiss was described was nothing like what Isla had experienced.

After dinner, she finished the book in her room. The term research had been accurate. The book helped her understand some of her feelings, especially jealousy. Even reading how Leo was wonderful had made her feel jealous. Her body responded to the book in ways it never had with Paul. With Leo, she had no doubt. Unfortunately, it was the one thing she could never experience.

Isla sat on the front steps with another book. Marcia had given it to her. It featured adults, and Isla confided she felt like she was sinning. Her two friends laughed at her. She reconciled her uncomfortableness with the excuse it would prepare her for marriage.

She couldn't really read, because her job was to watch Cody ride his bike. He stayed on the sidewalk as he rode up and down the street. Anytime a car drove by, Isla craned her neck to make sure he was away from the road. She had just watched a car go by when Cody's bike skidded on sand and fell over in the next-door neighbor's driveway.

Isla ran as Cody let out a loud cry. She lifted the bike off him and immediately saw blood gushing from a gaping wound on his leg. Internally, she panicked as she tried to appear calm for Cody's sake. "It's okay. Let's get you home."

"My bike!" He wailed. It was new, and the boy loved it.

She put her arm around him. "Riley will get it."

As they entered the kitchen, she called his sister and instructed her to get the bike. Then she turned her attention to the jagged gash, it became obvious a bandaid wouldn't suffice. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and called Leo, but his phone just rang. She switched to his work number he had entered, but she had never used.

"Leo Nelson, please."

She expected Leo, but another woman answered. "Leo Nelson's office."

"I need to speak to him."

"I'm sorry he's in a meeting. Please submit your query online." She was about to hang up.

"No!"

"Excuse me."

"It's an emergency. I need to talk to him. Cody is..."

"Oh! Hold on. Leo..."

His voice came on the phone immediately. "Isla!" She explained with ragged breaths. "Take him to the emergency room. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Cody was still crying as she drove to the hospital. Riley sat in the back and tried to be brave. Isla reassured him. "It will be fine. Just a few stitches." Or more than a few.

"Stitches!" The boy screeched.

"I had stitches once."

Riley said, "You did?"

"When I was little." It was before her grandmother died when she was sick. Her mother was home, but not taking care of her. She broke a jar trying to find food and stepped on the glass. "On my foot."

She breathed when they arrived in the emergency department. She had to tell them she didn't have Cody's information. "His father is on his way." The blood soaked the cloth on his leg. "Please, he's losing blood."

Her pleas must have worked because they didn't have to wait as long as some others who sat on the vinyl seats. No one said anything as she and Riley followed the nurse leading Cody back to a bed divided by a curtain from other beds.

She smiled. "We'll clean you up and fix it as good as new." She put on gloves and replaced the cloth with fresh gauze.

Cody whimpered, and Isla held his hand. She loved him and wanted to comfort him. Riley looked traumatized as she looked around. Isla stood by Cody waiting for the nurse to come back, when Leo appeared. Isla's heart swelled at the sight of him. He looked put together, but his face was filled with anguish.

"Daddy!" Both cried at the same time.

He rushed to Cody's side and held out his arm for Riley. The girl moved into his embrace and clung to him.

His voice sounded gentle. "You're okay, Code."

"Isla said st... sta... stitches!"

"She's probably right. I had stitches. See." He showed his son his forearm.

Riley said, "What happened?"

He shrugged. "Climbing accident." His answer caused Riley to frown even more. "Riley, honey, Zach's waiting to take you home. Thankfully, he had his car today."

"I don't want to go." Riley clung to him.

"This might take a while. You'll be better off with Zach. Cody will be fine." He looked at Isla. "Isla too."

She shook her head. "Riley should go, but I'm staying. I need to stay." She never spoke out, but she had to be there for Cody. It was more than just her job.

Leo said, "Take her to Zach for me." He hugged his daughter. "Zach will get takeout. Your choice."

Isla pulled her into her arms and walked her to the waiting room. Riley flung herself into Zach's arms.

"You okay, girlfriend?" He looked at Isla. "Are you ready?"

She shook her head. "Just Riley."

Zach led Riley out, and Isla returned to Cody and took her place next to him on the opposite side of the bed from Leo. No one spoke as Cody had calmed down. He looked sleepy which worried Isla. She looked up at Leo. He had a vacant look. Isla felt an ache in her heart, seeing the pain on his face. It instantly disappeared as a doctor and nurse appeared. The confident women eased the tightness in Isla's chest.

"Okay, Cody." The doctor smiled. "We're going to clean you and fix you up. Mom, could you stand next to Dad?"

Isla started and moved. She wondered why no one corrected the doctor. Cody quietly whimpered. She was worried. "Is he okay? He lost a lot of blood."

The doctor nodded. "He's in shock. We'll give him some IV fluid as a precaution."

Isla watched as the nurse took Cody's hand and rubbed an alcohol pad on it. Cody didn't flinch when the needle went in.

"I added a tiny sedative to help us take care of the leg. He'll be tired."

As she spoke, Leo wrapped his free hand around Isla's and gave it a squeeze. Just as quickly he let go. She couldn't make eye contact and wondered if he was comforting her or himself.

The efficiency in the way the two silently worked was reassuring. It made Isla feel as if they stitched people every day. Maybe they did.

The doctor looked up. "Tomorrow, he'll be bragging about the number of sutures. His magic number is eighteen." Isla winced. "It's cleaned. He'll need to keep it dry for twenty-four hours. After that quick showers, no tub. He wants to limit activities which might open it back up. Unfortunately, almost anything based on the location could. He can walk, but he shouldn't run. That means at recess and gym. I'll write a note." She looked at the machine with the tube going into his hand. "Once this is in. We'll pull the needle and wake him up. After some juice and crackers he can go home. Watch him, he may act a little drunk." She looked at the clock. "Bed might be the best place for him."

It took awhile before Cody was ready to leave. Leo never left his side the entire time. As he woke and ate a few animal crackers, Isla sat down. His face had color back, and she felt like she had run a marathon. When Leo finally slipped into the driver's seat after securing Cody in the backseat, he sighed.

His face looked paler than his son's. "I hate hospitals."

The emotion in his words made Isla wonder about his past. Maybe a hospital played a part in why the children didn't see their mother. The order had multiple missions. While her small convent supported the school, others in different cities worked with the addicted. Occasionally, a sister would visit and talk about their work. Did Leo's wife get lost to addiction? Something caused him to be sad. She sighed.

His voice cut through the quiet car. "It wasn't your fault."

"I know." With all the emotions, guilt wasn't one of them. "I was outside watching for cars. The sand."

The past Sunday, Isla had gone to Helen's for dinner after church. She had a pleasant time, but it was a little overwhelming meeting more of her children and their families. Paul brought a new girl. She didn't look like Isla. Helen had complained about her, while Isla tried to avoid him.

When she walked home, Cody was riding his bike, and Leo was mowing the backyard. She didn't have to sit outside and watch Cody, but she had.

"It was an accident." Leo patted her hand resting on her leg.

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