A Heart Made New Read Online Free Page B

familiar. “Yes.”
    “I knew it.” Head cocked, Kinsey grinned. “You don’t have hair.”
    David ran a hand over his slick head. He hoped his hat wasn’t lost. Last time he’d been in overnight, it had disappeared somehow. “It grows back.”
    “That’s what Mommy says.” Kinsey crossed her legs and scratched her nose with stubby fingers. “I don’t care. It’s nice not to have to wash it and brush it. Besides, Grammy gave me some really cool kerchiefs to cover it up. One’s purple. Purple’s my favorite color. What’s your favorite color?”
    She covered all that without taking a breath. David wanted tosmile. Instead, he carefully considered the question. “Green. I think it’s green.”
    “Why?”
    “Because it’s the color of grass and things that grow.” And Annie’s eyes. “It reminds me of being outside.”
    “Instead of being in here.”
    Smart little girl. Being outside instead of looking at beige walls and shielding his eyes from glaring, fluorescent lights. “Yes. Instead of in here—”
    “Kinsey Rene Navarro!” A round woman in the brightest purple dress David had ever seen burst through the door. She swooped down, grabbed Kinsey’s arm, and tugged her from the chair before facing him. “I’m so sorry. Kinsey, apologize to the man. You know better than to barge into other people’s rooms. I’ve told you a dozen times to stay put.”
    “This is my mommy. Her name is Willow.”
    Willow had long, shiny brown braids and dimpled cheeks. She exuded health in the middle of a building full of sick people. David tried not to resent that fact. “It’s nice to meet—”
    “Don’t interrupt, Kinsey.” Willow’s tone said she had to admonish her daughter about that particular fault quite often. “The doctor wants you to stay in bed. Your immune system is weak. There are germs.”
    “Grammy says there’s germs everywhere. I get bored.” Kinsey’s lips drooped. “I’m exploring.”
    David tried to get a word in edgewise. “It’s no problem—”
    Willow shook her head so hard her braids bounced. “This is a hospital—”
    The door opened again. This time Mudder and Annie filed into the room. Willow put both hands on Kinsey’s shoulders. “Again, I apologize. You have visitors. We’ll get out of your way.”
    His face on fire, David gripped a pillow to his chest. “Mudder, I told you before. No visitors.”
    “Annie was so worried.” Seemingly oblivious to Kinsey and Willow, his mother rushed to his bed. She clutched a paper sack in one hand,the faded green canvas bag that served as her purse in the other. “She just wants to make sure you’re okay. We brought you some crackers.”
    The woman squeezed past Annie, headed toward the door. Kinsey threw out an arm. Her little hand touched Annie’s arm. “You have green eyes.”
    “I do.” Annie smiled, a smile that was better than any pain medication Doctor Corbin could offer. “Yours are blue.”
    “Like the sky—”
    “Kinsey! Enough.” Willow bustled her out of the room.
    David gave the quiet a second to settle around them. Annie took two steps toward the bed. Then another. And another. She smoothed back her blonde hair around her kapp, even though it didn’t need it. “The little girl was sweet. Who is she? Are you—”
    David met her gaze. “You have to go.”
    “I want to stay.” She sighed. “I only want to help.”
    “Go.” He couldn’t keep looking at those sad green eyes. He would waver. “Go home.”
    “I’m going.” She paused at the door. “If you change your mind or you need something, send Josiah for me. I can read to you. I found an old copy of The Oregon Trail at the used bookstore. Remember when we used to read that in school? Or if you just want someone to sit with you…”
    He couldn’t let the tears in her eyes or the entreaty in her voice sway him. Hurt her now and she’d get over it sooner. Later would be worse—for her.
    “No.”
    “David!” The disapproval in his