Re: Visiting the Hospital
She was small, huh? Joey. Cris woulda smiled, but he was looking open at Daniel, watching him, miraculously, pale even more—and watching Lou watch him too. He remembered what Sam said, 'bout him being bad in hospitals, so he wasn't surprised, but he kinda wished the gringa was here to hold the guy's hand or something, since Lou wouldn't—Lou who seemed torn between this guy he loved and his niece, a fact the new father didn't fail to notice or resent. It was selfish and he knew that, but, hey, he deserved a break and his kid deserved family who looked out for her, not just themselves and the people they fucked. Same with Sam.
"Nah, we don't gotta go in. You can see her when she's home in a bit. I'll even let you hold her, if you sit down." It was as magnanimous and good-humored as he could manage, and he gave both men a smile, tired as it was. "She's somethin', huh? Strong girl, like her ma. Loud, like botha us." The pride was brassy in Cris' tone, and he gave the baby a look of great love, lingering, before he turned back to Lou and Daniel. "Here, lemme take that." He reached out for the food, so the Scotsman didn't hafta lug it around. "Let's go make sure Sam ain't slammin' Iris' face into a knob, huh? Then maybe I can eat somea this, and you can both tell Sam she's lookin' real good and be earnest 'bout it."
He gave both guys a pat on the back, one on either sidea him, and he steered them back toward the elevator with his palms gripping shoulders. (Sorry 'bout the bloody knuckles nearer your cheek, Daniel. They didn't stay there long.)—Back down in the lobby, he looked 'round for the two blondes where they last saw 'em.