“I’m only asking for a glass of milk” poor little girl carrying her younger sibling said…. But The Billionaire Nearly Shut the Door on her—Until Her Grandmother’s Name Made Him Go Silent…. and Unaware He’ll Change Her Life

“There’s more in the carton.”

Annie looked at him as if trying to decide whether he meant it.

Clare turned away, opened the refrigerator, and began taking out food. Chicken soup. Turkey. Bread. Cheese. Strawberries from a glass bowl she usually kept for breakfast.

Annie’s eyes widened. “Ma’am, I didn’t ask for food.”

“I know,” Clare said, briskly. “That’s why I’m giving it to you before you get stubborn.”

Daniel glanced at his wife, surprised.

Clare met his look with one of her own. It said, very clearly, Do not make this a moment.

He almost smiled.

While the soup warmed, Daniel called St. Mary’s.

The operator transferred him twice. His name made the third person listen faster, and that annoyed him more than it should have.

“This is Daniel Whitaker,” he said. “I’m calling about a patient named Lillian May Johnson. She was brought in by ambulance around 6:20 this evening. I have her granddaughter Annie and a baby named Noah with me.”

There was a sharp pause.

“You have Annie?”

Daniel looked at the child. She had stopped eating.

“Yes.”

“Oh, thank God,” the nurse said. “Security has been looking. The neighbor called twice. The man who was supposed to bring her said she was gone when he got there.”

“Is Mrs. Johnson alive?”

“She is. She’s in emergency cardiac evaluation. I can’t give details over the phone unless you’re family.”

“I understand. I’m bringing the children in.”

“Please do. And Mr. Whitaker?”

“Yes?”

“Tell Annie her grandmother has been asking for her every time she’s awake enough to speak.”

Daniel closed his eyes briefly. “I’ll tell her.”

He hung up.

Annie was staring at him with the terrible stillness of a child bracing for punishment before any sentence had been spoken.

“She’s there,” Daniel said. “Your grandmother is at St. Mary’s.”

Annie’s chin trembled once. “Is she mad?”

The question struck him harder than “Is she alive?” would have.

“No,” Daniel said gently. “The nurse said she’s been asking for you.”

Annie looked down at Noah, then back at Daniel. “Can we go now?”

“Yes.”

She slipped off the stool too quickly and nearly lost her balance. Daniel reached out, then stopped himself before touching her.

“I can carry him,” he said.

Annie held Noah tighter.

Daniel nodded. “All right. You carry him.”