Cole looked away.
A biker behind him removed his sunglasses.
Another rubbed his beard.
Rachel understood suddenly why twelve men had come.
They had not come to intimidate Lily.
They had come carrying grief.
Cole looked at the girl.
“You were walking past me with your IV pole.”
Lily remembered.
“You looked sad.”
“I was.”
“I gave you my cookie.”
“You did.”
“Was it chocolate chip?”
Cole laughed once through tears.
“Yes.”
“My favorite.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“You told me.”
Lily looked indignant.
“Then why did you eat it?”
The bikers laughed.
Even Rachel.
Cole wiped one eye with the heel of his hand.
“You gave it to me.”
“I was being nice.”
“I know.”
“You didn't have to eat all of it.”
Cole nodded solemnly.
“My mistake.”
Rachel covered her mouth.
The whole scene had become impossible.
Twenty minutes earlier she wanted these men gone.
Now she was laughing with them while one cried over a cookie.
Cole reached toward the five hundred dollars still in Rachel’s hand.
She looked down.
He said:
“Megan died about six hours after Lily gave me that cookie.”
Rachel stopped smiling.
Cole continued.
“She hadn't been awake much that day.”
“When I went back upstairs, I told her about this little girl.”
“Yellow hospital socks.”
“Dragging an IV pole.”
“Bossing a nurse because the nurse wasn't walking fast enough.”
Lily smiled.
Rachel did too.
That sounded exactly right.
Cole continued.
“Megan laughed.”
He stopped.
His voice failed for a second.
One biker stepped closer.
Older man.
Long white beard.
Put one hand on Cole’s shoulder.
Cole nodded.
Then:
“It was the last time I heard my daughter laugh.”
Nobody on the street moved.
Rachel looked at Lily.
Her daughter had no idea what she had done.
Of course she didn't.
Children often create enormous moments without knowing they are enormous.
Lily whispered:
“I just gave you a cookie.”
Cole looked at her.
“No.”
“You saw somebody hurting and stopped.”
“That’s different.”
Lily thought.
“Is it?”
Cole laughed softly.
Rachel felt tears.
She hated crying in front of strangers.
Especially twelve enormous strangers wearing leather.
But there it was.
Cole pointed toward the money.
“So no.”
“I’m not buying six cups for five hundred dollars.”
Rachel waited.
“I’m paying back a cookie.”
Lily frowned.
“That cookie was free.”
Cole looked defeated.
One of the bikers behind him muttered:
“She got you there.”
Cole turned.
“Shut up, Boone.”
The biker grinned.
Lily giggled.
Cole faced her again.
“Fine.”
“Then I'm buying every cup for one dollar.”
Lily nodded.
“Six dollars.”
“And the rest?”
Lily looked toward Rachel.
Rachel already knew this battle was lost.