The urge to haul my kid to the hospital is persistent. But it wouldn’t be fair to him. He’s already rubbing his eyes and resting his head on Penelope’s shoulder.
“Okay.” My tongue feels too big for my mouth. It’s dry. And words are hard. I don’t know if Raffi’s mom would even consider not being by her son’s side so that I can, it’s a bit… presumptuous.
Eloise says something else to me, but I can’t hear her. I pick Wyatt up from Penelope’s arms and make my way down the row to the exit.
No idea if the girls are behind me, but they’ll find me if they aren’t. Eloise comes with me to wait outside for Raffi’s parents. If Wyatt loses his shit at the thought of going with them, that’ll make my decision for me. I’ll just take him with me.
Do they have a car seat?
Penelope goes to find whoever Jim is and askwhere I need to go to see Raffi. But as we wait, an ambulance whizzes past, a blur of red and white lights and sirens. I almost drop Wyatt, but Eloise catches him before I crumple to my knees on the sidewalk.
I don’t know how long it takes for Ani and Travis to arrive, but Travis’s arms loop under mine and pull me to my feet.
“Do you want one of us to come with you?” Ani is waiting for me to lead. If it was Wyatt in hospital, wild horses couldn’t keep me away from his bedside. My heart swells that her unspoken words suggest there’s no where else I want to be than at her son’s bed side, and in order for that to happen, she’s content to sit with her grandson. It sends a sliver of warmth back through my body.
His parents are next of kin. I have no rights at the hospital. I don’t know his medical history. They have more right to be there than I do.
Wyatt has already looped his arms around Ani’s neck. It’s good, what I wanted. But damn if part of me wasn’t holding out for my kid to need his mama so I could snuggle the crap out of him in the waiting room of the hospital.
I try to find my voice, but nothing comes out but a choked sob.
“I’ll drop Ani and Wyatt home and circle back.” Travis is the voice of reason through the clouds blocking my brain.
“I’ll keep you posted if that’s okay?” Eloise introduces herself to my boyfriend’s mom, offering to be her helpful self and swaps numbers while Ani puts Wyatt in the rear-facing car seat in the back of their SUV.
Travis offers me a smile I’ve seen on both his son and grandson’s faces. “Raffi told us what seat you have, and we got one too. It’s new, too, not off one of those buy and sell places. You can’t ever tell if a seat has been in an accident before or not.” He nods somberly. “Microfractures.”
If my body was responding to me, I’d probably laugh. It’s so sweet of them to be so invested in Wyatt the way they are. But right now, I’ve got nothing.
They drive away as my tears continue to fall. Somehow Eloise gets me into Penelope’s car. She turns the heat up to high before she pulls away from the sidewalk, slipping her hand into the free one on my thigh as I stare blindly out the window.
“It’s going to be fine. He’s going to be okay.” I’m not sure who needs the reassurance more, me, or Eloise herself as she chants in the back seat.
As we pull into the parking lot of the hospital, my whole body trembles despite the heat. He has to be okay. I need him. Wyatt needs him. He’s going to be just fine.
Right?
CHAPTER 37
Victoria
On our way into the emergency room, it occurs to me they won’t let me see Raffi because I’m not family. Why didn’t I beg Travis to come with me?
We check in with the reception desk, then take a seat in the waiting room. Eloise is staring at her phone, tears trickling down her cheeks, her shoulders shaking.
“What happened?” Penelope moves to comfort her. I would, I should, but right now I can’t. My legs jitter and bounce as my stomach roils and twists.
Eloise shakes her head, sending a pointed glance my direction.
“It’s okay. Whatever it is.” It can’t be worse than what I’m currently living through.
“It’s about a hockey injury.”
If I wasn’t already chilled to the bone, I’m sure a chill would roll through me. “It’s fine.” I’m not sure it is, but I don’t want her to feel like she can’t talk in front of me.
“A hockey player in the UK has just been pronounced dead. There was a freak accident on the ice. A player’s skate slashed a player from the opposing team’s throat.” She’ssobbing quietly as she struggles to get the words out. “He essentially bled out on the ice, in front of the fans of the game. Both teams formed a circle around him, and they brought out shields.”
She’s reading from her phone. “There’s a video circulating of the incident, but I can’t.” She drops her phone into her lap. “I don’t want to see it.”
