Page 76 of Chasing Honor

I looked over Carson’s head at my parents, hoping they held the answers I need to calm Carson down.

“I know you do. But you can see her tomorrow. You’re gonna go home with Pop and Gran—”

Carson moved and grabbed my face in both her tiny hands and looked me dead in the eyes.

“I want Honor, now,” she yelled.

“Okay, baby, I’ll take you to see her.”

I’d never seen fear like that in my daughter’s eyes. Not even while she was strapped into the back seat after the car accident. Sure, she’d been frightened, but it didn’t compare to the terror rolling off her now.

I scooped Carson up and held her close before I turned to my dad. “We’ll be right back.”

He gave me a chin lift, and my gaze slid to my mom, who was tucked against my dad’s side with tears glistening in her eyes. She nodded her approval, and I left the waiting area.

“You have to be very careful and not touch anything,” I told Carson. “There are a bunch of machines that may look scary—”

“Sir,” a nurse cut me off midsentence as I was opening the door to Honor’s room. “She can’t be back here.” The nurse motioned toward Carson.

“We’ll only be a minute. She’s scared and wants to check on her mom.”

The nurse looked from side to side before turning back to us. “Please be quick. Children are not allowed in this unit. And if someone catches you, we never had this talk.”

The woman turned on her heel and walked off down the corridor leaving us outside of Honor’s door.

“Did you decide, Daddy? Can Honor be my mom?” Carson asked.

“We have to talk to Honor about it, Squirt. She’s pretty mad at Daddy right now. I was a jerk this week and I hurt her feelings. I need to make things right with her. And you too. I’m sorry I was so grouchy.”

“It’s okay. Honor, I mean Mom, told me it was because you were sad you had to work at night and couldn’t tuck me in like you like to. And Pop always says when Gran is mad at him, he kisses her until she forgives him. I don’t understand how that works. I think it’s silly.”

I really didn’t want to think about how my father got my mom to forgive him when he was acting like an asshole. I was sure it entailed more than kissing and the images made me want to gag.

I opened the door and found Honor sleeping peacefully. I was getting ready to tell Carson she’d have to come back later, when her eyes opened. The scowl she’d worn earlier while talking to me turned into a breathtakingly beautiful smile.

“Hey, darlin’. How ya feeling?”

Carson remained frozen for a moment before she wiggled in my arms, wanting to be set on her feet.

“Remember, no touching anything,” I whispered.

Without looking at any of the machines, Carson marched to Honor’s bed and started to climb up.

“Carson—”

“She’s fine, Ethan. Help her up.”

I didn’t have to, Carson was already sitting on Honor’s left side looking her over.

“Does it hurt?” Carson asked.

“A little. But I’ll be okay. I even have a cool tube the doctor left in. I’m attached a machine that’s sucking out air from around my lung that shouldn’t be there. Wanna see?”

I wasn’t sure it was a good idea for Carson to see Honor’s chest tube, but I remained quiet, trusting Honor knew what was best for her.

“Wow. Does that hurt?”

“Nope. I can’t feel it at all. The doctor gave me special medicine to numb the area.” Honor brushed Carson’s hair from her forehead and turned to me. “You said she wasn’t hurt.”