Page 77 of Chasing Honor

The accusation in her tone was fierce. Just what you’d expect from a mother. How could I have been so fucking stupid? She loved Carson. She loved me. Why hadn’t I trusted her with my thoughts about Chrissy?

“She’s fine. The doctor said she hit herself in the head,” I explained.

“I’m sorry you were hurt.” Honor brought Carson close and kissed the bruise on her head. “I was really scared. Were you?”

“Yes,” Carson told her. “I wanted to go up front with you, but I wasn’t allowed out of my seatbelt. The doctor told me she needed me to help her and stay in the back, so she could get you out of the car.”

“That was really brave of you. Thank you for helping her.”

“Then Daddy came. You were scared, too, weren’t you Daddy?”

“Yes, Squirt. I was very scared. My two best girls were in an accident and hurt.”

When had Carson grown up? It felt like yesterday she was learning how to walk. Then suddenly she was running. The years seemed to have slid by in the blink of an eye.

“Then Daddy argued with the doctor but he let her shine a tiny flashlight in my eyes and she checked me all over before she let him take me out of the car.”

Honor’s face had turned to stone.

“She checked you?” Honor asked then pinned me with a pissed off look. “Did she get checked in the ER?”

I would’ve rolled my eyes at her if I hadn’t been so taken by her concern.

“Yes. As soon as you were taken up to surgery, she had a full battery of tests. She’s fine.”

Not to be deterred, Carson continued with her story. “Then we got in the ambulance with you and the doctor. Daddy was holding me so tight all his stuff was poking me. But I didn’t care because when all the beeping started I was scared.”

Honor looked to me to fill in the holes. I wanted to wait to explain what had happened in the ambulance and the role Chrissy had played until after Honor had gotten some much-needed sleep. But by the look she was giving me, I no longer had that option.

“Your lung collapsed, and it was straining your heart. That’s when the first chest tube was put in.”

Honor nodded then returned her focus to Carson.

“That had to have been really scary. I’m sorry you had to see it.”

“I didn’t see it. Daddy told me to close my eyes. I only heard it,” Carson informed her.

“Well, either way, I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t want you to die,” Carson blurted out and started to cry.

“Come here.” Honor opened her arm as wide as she could and waited until Carson’s head rested on her chest. “I’m not going to die. The doctors and nurses did a great job patching me up, darlin’. I’m not going anywhere.”

Relief washed over me hearing Honor’s last statement. Even if it was only meant to reassure Carson, I’d take it. I’d do my damnedest to make sure I proved to Honor she could trust me. I let the two of them lay in silence for a few minutes before I told Carson it was time to go. Honor needed to rest, and I didn’t want to push our luck with the nurse. Especially since I planned on breaking the rule again tomorrow. Carson needed to see Honor, just as much as she needed to see Carson. And I damn well needed all three of us together.

“Daddy said you were mad at him for being a jerk,” Carson not-so-helpfully announced. I bit back a curse, and my daughter barreled on. “He said he has to make things right with us before you forgive him and can be my mom. He said he was sorry to me. So, I forgave him. I told him to kiss you like Pop kisses Gran, and you’ll forgive him too.”

Shit, motherfucker, damn. Honor was going to be so mad at me and think I was trying to use Carson to get to her.

“Carson, that’s not exactly what I said.”

“Yes, it is. You told the nurse I wanted to see my mom. Then you said, Honor was mad. Then you said, before we can talk to her about being my mom you had to make things right.”

Jesus, the little parrot had me, but she was not helping my case.

“Okay. That is exactly what I said. How about you let me and Honor talk, yeah?”

“Okay,” she easily agreed. “When do you get to come home?”