Page 75 of Worthy of Sunsets and Second Chances

“I think she might be getting a little cold or something, possibly from your mom, unfortunately. But she doesn’t seem to be too upset or uncomfortable right now.” I try and reassure him.

“Right, I’m coming home.” There’s shuffling in the background.

“Eli, no. I got this.” I wait.

Letting out a long sigh he says, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I have helped out Sutton plenty when Kinsley has been sick. And you can’t just leave work. You don’t have a normal job. On top of that, you were out for a long time when she was born and then when I was hurt. You need to be there. You have people to count on when you’re at work. Let us be your village.”

“You’re amazing. You know that? I l. . . like knowing you’re the one that’s with her.” His words make my heart pound because I have a strong feeling he just stopped himself from saying some other word. A word that would change my entire life.

“I like being here with her too,” I admit softly, looking down at the precious girl, now asleep in my arms.

“Okay, sweetheart, let me know if anything changes, if you need me.” Eli lets out another long sigh.

“I’ll always need you,” I admit.

“Thank fuck,” Eli says.

A pitiful cry and barking cough wake me up abruptly. I fling myself from bed and sprint down the hall to get to Wren, slamming my shoulder into the doorframe in the dark. I barely feel it, because all I can think about is getting her into my arms.

“I’m here, peanut, it’s okay.” I cradle Wren gently to my chest and she rattles us both with her harsh cough. It’s so painful sounding, seal-like, definitely a noise that shouldn’t be coming from her tiny body. She is also burning up.

As quickly as I can, I get Wren out of her cozy sleeping bag and go to change her diaper. It’s totally dry, which also worries me. I snag her in-ear thermometer from the top drawer of the changing table and wait impatiently for it to do its job and beep. It flashes an alarming 102.5. Between barking coughs, her breaths are noisy and unnatural.

Without hesitation, I race to my bedroom more carefully this time, Wren in my arms with her favorite bunny stuffy from the rocking chair in her room. Laying her on my bed, pillow barrier surrounding her, I throw on the first items of real clothing I can get my hands on, not giving a shit what they are. All I know is that I can’t go outside in sleep shorts and a tank top.

Hair in a messy bun, phone in my back pocket, I take Wren in my arms. She fusses and fists my shirt. “I know, peanut, you don’t feel good, huh? It’s going to be okay. We are going to make you feel better, I promise.”

I kiss her head, bring her downstairs, and place her carefully into her bucket car seat carrier. There is a matching base in my car that Eli put in just in case I needed in for the past couple days, thank God. We assumed it would be for fun things like going to see Sutton and Kins, or a girls’ day out, not an emergency in the middle of the night. I grab the prepared diaper bag from the hallway closet, my purse, jacket, and finally Wren who’s clutching her bunny and breaking my heart with every cough.

After I settle her into my car, I pull out my phone and do that last thing I want to do but know I have to . . .

Kendra: Wren is really sick. 102.5 temp, barking cough, not breathing normally. I am taking her to the ER right now. Meet us there.

Eli is going to freak out. I should call, but I don’t have a fancy car that connects, I forgot my earbuds on my dresser, and I need to focus on getting us to the hospital safely.

My number one priority right now has to be Wren; Eli will understand that . . . and hopefully he won’t be mad that I’m not answering his flashing phone calls lighting up my screen from the cupholder.

59

Eli

Did I break some laws on the way to the hospital? I sure as hell did. Do I care? Fuck. No.

When Kendra texted me at one a.m. saying that she was on her way to the ER with Wren, that my tiny, precious baby girl is alarmingly sick, I felt like the world stopped spinning. I couldn’t move fast enough. You’d think that year after year of discipline and experience firefighting and what came with it could make me cooler, calmer right now—but it does not.

All I did was scream at Rem, who was asleep in the adjacent bed, grab all my shit, try to call Kendra, and race out of the fire station. Fuck all my other responsibilities. Fuck that I was on duty; nothing else mattered besides getting to Wren.

I screech into a parking spot at the county ER and sprint to the doors, breathing hard and fast by the time I get there from so much adrenaline. A security guard I recognize, Milton, waves to me.

“Hey, Eli? Are you okay?” he asks, coming up to me with concern.

“My baby, baby girl. She was brought in. Sick.” I gulp down some air and hold a stitch in my side.

“Oh! Okay, yeah let’s get you right inside. A pretty little blonde lady came in with a baby girl about fifteen minutes ago. That’s probably them?” Milton ushers me through the sliding doors toward the check-in desk. “I hope everything goes alright, Eli, she’s in my prayers.”

“Thanks, Milton.” I shake his hand, and he heads back to his post outside.