AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Despite the doctor’s almost casual, no-big-deal tone, Dani still had a lump of panic lodged in her throat. “Is there anything I need to watch for?”
“Other than if the vomiting continues, no. He’s being monitored by the machines and getting fluids. You might want to grab a couple of things from home to make him more comfortable, but otherwise, I assure you, he’s in good hands.”
“Thank you.” Dani could tell that the doctor was anxious to move on, and she wanted to be back in the room with Noah. She could see her mom sitting next to his bed, giving Dani hand cues and mouthing What’s he saying? while Noah watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, his thumb in his mouth. Dani had been trying to break him of the habit, but today she would let it slide.
She entered the room, walked straight to the head of Noah’s hospital bed, and began brushing back his curls. He didn’t take his hazel eyes from the screen, but he did reach up with his IV-free hand to hold hers.
“What did the doctor say?” her mom demanded.
“That they want to keep him overnight for observation, but he should be fine.” Dani gave her mom a warning look when she opened her mouth again. She didn’t want to discuss what the doctor had said in front of Noah. “Do you mind going to my place and packing a bag for Noah and me? And feed the dogs for me?”
“Of course I can, but I want to know—”
“Mom, I’ll tell you a little later, okay?”
Huffing loudly, her mom finally took the hint. “Fine, just text me. Do you want me to bring you back something to eat?”
“No, I’ll just grab something from the cafeteria,” Dani said.
“Well, all right then.” Her mom leaned over and kissed Noah’s hand. “Mapa will be back soon, handsome boy.”
Noah looked up at Dani, squeezing her hand hard. Reading the panic in her son’s eyes, Dani smiled reassuringly. “I’m staying. Mapa is just going to get some things for us. Is there anything you want her to bring back?”
“Shasta.”
Dani laughed. “She can’t bring Shasta back, sweetheart. Anything else?”
“Pig.”
Pig was Noah’s favorite stuffed animal. Dani had grabbed it for five bucks at some department store with the purchase of the matching book before Noah was born. He dragged that thing around everywhere, so it was no surprise it was the second thing he picked.
“All right, I’ll be back in an hour or so.”
Once her mom left the room, Dani let go of Noah’s hand to go around and take the chair her mom had been sitting in. Once she was settled, she reached out to put her hand over Noah’s, trying to let go of some of the fear that had been suffocating her ever since she had seen the blood. The nurses and doctors had been kind to her, even after she’d yelled at the X-ray technician for making Noah stand for another X-ray after he puked again. She had tried to keep it together so Noah wouldn’t see how scared she was, but she had never been very good at holding back her emotions.
And feeling helpless had only made things worse.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the open door.
“Puppy!” Noah cried excitedly.
&n
bsp; Dani glanced toward the door and blinked several times as she recognized Tyler Best from Alpha Dog, holding the leash of a black puppy with large floppy ears.
“Hey there, sorry to interrupt, but I have someone who wanted to meet you.” Tyler looked away from Noah and seemed to do a double take when his eyes met hers. “Oh, hi.”
“Hello.” Clearing her throat to get rid of the squeak, she added, “How are you?”
“Fine, just bringing Apollo by to greet the kids. He’s in training and needs the socialization.”
Noah was trying to sit up but stopped with a painful grimace, clutching his stomach with a whimper.
“Noah, honey, are you okay?” Dani stood up, the fear once more clawing up and squeezing her chest.
“I didn’t mean to upset him,” Tyler said.
“No, he’s having stomach problems, so I think it just hurts.” Dani knew it wasn’t his fault, yet there was just a thread of irritation in her voice.
