AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Three
Charlotte
Before I drove off, I got out of my seat and went back to check on Marisol’s head. I swear as I looked at it, the bump grew before my eyes.
“How do you feel?”
“My head kind of hurts, but I’m okay, Mommy.”
“Maybe I should take you to the doctors.” I mused aloud.
“We just left a doctor. He could have looked at me.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I mean a real doctor. For all we know, he might have been a doctor that deals with feet, and wouldn’t know a thing about pretty little girl’s noggins.” I kissed her forehead and went back to the driver’s seat.
After I was buckled in, I glanced back at her, “And how did you get that by the way?”
“I fell off the top of the monkey bars.” She said softly from the back, and my eye strayed to the playground equipment where a little girl was swinging from one wrung to the next.
“You mean, you fell off the monkey bars?”
“No, I was at the top, and I climbed over the rail to go over the monkey bars like another boy did and I fell.”
My heart dropped into my gut; she must have fallen ten to fifteen feet. She could have been hurt so much worse.
“Well, you are lucky, little lady, that you just bumped your head and didn’t break your neck. I guess your guardian angel was in the mood to play at the park today.”
Marisol giggled slightly, but it wasn’t as energized as it usually was. I frowned and stole another peek at her in the rearview. She looked okay. I’d have Mrs. Becker give me a call if she looked to be feeling worse. She could probably use some Tylenol and an ice pack. I glanced at the clock on my dash, holy crap, I was going to be late.
I quickly put the car in reverse and pulled out of the parking space. When I got to Mrs. Becker’s place, Marisol was yawning in the backseat. I guess all the fresh air had worn her out.
I got her out of the car, and she stumbled, “Come here, sweetie.” I picked her up, studied the bump and her sad face, and then carried her up the steps to Mrs. Becker’s small house. Mrs. Becker opened the door before I even knocked.
“You’re running a bit late today,” She reached for Marisol, and I kissed her one more time before I handed her over.
“Yeah, we had a little incident at the playground. Can you give Mari some Tylenol, and give me a call if she says she starts feeling bad? She bumped her head, she will need a little ice, too.”
“Don’t you worry, Nana will take care of this little pumpkin. Get to work before you are too late.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Becker,” I called, and with one last glance at my daughter, I raced down the two steps and back to my car. When I got in, I saw the cleaner shirt sitting on the passenger seat, and I glanced around outside. I didn’t see anyone, and there were no cars, so I pulled the stained shirt off and put the other one on. If anyone was watching, they got a free show. Goodie for them.
I was at work ten minutes after my shift should have started, but as soon as I explained what had happened at the park, I was forgiven. The deli was almost always busy and was opened from five in the morning until midnight. It was only a couple of blocks from the hospital, and a lot of the employees from there frequented it.
It was one of the ladies in the medical records department that suggested I take medical transcription classes, and I was almost done. Once I finished the courses, I would take the national test, and if I passed, I would get my certificate, and hopefully, a job at the hospital here.
I was getting close to dinner time, and the deli was getting busy when my cellphone began to ring. “Steph, I have to take this.” I slipped into the kitchen.
“Hi, Mrs. Becker, how is Marisol?”
“I don’t want you to worry, but I called an ambulance.”
My world tilted on end, “What?”
“Marisol took a nap, but I couldn’t wake her up. She was asleep for over three hours. I started to get really worried.”
“So you called an ambulance?” For a moment, all I could think about was how much that was going to cost, but then I shoved those thoughts aside. This was for my daughter; I would give my own life. No matter the damn cost.
“Is the ambulance there yet?”
