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Nora watched as Hudson helped Hannah out of the car. She couldn’t help but smile, seeing how gentle he was. He held Hannah carefully, moving her arm around his shoulder as he cradled her.
Loud music blared behind them from the amusement park. She had been worried that it may not have been a good place to bring Hannah, considering she was wheelchair-bound, but Hannah wanted to go. And Hudson looked up activities she could be part of.
He pulled Hannah out and settled her into her chair. She wiggled, trying to see past him.
“Hannah, stay still for a moment,” he said, trying to make sure the seat was completely flat.
Hannah looked over his shoulder, and she couldn’t help but smirk at the cuteness of it. Hannah was so excited to be getting out of the house. She had been practically bouncing since they left.
The girl needed fresh air and not to have her entire life surrounded by her health and healing. Emotional resilience and self-care were just as important in this journey as exercises and nursing.
“All right, if you're all settled, we can head in,” Hudson said, pulling himself up.
They turned to the gates, and she watched as Hudson pushed Hannah’s wheelchair. He was nervous and a little awkward as he did so. He was used to being at the house and not out in the open.
As they got to the line, Hudson and Hannah were both looking around. Hannah looked excited, while Hudson looked concerned. People screamed as the roller coaster zipped around, which made Hudson tense. She understood. She was worried about whether Hannah would have a fun time, too.
Hudson paid for the tickets, and they were inside. People wandered around, families eager to get on the rides and visit each of the booths with activities. Hannah squirmed in her seat with energy.
“Which one will we do first?” she asked frantically, her head turned to Hudson.
Nora pulled out the map, scanning over the entire attraction. She found the games section. “How about ring toss to start?” she said, looking at both of them.
Hannah nodded eagerly, and Hudson shrugged in agreement.
They headed down the pathway. Hudson leaned closer to the wheelchair as he moved it. He looked like a giant gorilla pushing a little kid's chair. She couldn’t help but smirk.
As they arrived at the booth, there were a few other kids trying. Nora pulled out a few tickets and was handed eight rings.
She gave several to Hannah while Hudson pushed her closer to the small wall. Hannah leaned forward a little and threw her first ring. It bounced off a bottle and tumbled to the ground. She threw her second, and it bounced twice before it landed in between bottles. She scowled and tried her third with no luck.
She handed three more to Hannah and flickered her eyes up to Hudson. He stood with his hands stuffed into his pocket, watching Hannah.
“You ever try this?” she asked him as Hannah threw another ring and, this time, landed it around a bottle. Hannah threw her hands up, cheering.
Hudson shook his head. “No.”
Hannah looked up at him. “You should try. It’s fun.”
She held out the two remaining rings, and Hudson looked at them like they were snakes. But he took them and looked at Hannah. She showed him how to throw them, and she watched as Hudson tried the two rings, not getting either on a bottle.
They ended up trying another eight rings, winning Hannah a giant stuffed bear. Hannah giggled as they headed to another game. “Where to next?” she asked with a squeal.
They threw balls at tin cans and darts at balloons. After they had tried most of the carnival games, they headed out for the rides.
Hudson had relaxed a little. He had a small smile pulling on his lips when Hannah pointed at a ride she wanted to try. They stood in line for the roller coaster, and Nora noticed Hudson looked uneasy again.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, whispering to him.
“I’ve never been on one,” he said, looking at the coaster.
She pulled her lips in, biting on them to stop herself from laughing. The sudden thought of big, gruff Hudson being nervous about getting on a roller coaster was something she was never going to forget.
“Don’t smirk like that,” Hudson said. “We didn’t do stuff like this growing up.”
“I promise you’ll have fun,” she said as the line started to move forward. They were pulled to the front of the line. Hudson helped Hannah into a seat, and they all squeezed in. Hudson gripped the ride with white knuckles.
“My dad loved this ride,” Hannah said, looking forward. “His favorite part was the spin where you go upside down. Your stomach drops, and you feel like you're going to fall.”
