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CHAPTER ONE
Imuttered under my breath. I wondered how exactly she had gotten herself in this position. Was there no limit to her clumsiness? Yet as I crouched close to where she lay sprawled on the ground, I felt a desire to just help her get back on her feet. I couldn't just grab Chelsea's book and leave like I had planned to do. Someone had to help this clumsy kid.
I peered at Kayla and saw that her eyes were open, but they were narrowed into a slit, like the rays of the sun were too harsh for her to open them completely. There was a mixture of pain and confusion on her face.
"Are you okay, Kayla?"
Her response was a low grunt. Maybe she said something, but I couldn't make out her words. Obviously, she wasn't okay. My eyes strayed to her legs, and I saw that the ankle lying in an awkward position had become swollen. It looked like Kayla had a sprain.
"Jean, get me an ice pack," I said.
"Right, sir," Jean replied and dashed off from the spot we were.
The little crowd that had gathered around Kayla had begun to disperse. Maybe now that they saw someone was on top of the situation, they didn’t feel the need to linger. I wondered why none of those people standing there had tried to take charge while she lay there on the ground, lying still with her ankle in an unnatural position. Had she hurt herself just before Jean drove me back here, or were they all just clueless about what to do?
I helped Kayla up as gently as possible. One thing I knew I had to do was to keep her body at rest and help her reduce the swelling with the use of an ice pack. As I eased her into a sitting position, I noticed that her eyes opened wider, and the confused look had cleared a little.
I was about to ask her how she felt at that moment when Jean returned with the ice pack. I took it from him and pressed it against Kayla's swollen ankle. I knew that would help reduce the swelling. It was remarkable that she still held on to the book all throughout the incident. By now, Kayla, Jean, and I were the only ones left at that spot.
After pressing the ice pack against her ankle for a few minutes, I noticed that the swelling was beginning to go down.
"I'm fine now, thank you," Kayla finally said.
It was the first words I could clearly hear from her since I came back to pick up the book. I was a bit relieved, but the snag was that she didn't sound so good, and there was a grimace on her face that indicated that she was still in pain.
"Glad to know you're fine now," I said.
She just stared at me and blinked.
"Let's get you back inside. Jean, give me a hand."
Jean and I held her arms and led her as gently as possible back into the bookstore. This was not the way I had imagined returning to the store. I had planned to storm in, grab the book, and just get out of there, but life was full of surprises. We set her down in a chair near the counter, keeping her sore leg elevated.
"Wait outside for me, Jean," I said, looking away from Kayla.
Jean nodded and left instantly. When I turned back to Kayla, I noticed that she was massaging a side of her head with her long, slender fingers while her face cut a picture of pure agony. I was immediately concerned. Had she banged her head on the ground when she fell and maybe gotten a concussion? Perhaps I would get the details of what exactly happened to her later, but for now, Kayla did not look great.
"What’s wrong? Does your head hurt? Talk to me, Kayla.”
“I’m okay, don’t worry about me,” Kayla replied.
“You don’t look fine to me,” I countered. “Listen, my car is out there. I'll take you to the hospital for—”
“No! I said I’ll be fine!” Kayla insisted, and at that point, I knew there was no point in trying to convince her. She looked like she had made up her mind not to go anywhere.
I reached out to grab the book I had bought for Chelsea, just as Kayla made to get on her feet. I reached out to help, but she brushed my hands off, intent on showing that she could manage well enough without my help.
She stood there for a moment, and then she began to walk back to her position behind the counter. The leg could not yet bear her weight well, but she was moving fine, if not a bit gingerly. So, it looked like my concern was not necessary after all. She would be fine, as she had said.
I was in the process of turning away from the counter and the clumsy young lady who worked behind it when I saw Kayla stand still for a moment and then fall backward after that. I raced forward to grab her and prevent her from falling and hitting her head on the floor, maybe for the second time that afternoon. I got to her just in time to avoid another nasty fall.
I held her in my arms and peered in her face, which had become partially covered by the abundant curls of her hair. Kayla had passed out.
“Such a stubborn ass girl,” I muttered. She knew she was not feeling good, but she had vehemently refused my offer to get her to a hospital for proper treatment. I didn't know what to think about this girl anymore. Still, I had to help her get medical care.
Kayla was not weighty, so I knew I could get her out that door without Jean’s help this time. I chuckled as I carried her toward the entrance of the bookstore. So much for trying to get my niece Chelsea a book without much drama, I thought.
CHAPTER TWO
