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Hannah's calm words finally got through to her. "Okay, thanks."
"I have another case I'm working. I'll send out a group text, get someone to come here to sit with you."
"I don't need anyone to sit with me. Please don't contact anyone. I don't want to have to fake being strong. All I need is for the doctor to come back and give me good news."
"It won't be long," Hannah said, as she got to her feet. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Positive thoughts only."
"I'll try."
ChapterTwenty-Seven
Chloe tookseveral long breaths as Hannah left the room, holding Leo close to her, muttering words of love and encouragement to him. He finally stopped crying, and she thought he was asleep, but that also scared her.Was he sleeping or unconscious?
Fortunately, her next bout of panic was stopped by the appearance of the doctor. As he spoke, she tried to make sense of his words, but all that got through was a bacterial infection and wanting to admit Leo for the night so they could start him on antibiotics and get his fever down.
After the doctor left, the nurse took them upstairs to another room in the pediatric ward where Leo was put into bed and given medication to reduce his fever and fight the infection.
It broke her heart to see his tiny body in the big bed, surrounded by scary-looking machines, but she told herself he'd be better soon. He was exactly where he needed to be.
The doctor had told her that sleep was good for Leo, but she still stood by the side of his bed, watching Leo's breath lift his chest. She'd never been so scared in her life. The love she had for her son was overwhelming. If she could switch places with him, she would do it in a second.
The door opened, and she turned her head, her heart skipping a beat as Decker walked into the room. Tears filled her eyes.
"Is Leo all right?" Decker asked, concern in his gaze.
"He has some kind of infection and has to stay here overnight. They want to get his fever down before I take him home."
"Poor guy," Decker muttered. "How are you doing?"
The question undid her. She bit down on her lip, her emotions threatening to break.
"Oh, Chloe," he breathed, as he opened his arms.
She moved into his embrace as the storm burst, burying her head against his chest as the sobs racked through her. He held her tightly, surrounding her with warmth and strength, until she was finally spent.
"I'm sorry," she said, lifting her head.
He tucked her hair behind her ears. "Don't be."
"How did you know? Why are you here?" she asked, searching his gaze.
"Hannah texted me." He paused. "I wasn't sure if you'd want me to be here, but I couldn't stand the thought of you dealing with all this on your own. And I was really worried about Leo."
"I told her not to call anyone."
"I don't know Hannah very well, but in my experience, she does what she wants," he said dryly. "What can I do for you?"
"Nothing. I feel a little better now that I cried all over you. But I'm still scared. I should have realized sooner that Leo was sick. I thought he was just upset, and now I realize he wasn't feeling well; he just didn't know how to put it into words."
"You thought he was upset about me," Decker said.
"I didn't read that right."
"Both things can be true. He could have been upset I wasn't at his show, and he could have also been sick. You did nothing wrong, Chloe. You're a very attentive mother."
"Thanks." She grabbed a tissue from the table by the bed and wiped her eyes. "Anyway, Leo will sleep most of the night. I'm going to stay here with him."
"Then I'll stay here, too."
