Chapter 15 - Beside Dad Until Morning
The waiting room heater clicked and blew warm air on my boots. I could feel it melting the wet off them. Lily sat sideways on my lap, too big for it really, but she wouldn't get off. Her bunny was damp under her chin and her pom hat was in Mom's coat pocket now. Mom sat right next to us, her arm around both of us, not like before at the doorway. Closer.
The sheriff came back with a clipboard and crouched down so his eyes were level with mine. He didn't look hurried anymore.
"Emma," he said. "I'm closing out my check on you girls. That means I write down that you're safe, you're warm, and you're with your mom."
I nodded. My throat felt tight.
He glanced at Mom, then back at me. "Safety plan's real simple. You stay here tonight. Nurses know you're here. In the morning your grandma's going to call your mom to check in. I left her my note with the case number."
"She'll call?" I asked.
"She said she would," he said. "She sounded worried about you."
I didn't know what to say to that, so I just held Lily a little tighter. Lily rubbed her eyes and whispered, "Is Daddy awake?"
A nurse in blue scrubs came over then. She had a soft voice and tired eyes. "You want to see him for a minute? He's sleeping, but you can see him. Just for a minute. He's stable."
Mom looked at me. "Do you want to?"
I nodded fast. I was scared to, but I wanted to more.
The hallway was bright and smelled like soap. The nurse walked slow for us. Lily held my hand and held her bunny in the other hand, dragging it a little on the clean floor. Mom carried our wet gloves.
Dad's room was quiet except for a beep. He was in the bed with blankets up to his chest and a tube near his arm. His eyes were closed. His face looked pale but not like he was hurting. Just asleep.
"He had a heart scare," the nurse said quietly to Mom, like she didn't want us to hear but we did. "Doctor will explain more in the morning. Rest is what he needs now."
I stepped up to the side of the bed. Lily climbed on the little step stool the nurse pulled over and laid her bunny on the edge of the blanket, right by Dad's hand.
"Daddy," Lily whispered. He didn't wake up. The beep kept going steady.
I put my hand real light on his blanket. "We're here," I said. My voice shook.
Mom put her hand on my shoulder. We stood there maybe a minute. The nurse didn't rush us, then she nodded toward the door. "Let him sleep now. You girls can come back in the morning."
Back in the family waiting area, they had pulled out a fold-out couch and put two warm blankets on it. Mom sat down with us and pulled the blankets over our legs. Lily curled into her, finally letting her eyes close. I didn't close mine yet.
Mom looked at me for a long time. Her eyes were red.
"Emma, I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry I left you at Grandma's door like that. I panicked when the hospital called about Dad and I didn't think. I should never have left you without a plan. And I should have made sure you had my phone number memorized."
I swallowed. I could hear the heater again.
"I didn't know what to do when she wouldn't let us in," I said.
"I know, baby," Mom said. "That was grown-up stuff between me and her. You shouldn't have been in the middle of it. You did exactly right staying with Lily."
Lily mumbled in her sleep and pushed her bunny against my arm. I tucked the blanket up around her ears. The waiting room lights were low now. A vending machine hummed down the hall.
Mom leaned her head back against the couch. "We'll stay right here tonight. It's warm. In the morning we'll see Dad, then we'll figure out next steps together. Okay?"
May you like
I nodded. I laid down next to Lily and kept one arm around her so I'd feel if she moved. Her breathing got slow and even. The blanket was rough but warm. My boots were finally dry underneath the couch.
I watched Mom's hand resting on Lily's back, moving a little with each breath, and I listened to the heat clicking. For the first time since the doorway, I wasn't cold. I wasn't wondering where Mom was. She was right there, and Dad was upstairs asleep and stable, and we didn't have to walk anywhere else.
