Page 68 of Gene

“She’s been groggy and hasn’t spoken much,” the nurse finally responded.

“Who was her emergency contact? Was anybody called?” He fired off the questions.

“I don’t know, Sir. But from the little I heard from the paramedics, the person who called them knew her. Maybe they was her emergency contact?” She queried. “I’ve got to go do my rounds. If you need anything, I’ll be back soon. If anything concerning happens, press this button and I’ll try and come. If it’s not me, it will be another nurse.”

“Thank you for answering my questions,” Gene said as she walked out of the room.

He looked at Sammi who lay perfectly still on the bed. What could have happened to her? How did she let it get so bad? Did she attempt to do anything about her health?

She had to. He knew she wasn’t comfortable with her diabetes, but that didn’t mean she would just let it go untreated. So then, what could have possibly happened?

Gene kissed her hand. “Everything is going to be okay now, baby. Daddy is here.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

SAMMI

Sammi had woken up to an empty room once again. She didn’t know if it was the same day as the last time she woke up or not. If it was, she had just come round from apparently falling into a diabetic coma yesterday. To wake up and be in the hospital made her freak out. So much so that her heart monitor went skyrocketed and several nurses ran into her room. They said she was having a panic attack.

Once they had gotten her to calm down the nurse explained what had happened and that everything was going to be okay. Everythingwasn’tgoing to be okay, though. When the nurse told her she had been out for almost four full days, it made her spiral again. Had Daddy found out and not want anything to do with her?

Sammi hadn’t asked anything, though, because she had been drained of energy and groggy. She had been taking in what the nurse said but she couldn’t fully comprehend it.

But her mind was a lot clearer right now. Maybe when the nurse came in, she could ask if anybody had come to visit her while she was out. Surely, they had called her brother. She couldn’t remember if she had put him on her emergency contact for things or not.

She hadn’t gone to the doctor in forever and hadn’t updated anything, so for all she knew, her emergency contact could have been her late father. She would like to think that her brother went searching for her when she didn’t move her things into his house or that Daddy had come looking for her when he got back. But she didn’t know for sure if they had or not.

The bathroom door opened, and her eyes were wide as she stared at the person who came out.

Daddy.

Tears pooled in her eyes as she stared at him walking toward her. Was he really here, or was this her figment of imagination? She opened her mouth, trying to say something, but a little squeak came out, and she started coughing. Daddy’s eyes went wide as he rushed over to her, getting a glass of water and holding it to her mouth.

“Shhh, You’re okay. Just take a little sip. You’re all right. Such a good girl,” he calmly said as he gave her another sip.

So, Daddy wasn’t mad at her then. He was here for her. When had he arrived? Had he been here the whole time, and this was the first time she had caught him before he left? Or did he just arrive?

Daddy sat down, taking the cup with him, and she just stared at him. She couldn’t believe that he was actually here. She didn’t know why she was so shocked that he was there. Maybe because she wanted to think the worst so she didn’t get hurt, but deep down, she should have known that Daddy would show up.

He cared for her, maybe even loved her still. Would he still love her even after she almost died? She tried to fix her blood sugar and thought it would take a little while to fix and even out. Should she have tried to message him about it or anyone else? She hadn’t wanted to though, she wanted to try and do it herself, show Daddy she was capable of doing it herself.

“You’re here,” she whispered, unable to stop herself.

Daddy cupped her face and gently rubbed his thumb back and forth. She leaned into his right hand, loving his touch against her. If she could always have him touch her, she would. She loved the feeling of his skin against hers.

“Of course I’m here, Little One. Daddy isn’t going anywhere,” he gently said as he stared into her eyes.

“When did you come?” She needed to know if he had been here the whole time. Maybe the nurse hadn’t said anything. Or had he just come?

“Today. I came back today and went looking for you at your brother’s house But you weren’t there. I asked Ezekiel if you had come in to work, and he said no. So, I thought the worst because I knew you wouldn’t have just skipped town.”

Her mouth fell open. “Skipped town?”

What did he mean by that? She would never skip town. There were so many people in the town who she cared for. That was a stretch, she didn’t have a lot of people who she loved and cared for. It was Daddy and her brother. They were the only two people keeping her in this town.

“When I went to talk to your brother, he said you probably skipped town, but I knew better. You have a heart of gold, and you said you were helping your brother, which means you wouldn’t have just left him,” Daddy explained. “I know everything about you helping him.”

Her heart broke at the thought of her brother thinking badly of her. She wouldn’t have left him in a dangerous situation like that, not unless Deccan told her to leave and never show her face again. But Deccan wouldn’t do that because she was helping. It wouldn’t make sense to get rid of her.

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