Page 4 of Big Risks

"Bye, Nurse Hailey!" Olivia waves enthusiastically as I guide her toward the door.

"Goodbye, Olivia. Nice meeting you, Mr. Ellison."

I nod without meeting her eyes, feeling her gaze on my back as we leave.

In the hallway outside the clinic, I adjust my grip on Olivia's hand. She's still chattering about Nurse Hailey's octopus joke, laughing at the punch line again as if she's just heard it. I force a polite smile, trying to ignore the strange feeling in my chest.

"Can we go back and visit her tomorrow?" Olivia asks, skipping alongside me despite her injured knee.

"You heard her. Only if you're hurt," I say, then immediately regret my tone when I see Olivia's face fall. I soften my voice. "Which I hope doesn't happen. Be more careful on the playground, okay?"

"I was being careful," she protests. "Joey was chasing me and I had to run really fast."

We reach the main entrance, and I sign us out while Olivia waves goodbye to Frank. The afternoon sun hits my face as we step outside, and I check my watch. The Johnson installation is completely shot now. I'll have to call and reschedule.

"Daddy, do you think Nurse Hailey would like my drawing? I made a really good cat yesterday."

I help her into her booster seat in the back of my truck. "I'm sure she would, but let's not bother her unless you need to, alright?"

Olivia buckles herself in, her small fingers working the clasp with practiced determination. "She said I could visit anytime. Even without a scrape."

"That's just something adults say to be nice," I tell her, closing her door.

As I slide into the driver's seat, my phone buzzes. It's Kyle.

"Hey, man, the Johnsons called. Everything okay?"

"Olivia had an accident at school. Minor, but they called me in." I start the engine. "Any chance you can cover the installation? I can swing by and drop off the equipment."

"No problem. I'm finishing up at the Miller place now. Meet you at their house in twenty?"

"Thanks. I owe you." I hang up and glance at Olivia in the rearview mirror. She's staring out the window, humming to herself, one hand absently touching her bandaged knee.

"We're going to drop some things off for Uncle Kyle, and then I'll take you to Mrs. Winters' for a bit while I finish work. Sound good?"

"Can we get ice cream after?"

I smile despite myself. "Nice try. Maybe this weekend."

As I pull out of the school parking lot, I catch a glimpse of movement by the entrance. A woman in blue scrubs steps outside, shielding her eyes against the sun. Nurse Hailey. She doesn't see us, but I find myself slowing down slightly, watching as she chats with another staff member.

Something about her is naggingly familiar, but I can't place it. Shaking my head, I press the gas, forcing my attention back to the road ahead.

"So it was just a scrape?" Olivia's babysitter, Mrs. Winters, asks when I drop Olivia off at her house after picking up my tools from the Johnson residence.

"Band-Aid sized," I confirm, checking my watch. "I'll be back by six."

"Daddy, can I have pizza for dinner?" Olivia asks, already pulling out Mrs. Winters' collection of well-worn picture books.

"We had pizza on Tuesday."

"But today is Friday. That's a whole different day."

I can't argue with that logic. "Fine. Pizza it is."

Mrs. Winters gives me a sympathetic smile. "She's got your number."

"Tell me about it." I ruffle Olivia's hair. "Be good, squirt."

---