Page 211 of Small Town Firsts

“She didn’t pick up for me. Mel didn’t answer either, but I called the church and got ahold of her that way. She’s on her way to Natalie’s place. They’ll be here soon, I reckon.”

We slip into a comfortable silence. It’s strange how his mere presence is comforting to me. After what feels like another eternity, Tatum’s name is called. Luke and I both stand and walk to the desk. The nurse motions for us to step behind it into this little triage area.

“All right, we’re gonna get a few vitals really quick.”

“And then we’ll see the doctor?” I ask.

“And then you’ll head back to the waiting room.”

I inhale deeply, trying to remain calm—mostly because I don’t want to scare Tatum. The nurse verifies our identities and slaps matching bracelets onto Tatum and me before checking her temperature. She attempts to clip some little device to the index finger of Tatum’s uninjured hand, but my girl’s not having it. She thrashes and screams so hard it takes both Luke and me to calm her down.

The nurse moves to try again, but I’m pretty sure my snarl stops her in her tracks. “Let’s…let’s try her big toe.”

I remove one of Tatum’s shoes, and the nurse is able to successfully get the readings she needs.

Once she logs all of Tatum’s stats, she turns to us and asks what happened.

“We were at the park, and she was going to slide, but tripped and fell from the top.”

The nurse looks from me to Tatum and then asks her, “Is that what happened?” I’m sure it’s something she has to ask, but it pisses me right off—as if she doesn’t believe me.

Tatum sniffles and mumbles, “Yes.”

The nurse hesitates briefly, and then enters the information into her computer. “Okay. Y’all can go have a seat.”

I want to rant and rave and riot and demand for someone to see her immediately, but I know it won’t help. In truth, the only thing it will accomplish is the nurse calling hospital security on me—and then Nat wouldreallykill me. As is, regardless of Luke’s reassurances, I’m fairly certain she’s going to have my balls.

CHAPTER 42

NATALIE

I have my headphones in,and I’m deep into our study session when I hear a loud banging on my front door. I slide my headphones off just in time to hear the lock turning and the door opening. “What the…” I push back from my desk and slowly venture out into the hallway.

“Natalie!” Mom yells. “Natalie!”

I meet her at the end of the hall. “Jesus, what?”

“Why haven’t you been answering your phone?”

The fine hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. “It’s on silent. Why?”

“Tatum fell. Alden took her to the E.R. No one has been able to get ahold of you!”

My heart races and stops all at once. I race back to my room and throw on a hoodie and my slip-on Keds, not caring one bit that I’m still dressed in Alden’s clothes.

Mom and I break every traffic law driving to the hospital. I’m a nervous wreck when we enter the emergency room, but my fears calm when I see my dad holding Tatum and Alden at the nurse’s station, demanding to know why they haven’t been seen yet.

“We’ve been here for damn near an hour. My daughter is in agony. How much longer is it going to take for her to be seen?” He’s a mixture of distraught and rabid—a true papa bear if I’ve ever seen one. I know it’s far from the right moment, but seeing him so worked up over our daughter kind of gets me hot.

I step closer to him and place my hand on the middle of his back. “I’m here.”

He spins to face me, the nurse long forgotten. As if driven by pure instinct, he draws me into his arms and holds me close. “Oh, thank God. Where were you?”

His tone isn’t accusing in the least—if anything he sounds concerned—but I still feel like crap for missing all of his many calls.

“I was doing that study session, and my phone was on silent.”

He nods, and I step up to the desk to let them know who I am. The nurse takes my information and clacks away on her keyboard. Moments later, the printer spits out an I.D. bracelet for me. She fastens it around my wrist, and then Alden takes my hand, guiding me to where Dad and Tatum are. My dad glances up upon our arrival. “She’s pretty much cried herself to sleep.”

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