Page 90 of Now or Never

Chelsea swallowed. “He’s had a stomach ache since last night, barely ate, and he threw up about thirty minutes ago.”

Antonio gave a nod. “I’m just going to feel your tummy, Ben. Is that okay?” he asked.

Still no response. He looked up at Chelsea, and she nodded.

As soon as he gently pressed his fingers into Ben’s lower abdomen, Ben flinched and gasped, then let out a whimper.

Antonio stood with a nod. “It’s probably appendicitis. We need an ultrasound to be certain.”

Chelsea sat motionless, unblinking.

Appendicitis? People died from that. It required surgery.

The thought of a scalpel slicing into Ben’s skin made her tears tumble down her cheeks.

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “It can’t be. It’s a stomach bug or something. I can’t do this.”

Antonio looked at her with his calm brown eyes. “Everything is going to be okay, Chelsea. Ben is going to be okay.”

Chelsea started blinking out the tears that were blurring her vision. She couldn’t think. The terror and panic mixed up her brain.

Antonio stood, looked at Adam.

“You, take him. Everyone, follow me.” He turned and walked toward a set of doors past the triage desk.

Adam bent down and picked Ben up in his arms, causing Ben to whimper again. “Shh, it’s okay. I got you,” he said, resting him gently against his chest and following Antonio through the doors.

Chelsea finally made her body move, stood up, and followed Adam.

Thirty minutes later, Ben was on a hospital bed in a blue-striped gown, being wheeled to surgery, while Chelsea fought back full-body tremors.

“I’m scared,” Ben said, giant tears rolling down his blotchy cheeks.

“You’re going to be fine,” Chelsea said, annoyed with herself that her breath caught on the last word. She took the green stuffed dinosaur he’d brought to school that day and tucked it into Ben’s chest. His little arms came around it and squeezed.

“Don’t be scared, Ben,” Adam said, walking along the other side of the bed. “I’ve had tons of surgeries, and I’m okay.”

“What’s gonna happen?” Ben asked.

“Well, they put a little mask over your face, and you fall asleep. And when you wake up, they give you popsicles.”

Ben tipped his head toward Adam, resting his cheek on the pillow, tears pooling in a wet spot on the white fabric.

Adam glanced down at him and smiled, then looked away. “Then everyone you know comes and visits and brings you gifts.”

“Really?”

“Yup. It’s pretty awesome.”

“We’re here,” the nurse said, stopping Chelsea and Adam from going through the swinging doors into the operating rooms. “You can wait in the cafeteria. We’ll let you know when you can see him.”

“He’s going to be okay, right?” Chelsea asked, searching the nurse’s eyes.

The nurse smiled and took Chelsea’s hand, patting the back of it gently. “Yes. This is our sixth appendectomy this week. Very routine. He’ll be out in less than an hour.”

Chelsea nodded. She felt better for a moment, but then heard Ben call for her through his tears, and all her emotions overflowed.

The last thing she remembered was Adam’s arms coming around her, pulling her face into his chest while the floodgates opened and she fell apart.

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