Page 49 of The Last Thing
“Yes.”
“Okay, do that. And do your best not to lick your lips.”
“Okay.”
Her voice is uncharacteristically small, but I get it. She’s embarrassed and scared. I think she’ll be okay, but with thatmuch swelling and especially with it being around her mouth, going to the hospital is a better idea. I don’t want to give her anything here and have them say that’s not the right treatment.
I grab the insurance card and the paperwork Deck had done listing me as someone who can take her to the hospital or doctor and give and receive medical information, then pull my phone out and call Deck.
He answers exactly how I’d expect him to since I never call him.
“Hallie, what’s wrong?”
“Breathe. Everything’s okay. Sophia’s friend gave her some hand lotion today that made her hands and wrists break out and swell up. She touched her lips so they’re swollen too, but her tongue is fine and she’s breathing like normal. To be safe, I’m taking her to the ER.”
“Fuck. Okay. I’ll meet you there. Thank you. Is she—you’re sure she’s okay?”
“Yes. She’s breathing and talking fine, but I’m taking the liquid Benadryl with me, just in case.”
“Okay. Go. I’ll meet you there.”
“Hey. Take a deep breath. Don’t rush. You’re close, so you’ll probably beat us there. But I need you to be careful. Sophia needs her dad. Don’t drive stupid because you’re worried, okay?”
He lets out a long breath. “Okay. I’ll meet you there. Be safe.”
“We will.”
I hang up, grab the Benadryl from the bathroom, then aim for the door.
Sophia is waiting there, and is still doing okay, but she looks miserable.
I slip my feet in my shoes, grab her hand, and head out the door.
“Breathe,”I whisper to Deck as a nurse takes Sophia’s vitals.
She’s still doing good, but her upper cheek and eye are swollen and splotchy on one side too since she rubbed there.
Deck is bent over in his chair, elbows resting on his bouncing knees as he hangs his head.
“She’s okay.” I gently rub my fingers over his upper back, lightly massaging the tense muscles in his shoulders.
This is who Deck is. A good man, who loves hard. He’s a great dad. Sophia is lucky. So is our baby.So am I.
Deck slowly sits up, eyes on me the entire time. His large palm comes to rest on my thigh, sending shockwaves up my leg.
“Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me. I’m already wrapped around her finger. I’d do anything for her.”
He slowly shakes his head. “Not just for that. For staying. Being here for me.”
Our eyes meet, and something stirs deep in the pit of my stomach—a word that sounds an awful lot likemine. But that can’t be right.
Without thinking, I take his hand, threading my fingers through his. “You need support too.”
He stares at me for a beat, then opens his mouth to say something, but the nurse turns to us and starts asking questions before he can.
My stomach whirls.
