Page 23 of Kent's Honor
“I don’t want to go to the hospital,” Elle said weakly.
“I know, sweetie, but we need to.” Dixie held Elle, rocking back and forth on the floor, staring out the window, willing the ambulance to come quicker.
Elle continued to moan, and the 9-1-1 operator continued to talk calmly.
Dixie’s insides shook like a collapsing building. She did her best to soothe Elle, but the poor girl was in so much pain. She hadn’t eaten much for dinner, but Dixie figured maybe she just didn’t like the fish.
Sirens blipped as a police car and an ambulance rolled to a stop in front of the house. Two men jumped from the emergency vehicle, opened the back doors, and pulled out a gurney.
“Ever been in an ambulance before?” Dixie looked down at Elle, her face whiter than pure snow.
“Yes, but just with my dad for fun,” Elle said.
“I haven’t been in one at all. Looks like we get to do it together.” Dixie bent over and kissed Elle’s forehead.
“Are you Dixie?” one of the EMTs asked as he stormed through the front door.
“How do you know my name?”
“Kent heard the call come over and reached out to the first responder, which was my station house.”
“You know Kent?”
The man nodded. “He’s a good man.”
“He’s on his way?”
“Yes.” He bent down and put a stethoscope against Elle’s chest. “Could she have gotten into medication? Alcohol?”
“No,” Dixie said.
“Could she have eaten anything that could have been bad?”
“We had fish for dinner. She didn’t eat much, but my son and I had the same meal, and we’re not sick.”
“Does she have any allergies?” the EMT asked.
“She breaks out in hives if she uses cold cream.”
“Is she on any medication we should know about?”
“I gave her Tylenol before bed. She complained of a headache.” Dixie mentally went through their entire day, trying to think of anything she might have missed.
“Let’s get her on the gurney, get an IV drip of fluids started, and transport her to the hospital.”
Dixie nodded. “These nice gentlemen are going to put you on that bed and strap you in. I’m going to get Nicky and…” She glanced up as the man scooped up Elle. “I have a three-year-old upstairs. We can both ride with her, right?”
“Sorry, ma’am. You can ride with her, but your son can’t.”
She stared at the man, tears welling in her eyes. She couldn’t leave Elle to ride alone, scared out of her mind. But she didn’t have anyone to watch Nicky.
“I can bring him to the hospital,” a policeman said. He stood with his thumbs looped in his belt. “If you have a car seat.”
“I do. It’s in the garage.” Thank God she’d remembered to bring it this time just in case. “I’ll go get him.”
The sound of a Harley roaring at unfathomable speeds rattled her ears.
“Daddy.” Elle licked her dry lips.
