Page 88 of Risky Move

“For me?” Amelie cooed as she set her cell phone aside. “Can you bring another one?”

“She must love you,” Cassie told Amelie. “You’re holding some of her favorite animals. Good thing she hasn’t decided to give you Danny’s toys…” She looked around the play area, expecting to find a sleepy, worn-out toddler. “Where’s Danny?”

Amelie pushed up on her elbows and pointed toward the row of cars perfectly aligned. “He was right there…just a second ago…”

47

Cassie scanned the area, and her eyes immediately focused on the open door leading to the pool. Dread twisted her stomach as she rushed to the pool. She spotted Daniel near the deep water. He stood too close to the edge, holding out his hand, trying to touch the water. She didn’t want to startle him, so Cassie sprinted toward him. Before she could envelop him in her arms, the toddler leaned too far over the water and tumbled headfirst into the pool. His arms flailed in panic, mouth open and screaming. Before she could grab him, Danny sank below the surface for a moment that felt like an eternity. He popped up, choking, his eyes widened with terror. Feeling like she was moving in slow motion, Cassie grasped his arm and pulled the struggling toddler against her. The terrified child kicked and flailed thrashed wildly, scratching her face and delivering solid kicks to her abdomen.

Holding Daniel securely in one arm, she reached for the side of the pool. Cassie tried to lift him up to the edge, but his weight plus the continued thrashing worked against her. She called Amelie for help, but when she didn’t respond, Cassie began pulling him to the shallow water. She nearly lost her grip several times as Daniel struggled. When she could touch the bottom, Cassie wrapped both arms around him and walked up the sloping no-steps entry.

Danny no longer struggled or screamed, suddenly limp in her arms. Cassie grabbed a towel and gently laid him on the pool deck.Has he exhausted himself? Did he swallow water?

She closed her eyes as her water safety training played through her mind.Airway, Breathing, Circulation….“Danny! Danny!” She gently jostled him; no response. She checked his mouth and pressed her fingers against his neck. His heart beat steadily, but she did not detect a breath. Cassie grabbed the emergency medical kit Tom had installed and pulled out the child-sized respiration mask. She slipped it over his face, used her hand to seal the edges, and began blowing air into his lungs. She counted off the recommended intervals, checked his pulse, then reported the process.

“Cassie, what happened?” Amelie shrieked. Jenna began crying at the sudden outburst, and Cassie paused between breaths.

“Call 911…and please take Jenna to the nursery.” Cassie continued the breaths, praying the entire time.Please help him, God. Please…Suddenly Daniel’s shoulders twitched, and Cassie removed the mask just before he coughed up water. She turned him on his side and kept her hand under his head as water spewed from his mouth. “You’re okay, Danny. You’re okay.” She knew she was speaking to herself but clung to the belief that he could hear her voice.

His eyes fluttered open, and Cassie watched as he gulped air and opened his mouth to scream. “That’s my boy. Scream. Keep breathing.”

Amelie returned with an armful of towels and helped Cassie wrap him with several to warm him. His continued screams brought a sense of relief, and Cassie held him tightly against her chest. “You’re okay, Danny. You’re okay.” She looked at Amelie. “Is Jenna in her crib?”

“Yes, and paramedics should be here any second. I’ll meet them outside.”

“Please let Tom know so he can meet the ambulance. Use my phone…call his work number. And we need to contact Caryn.” She heard herself speaking as if she were outside her body. Her head spun, and black specs gathered at the side of her eyes.Deep breath. Long deep breaths. You cannot faint. Concentrate on Daniel.

The next minutes passed in a dense fog, and finally, she heard voices as if she were deep inside a tunnel. She took another lung-expanding breath, and the fog gradually lifted. The paramedics—a woman and a man—pried Daniel from her arms and positioned him on a gurney.

“He’s okay, isn’t he?”

The male paramedic didn’t answer as he assessed Daniel and gave the vital signs to his partner. “You the mother?”

Cassie shook her head, then looked at Amelie as she hovered anxiously. “Did you talk with Tom?”

“Yes, he said he’d alert emergency services and meet the ambulance.”

“Do you know how long the child was under water?” the paramedic continued.

“Just seconds. He fell in headfirst. I jumped in immediately, but he swallowed water before I could reach him.” Cassie took a deep breath. “Danny screamed, kicked, and tried to get away from me. Then, just as we were walking out of the pool, he stopped moving.” Cassie pushed her fear aside. “I began rescue breathing—not long after that, he coughed up water.” She looked at the gurney where Danny lay.

The male paramedic asked Cassie for Daniel’s family information. The woman slipped an oxygen mask over his face.

“He’s breathing. Just a little supplemental oxygen,” she explained.

Cassie pushed herself to stand and watched exhaustion overtake her munchkin.He looks like a doll on that huge gurney.She leaned over him so he could see her face. “You’re okay. Your Uncle Tommy is waiting to see you, baby.” She quickly kissed him as the female paramedic gently moved her aside. “Can I go with you?”

“Jenna,” Amelie reminded her. “You can’t leave her. I contacted the spa and asked the concierge to give Caryn a message to call you. I’m not sure she understood.”

Cassie’s thoughts jumbled as she trailed the gurney to the ambulance. “Can you go to the spa and tell Caryn?”

“On my way.”

* * *

Cassie choked back a sob as she watched the paramedics load the gurney into the ambulance. Her little angel nearly drowned…Happened so quickly, in seconds.He’s scared and doesn’t know these people…I didn’t notice the pool door had been open. I should have checked when Amie came in from studying. Can’t believe I got distracted. The one thing Caryn reminded me, “Don’t get distracted if Amelie stops by today.”

She realized the female paramedic was speaking to her.

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