Page 41 of Power Plays & Proposals

Tears were welling in Penelope's eyes, "I tripped."

"It'll be okay," I told her. "Does anywhere besides your hand hurt?"

She shook her head. "I dropped the pot before the water could get me. But then I knocked the jar off."

The CPS worker stepped closer to look at Penelope's hand. "That's going to need stitches, and you'll want a doctor to check to make sure there isn't any glass in it."

"Can you drive us?" I asked the woman.

The drive to the hospital was filled with Penelope’s quiet cries. I kept wiping her tears and telling her that Nate would meet us there. I’d sent him multiple texts at this point, but so far no luck getting a response. I wasn’t even sure if he'd seen them. If only I had Lou’s or Dan's number, they'd make sure he knew. Hannah- she'd be able to get ahold of Nate. I shot off a text to her and then thought about Maria. She could get Lou's attention. The more time I spent with the team, the more I was amazed at how much they supported each other. If one of them did well they all cheered, sure they teased each other, but they were always there with an outstretched hand when one of them needed help getting up off the ice.

We parked at the hospital, and the CPS worker guided Penelope and me into the emergency room. A nurse came to help show Penelope to a hospital bed, but when I went to follow, the CPS worker stopped me.

"You aren't her legal guardian and will have to wait in the lobby."

Penelope's eyes went big. "No, I want her to stay with me."

The CPS worker looked sympathetic, but she stood firm. "I'm sorry."

Penelope was whisked away into a private room, leaving me alone to find a seat in the desolate lobby, awaiting Nate's return. Yet, as the hospital doors swung open, it wasn’t Nate who strode in, but Erin. She exuded an air of polished perfection in her black leather jacket and sleek jeans. A brief flicker of surprise crossed her face as her eyes met mine before she briskly marched to the reception desk.

With practiced precision, Erin feigned a sob, and plucked a tissue from the box to dab at her eyes with theatrical flair. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at her dramatic display. Ignoring her, I anxiously awaited Nate's arrival.

Moments later, Nate rushed in, his eyes frantically scanned the room. "Where is she?"

"CPS wouldn't let me stay with her. She's in a private room," I informed him.

The gravity of the situation hit him, and his gaze snapped back to mine. "CPS?"

"Didn't you get my texts?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "No, Hannah called Coach and told me to get to the hospital."

I recounted the events that lad to Penelope's injury, my voice was laden with remorse. "I'm so sorry, Nate."

"I need to see her," he insisted, his worry palpable.

I offered my support as we waited for someone to show him and Erin where Penelope was. "Absolutely. I'm here if you need me."

Erin was looking at the two of us, a calculating gleam in her eyes. A nurse appeared, and Erin returned to her fake sniffles. She and Nate were escorted back to be with Penelope, and all I could do was wait. I sat and picked at my cuticles. The image of Penelope on the floor replayed in my brain, and I realized the corner of the rug was tipped up. I'd never smoothed that out after tripping on it myself.

If I hadn't been so careless she wouldn't have been hurt. This was all my fault, and I felt like the lowest scum on earth. Nate had trusted me to take care of her and instead, we were in a hospital with CPS investigating. No doubt CPS was doing a check for the custody hearing and I'd probably screwed that up now for Nate.

Time dragged on, the minutes stretching into eternity until Nate finally returned. As I arose from my seat, a wave of dizziness washed over me, and Nate reached out to steady me.

"It's all my fault," I confessed, my voice heavy with remorse.

His brow furrowed in confusion. "It was an accident."

"No," I insisted, placing a trembling hand on his chest. "I should have smoothed down that rug."

"The rug?" His voice was laced with confusion.

"I kicked it up and didn't fix it. And CPS was probably here for the custody hearing, and I've ruined everything."

"You haven't ruined anything."

"I have and you should dump me," I told him, and then all the thoughts came rambling out of my mouth in quick succession. "Well maybe not dump seeing as our engagement is fake. Does that make it a fake break-up? Whatever it is, you shouldn't keep me around. I'm a danger to you and Penelope, and I ruin everything."

---