Page 3 of Single Mom's Christmas Wish

“Pleased to meet everyone,” I tell the triplets.

“So, what does the instructor certification entail, exactly?” Archer asks. “I mean, I get the CPR training. It’s the basic stuff—”

“Adapted to the anatomy of a child,” I reply. “Which is different to that of an adult. They’re infinitely more fragile and prone to severe CPR-related injuries. If we don’t know what we’re doing, we could end up causing more harm than good, or worse.”

“And you’re a certified instructor,” Reed says.

“Pretty sure that’s why the Single Dads Club organizers called me to come here tonight. Would you rather have some regular Joe from the deli down the road do this?”

Reed chuckles softly. “I’m just curious about what they teach you as an instructor. Like, what is the certificate actually for? It’s still CPR, child or adult… sure, the technique varies a bit, but—”

“The instructor certification course comes with advanced CPR training, which teaches a lot more than the basics, obviously. There are also teaching methodologies. They assess my ability to perform and teach CPR techniques because I could be really good at CPR myself but absolutely suck as a trainer. And they evaluated my skills before they gave me the certificate. Is that a clear enough explanation for you?”

He gives me a long and curious look, a glimmer of amusement lingering in his deep green eyes. “Crystal clear, Dakota.”

“Great, so we can move on from my qualifications and learn a few important things about saving our children. Mind you, this is the first of six sessions that I’ll be doing here at the club. This is the introductory part, and I’ll bring dummies and other relevant gear with me for our next session.” I pause and look at the triplets with confusion. “Hold on, all three of you are single dads?”

Archer smiles, and it’s the kind of smile that makes my skin feel tighter all over. It’s getting hot in here. “We’re raising a boy together. Trevor.”

I concede with a nod and shift my focus back to the entire group. “From the moment they’re born, our children depend on us for pretty much everything. Of all the animals on this planet, human children are some of the most vulnerable compared to other cubs, chicks, etc. Granted, human babies are also more resilient than we credit them, but they are exceptionally fragile as their brain and bones continue to develop long after birth.”

“My mom used to say that the first child is the scariest experience,” Cole says with a warm smile. “And by the second child, you already know what you’re doing. Is that right, Dakota?”

“I wouldn’t know; I’m still trying to figure out how to keep my first one alive,” I chuckle nervously. Reed whips up a charming smile and throws it my way.

“Our children are constantly exposed to danger, whether we’re willing to admit it or not. We can’t protect them from everything, again, whether we’re willing to admit it or not. But learning how to perform CPR when our child loses their ability to breathe on their own… well, that’s something we can and absolutely should do.”

I go on to explain the most common issues, the various circumstances leading to an unconscious child who’s not breathing, about the many ways in which we can help them regain consciousness before performing CPR techniques.

The guys listen carefully; a few of them even take notes on their phones, but I focus on Reed, Maddox, and Archer the most—mainly because they’re so easy on the eyes, and I find a strange sense of comfort in their presence.

Cole is equally fascinated and even asks me a couple of questions before I finish my initial presentation. But then the guys get curious, too, and I find myself in the middle of a surprisingly constructive conversation.

“I will show you on a special dummy everything you need to know about the amount of pressure to apply in chest compressions,” I tell them at one point. “Be advised, there will always be a risk of cracked or broken ribs in this situation, but it’s better to have a broken rib than to die altogether. That, in my experience, was the hardest pill to swallow.”

“What about you, Dakota?” Archer asks. “Did you ever have to perform CPR on a child?”

I nod slowly, remembering that moment as though it had just happened. “Yeah. My best friend, Chelsea, and I were at the pool downstairs one day. My daughter, Maisie, and a couple of other kids from her daycare were with us. Luckily, I had just completed my CPR training,” I say. “One of the other kids slipped and fell into the water before her mother could reach her. The poor woman was paralyzed; she didn’t know what to do. Chelsea got the girl out of the water, and I went through the motions. I tried the simplest methods first, but in the end, I had to apply chest compressions, and I gave her mouth-to-mouth.”

“Did the girl make it?” Reed asks, his brow furrowed with sympathetic concern.

“Yes. And she made a full recovery. But it was scary as hell.”

Maddox scoffs. “It’s always going to be scary. I guess it’s all about getting past the fear and doing something about it.”

“Provided we have the appropriate knowledge,” I add, preparing to leave. “So, I guess I’ll see you all next Friday. Thank you so much for your patience, and again… so sorry for being late.”

“My best friend and, yes, my babysitter, Chelsea, started working with this community center fairly recently, but she has a nice business organizing home daycare for single parents in the neighborhood.”

“That’s good. It means you have a solid support system,” Cole replies.

“More or less,” I sigh.

Cole, however, seems to have something else in mind. “No, wait, Dakota. Hold on. I was just thinking… This might be a single dad’s club, but I think we could still benefit from your experiences. Would you mind sticking around for a few minutes longer?”

“Um…” I pause and look around. Honestly, I was not that eager to leave, not with Reed, Maddox, and Archer giving me those curious, hungry looks. If anything, my interest is piqued, and then some. “Okay. I guess I could take a seat and be part of the conversation. We’re all single parents, right?”

Cole smiles and pulls up an empty chair for me. It happens to be right next to the triplets. He leans forward, elbows resting on his knees in what is supposed to be a friendly approach. “Tellus, what’s the biggest issue you’re facing as a single parent these days, Dakota?”

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