Page 79 of Yuletide Acres

Chapter 16

Dylan

Ican’t breathe as I tear into the hospital parking lot, leaping from the Jeep and making for the entrance at breakneck speed.

It’s the call no one wants to get.

Mr. West, there’s been an accident.

It involved your daughter and mother.

They’re at the hospital.

I don’t have any details, but right now I just need to see them. Lay my hands on them. Pull them to me and never let them go.

The triage nurse glances up, her eyes widening in recognition. “Mr. West, right this way.”

She opens the door to the treatment area of the emergency department, and my panic increases as I glance at every bay, searching for my daughter. “Where is she? Where’s Marissa?”

“Daddy.”

I turn as my knees threaten to give out, before picking up my daughter and holding her against me. “Are you okay, Cupcake? What happened?”

“She fell in the river.”

I turn to see my mother leaning on a crutch, a boot on her ankle and a rueful expression on her face. Grabbing her to me in a hug, I huff out a few breaths, willing my heart rate down. “How did you get hurt?”

“I got stuck in the river, trying to get a stone.”

“A stone?” Of all the stupid, ridiculous reasons. “You risked your life for a stone?”

Now that I know they’re safe, my anger careens into play.

They could have died. Because of a damn stone.

“Marissa wanted it for her snow castle. I slipped on the ice and fell in. My ankle got stuck and Marissa fell in trying to help me.” My mother pats my arm, her eyes full of tears. “I’m so sorry, Dylan. I wasn’t thinking.”

“No, you weren’t.” I huff out another breath. I can stay mad or I can be grateful that they’re okay. They’ve been spared. “Why were you near the river, anyway? I built the fence to keep her away from the river.”

“Not that part of the river. We were with Poppy.”

My stomach flips. That’s right, they were headed to her cabin. The river there is far deeper. Wilder. I glance around, but I see no sign of my Poppy anywhere. “Where is Poppy?”

My mother looks away, biting her lip. “They took her for an x-ray. She lost consciousness after fighting to get us both out of the river.”

I stagger against the wall, my knees threatening to give out. “Is she okay?”

“They said it’s just a precaution. She’s conscious now.”

“Where is she?” The panic meter in my brain is on the rise again, and it won’t stop until I verify that my Sunshine Girl is safe.

The door to the far end of the Emergency Department opens and they wheel Poppy in. She has several blankets wrapped around her, an IV running into her arm and a bandage around her right hand. One look at her and I know she’s suffered the most serious injuries. Placing Marissa on the ground, I look to my mother. “Watch Marissa.”

But Marissa has other ideas, tearing off across the floor in Poppy’s direction. “Poppy!”

I start after her, but my mother grabs my arm. “None of this was Poppy’s fault. She told us to stay up on the hillside. I, being a stubborn ass, didn’t listen. She saved our lives, Dylan, and damn near lost her own doing it. I owe that woman everything.”

I will have a stern discussion with my mother later. Right now, I need to see if the woman I love is okay. I hustle across the floor, grabbing Marissa out of the way as she struggles to remain at Poppy’s side. “Cupcake, go sit with Grandma.”

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