Page 33 of The Pucking Single Dad

“All of these issues,” the doctor began to tell Hunter. “All of these symptoms are symptoms of sickle cell disease. This disease is hereditary and extremely rare. Unfortunately, this means you and your former wife have the gene. Both parents need to be carriers for the disease to present itself.”

Hunter felt a tremendous amount of guilt come over him. He had no idea that he was a carrier of the gene, and he knew that his wife didn’t know. He felt responsible for his son’s pain and discomfort. He looked around the waiting room and wished that Luna was there. He hoped that she would arrive soon.

“Can I see my son?” Hunter asked. “I had no idea my wife and I were carriers.”

“Not yet,” the doctor said. “We were finally able to break the fever. He is fast asleep now, and he needs to rest. Also, many people do not know that they are carriers. I know you are going to want to beat yourself up over this, but you can’t. Now is the time to be strong for Adam.”

The doctor took his hand and placed it on Hunter’s shoulder. Hunter thanked the doctor for the update and then returned to his chair in the waiting room to sit down. He was so tired that he did not know what to do with himself. Yet, he knew that he would not be able to fall asleep. The nurse had suggested that he go home to get some rest and return in the morning to see his son, but the thought of leaving Adam alone in the hospital was unbearable. He could not leave him. He was his son, and he needed to be there for him.

Hunter slouched deeply in his chair. He laid his head back. The bright lights of the waiting room were blinding. So, he closed his eyes. His mind started to relax, and he felt himself slowly nodding off. Just as he felt himself slipping away to dreamland, he felt someone place a hand on his knee. He urgently opened his eyes, and when he was finally able to focus his vision away from the blinding lights, he saw her. He saw Luna. The hospital lights illuminated around her. She was an angel who had finally come to rescue him. Her carry-on bag wasby her side. He took it from her and placed it under his chair. He stood up and wrapped his arms around her.

Hunter held her close as Luna leaned up to gently kiss him. Being there with him felt right. Maybe the time away had done her some good after all. Surrounded by family who loved her unconditionally, she had found herself again.

“How is he?” she asked Hunter. “How is Adam?”

Hunter explained everything to Luna. His voice cracked in between words. She could see how much of a toll this situation was taking on him, and she wished she had made it to the hospital sooner. They both sat down in the waiting room, holding hands, as Hunter explained the disease Adam had, how it was hereditary, and the immense guilt Hunter felt for not knowing that both he and his former wife were carriers of the gene causing the disease. At the mention of his guilt, Hunter placed his head in his hand. He started crying. He had been trying to hold back tears all day, and he could no longer do it. Everything came pouring out of him.

Luna continued to hold Hunter’s hand. She thought it was best not to say anything. She wanted Hunter to get his emotions out. She knew him well and knew that this was probably the first time he had really cried since Adam got sick. She leaned over her armchair and kissed Hunter on the forehead.

“You must be exhausted,” she said to him. “I can stay here if you want. Do you want to go home and get some rest?”

Hunter shook his head. He told her that he needed to stay in case anything else happened to Adam.

“You won’t be any good to him if you’re exhausted,” she told him lovingly. “I slept on the plane, so I’m fine. But look at howbright it is in here; you won’t get any rest in the waiting room. Go get a few hours of sleep, darling, and come back in the morning.”

Perhaps Luna was right. Hunter was exhausted and some rest would do him good. The doctor said that they would not be able to see him tonight, anyway. He nodded.

“Thank you,” he said to Luna genuinely. “I am so glad you are back home, baby.”

Hunter slowly got up from his chair and retrieved Luna’s luggage.

“You won’t be needing this, will you?” he asked her with a slight smile. “You aren’t planning on leaving again anytime soon, are you?”

Luna looked at Hunter with love in her eyes. She had never been so sure of their relationship as she was in that moment.

“I am not going anywhere, my love,” she said to him reassuringly.

As Hunter walked out of the waiting room, Luna sank back into her chair and finally let her own anxiety take hold. Adam was truly sick. She hadn’t wanted Hunter to see her worry—she needed to be strong for him. But now, alone in the hospital waiting room, she allowed herself to cry. She was concerned for Adam, and it hurt to see how much his illness weighed on Hunter. Letting her emotions out now would give her the strength to put on a brave face when Hunter returned. At least they would face this together, as a family.

Luna had fallen asleep in the waiting room, and when she woke, it was early the next morning. She rubbed her eyes and scanned the room for a clock, finally spotting one on the wall. Itwas five a.m. She sighed, realizing she’d managed only about five hours of sleep in the uncomfortable chair. Eager for an update, she began looking for a doctor. As soon as she spotted one, she flagged him down.

“Excuse me, sir,” she said in a hurry. “Can you give me an update on Adam? He is the young boy in room twelve.”

The doctor looked down at his sheet.

“I just got on shift, ma’am,” he replied politely. “Let me get with a nurse who can give me more information. Just hold tight for a moment, please. I will be right back.”

Luna turned around, as the doctor left and saw Hunter rushing to her.

“Did he say anything?” he asked eagerly. “Did he have an update on Adam?”

Luna shook her head back and forth, then reached down and grabbed his hand.

“Not yet, but they will be back soon,” Luna told him. “He just got on shift. Did you get any rest?”

Hunter told her that he did get some sleep. However, he frequently woke up due to his worries over his son. But he was grateful for the time he got to spend resting in his bed. He thanked Luna for being there for him.

“I need to call Frank,” Hunter said seriously. “I won’t be able to make it to practice today, and depending on how serious this situation is, I might have to quit for the rest of the season. I just hope he won’t be too upset.”

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