Page 14 of Bossy Baby

First time he got to spend time alone with Hayley and his boy had a broken arm. He’d failed. But that was something that he would deal with later. Hayley was all that mattered.

He sped up when he reached the parking lot of the grocery store.

Hayley whimpered.

“I know, sweetie. Almost there.”

Mac reached his SUV. He had to juggle his hold on Hayley but finally managed to pull out his keys. He unlocked the passenger door using the key fob and gently set Hayley down.

Hayley kept clinging to Mac’s neck with his good arm.

“You have to let go of me, baby. I have to get you to the hospital.”

“Don’t leave me,” Hayley cried.

“No,” Mac assured him. “I’m not going to leave you. Just get you all taken care of.”

Hayley peered up at him with tears in his eyes. His lower lip wobbled. “Promise.”

“I swear.”

“Okay.”

Mac brushed the hair off Hayley’s sweaty forehead. “Just hang in there for me. We’re going to get you all fixed up.” He straightened, making sure that Hayley was all the way in the vehicle before carefully closing the door.

He rushed around to the driver door and practically tore it open.

Mac jumped inside and got the SUV started. “Hold on, boy.” He put the vehicle in gear.

Driving as quickly as he could while still being safe, it took Mac less than six minutes to get Hayley to the hospital. He pulled up in front of the emergency room doors and slammed the SUV into park.

Getting out, he almost tripped over his own feet before he ran to the passenger side and yanked open the door.

Hayley reached for him with his good arm.

“Let me get you a wheelchair.”

“No.” Hayley shook his head. “You carry me. I like it when you carry me.”

“Okay, baby,” Mac responded. “I’ll carry you.” Hayley was getting weak, probably going into to shock. Mac carefully lifted him up before turning for the entrance.

He strolled through the entrance, looking around, and spotted a male nurse heading toward him.

“You!” Mac barked. “Come here.”

The nurse did a stutter stop, but his eyes dropped to Hayley cradled to Mac’s chest. Probably to the blood covering both of them as well. He rushed over. “Is it just his arm? Did he hit his head?”

“Just the arm.” Mac was sure. He would be seeing Hayley’s fall every night in his head for the rest of his life. It had been terrible, being too far away to stop Hayley from getting hurt.

“Follow me,” the nurse, Sammy the name badge read, ordered.

Mac didn’t argue.

Sammy led them past the waiting area, check-in desk, and through a pair of double doors. They turned left down the first hallway before making a right.

Finally the emergency room came into view.

“Take him into room three and set him on the bed. I’ll grab the attendee so we can get some pain meds into him. That break has to hurt.”

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