Page 15 of The One Who Risked it All

As I settled Joey on my hip, I caught the tail end of the nurse’s conversation with Mom. “...at least six weeks of rest and relaxation. No stress, no excitement. Just calm, quiet recovery time.”

I suppressed a snort. Calm and quiet weren’t exactly the Wells family’s strong suits.

Mom’s brow furrowed as she glanced from the nurse to the rowdy boys, then back to Papa. I could practically see the gears turning in her head as she tried to reconcile ‘no stress’ with ‘three energetic grandsons.’

“We’ll have to call Nathan and Rebecca,” she said, wringing her hands. “They’ll need to cut their trip short and come home early.”

I felt a pang of guilt. Nathan and Rebecca needed this trip. They deserved some time to reconnect after walking through their rough patch this summer.

“No way, Mom,” I said, shifting Joey to my other hip as he squirmed. “I can handle the boys. There’s no need to ruin their vacation.”

Mom’s eyebrows shot up. “You? Eli, honey, I love you, but you can barely keep a houseplant alive. How do you expect to manage three young boys?”

I bristled at her lack of faith, even as a small voice in the back of my head whispered that she might have a point. But I pushed that doubt aside. “I think I can handle a few kids for a week.”

As if on cue, Lincoln let out a war cry and launched himself at Alex, nearly knocking over the IV stand in the process.

“A week and a half,” she corrected.

I winced. Okay, so maybe this wouldn’t be a walk in the park. But I was determined to prove I could do this. To show Mom—and Dad—that I wasn’t just the family screw-up.

“Look,” I said, setting Joey down and corralling the other two before they could start World War III in the hospital room, “I know it won’t be easy. But I can do this. Let Nathan and Rebecca enjoy their trip. I’ll call them and make sure, but I’ve got this covered.”

Mom still looked skeptical, but I could see her resolve wavering. I held my breath, waiting for her decision.

This was my chance to step up, to be the responsible son for once. And maybe to finally earn that look of pride from Dad that always seemed reserved for Nathan.

I met Mom’s eyes, silently pleading.Come on, Mom. Trust me. Let me do this.

I held my breath as Mom’s eyes darted between me and the boys, who were mostly quiet, coloring in the corner, making more cards for Papa. Finally, she let out a long sigh.

“Alright, Eli. You can watch them.” The relief that washed over me was short-lived as she added, “But I’ll be checking in every day.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I said, trying not to sound too eager. “I won’t let you down.”

I turned to share the news with Dad, only to find him eyeing me with that all-too-familiar look of doubt. It was like a punch to the gut, but I plastered on a smile anyway.

He grunted, adjusting his reading glasses. “This sounds like a recipe for disaster.”

Ouch. I forced a chuckle, but inside, I was a mess of determination and anxiety.

As I herded the boys out of the room, Mom followed us. “Eli’s going to be watching you for a while, boys. Be good for your uncle, okay?”

I caught Papa’s skeptical snort as we left. Great. Nothing like a vote of confidence from dear old dad.

Back in the waiting room, I found Carla pacing, her dark hair swinging with each turn. When she saw me, relief flooded her face, quickly replaced by concern as she took in my expression.

“How’s your dad?” she asked.

I ran a hand through my hair, suddenly feeling the weight of everything crashing down on me. “He’ll be okay, but he needs rest. A lot of it.”

Carla’s brow furrowed. “And the boys?”

“That’s... complicated,” I said, dropping into a chair. “I’m going to be watching them for a while.”

Her eyes widened. “You?”

I let out a humorless laugh. Even Carla didn’t think I could do it. “Mom’s got her hands full with Dad, and well, Dad thinks I’m about as responsible as a circus clown on roller skates.”

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