Page 66 of Keep This Promise
“Forgive me?” I ask, knowing she already has.
“Of course, you sweet boy. I could never stay mad at you.”
I turn to Sophie. “I have a face women love.”
Sophie laughs. “I think the saying is a face only a mother could love.”
“That too.” I wink, trying to inject the humor back into our night. “Now, we should get Eden home and in bed. Where is she?”
“In the living room.”
We find her curled up on the couch, her thumb resting on her lips as if she’s not sure if she wants to suck on it. I’m rooted to the floor for just a second, looking at her. Sometimes, I can’t quite process that I have a child. A little girl who I didn’t know existed and missed so many moments with. So many things in my life have changed in such a short time that none of it actually feels real.
I have a daughter.
I say this to myself daily because it’s not like I had nine months to prepare for fatherhood.
“Holden?” Sophie says from over my shoulder. “Are you all right?”
I nod. “I just didn’t want to wake her.”
I bend down, scooping Eden into my arms. She’s so small and immediately nestles against my chest. I shift her a bit and feel wetness under her legs.
“She had another accident,” I tell Sophie.
“This is happening a lot.”
I quietly count how many times Sophie has mentioned Eden having an accident, and the higher the number gets, the more worried I become. This doesn’t seem normal. When I lift her up to feel her forehead, she lets out a deep sigh and the smell hits me. Fear like I’ve never known before floods through my veins.
“We have to get her to the hospital.”
Sophie’s eyes widen. “What? Why?”
“Sophie, has Eden been drinking more than normal? Around when the bedwetting started up again?”
“Yes, and that’s why she is having accidents.”
Frequent urination, increased thirst, and the smell. The smell of syrup and fruit. I remember it. I remember my sister giving me a kiss before she went to sleep that night. She never woke up again.
“We need to go. Mama James, we’ll be back to get her things.”
“Holden, what is it?” my aunt asks, tears filling her eyes.
“I think this is diabetes, and if I’m right . . .” I can’t think it. I can’t finish the sentence. “We have to go.”
Her hand flies to her mouth, and a tear falls.
“Holden, what do you mean you think it’s diabetes?” Sophie moves closer, her hands resting on Eden’s chest.
“All the symptoms are there. The increased thirst, frequent urination to the point that she’s having accidents, and there being an almost fruity smell to her breath. That’s an indication of ketoacidosis. We’ll take her to the hospital to get her checked out, and if it’s not what I think it might be, then at least we’ll know. If it is, then we can get her blood sugar stable so she’s out of the danger zone. Just . . . trust me that we have to go now, okay?”
Sophie nods quickly, and I am already moving out the door. I could call the ambulance, but it would’ve been another ten to fifteen minutes, and I am not waiting another second to get her help.
“Is she going to be okay?” Sophie asks once Eden is buckled in and we’re on the road.
I need her to be, and I didn’t notice anything out of the normal until now. Hopefully, that means it hasn’t gone unchecked for too long.
“I’ll know more once I can check her levels, but she’ll be okay. I’ll do everything I can to make sure of it.”
