Page 46 of Light in the Dark (Heaven and Hell Duet 2)

She looks like she wants to hesitate, but it hits her what I said. That I’ll definitely be going to the hospital. Idaline rounds up the kids and takes them inside with her. Sawyer and I sit quietly next to one another until the ambulance arrives.

“Can I ride with you, Dad?”

“I’ll be fine. Go with your mom. Help keep her calm and look after your brothers and sisters.” Sawyer opens his mouth to object. “You’ve seen her when she’s worried, right? But you’ve never seen her when she’s worried about me. Go help your mom and look after her for me. I’m okay. Just need to get checked out.”

He nods and off I go to the hospital. Unfortunately, they diagnose me with a concussion. When the doctors are done, I expect Idaline to waltz in at any minute, and I start to worry when she doesn’t. I really worry when Sawyer walks in with the rest of his siblings lagging behind him.

“Where’s Mom?” I ask. All of their faces are pale and scared. “Where’s Mom?” I repeat, while pressing a button for a nurse.

“I don’t know,” Sawyer answers. “She was getting antsy waiting and then I don’t know what happened, but doctors came and took her away on a stretcher. They wouldn’t tell me anything.”

“NURSE!” I shout. Pain pierces my skull, but it’s worth it because a nurse rushes into the room. “Where is my wife?”

“Your wife?” she parrots.

“Yes, my fucking wife. Where is she? My kids say doctors took her on a stretcher while they were waiting on me. I need to know what the fuck is happening with my wife.”

“Okay, okay. What’s her name?”

“Idaline. Idaline Hart.”

She scurries off to find out what we all need to know. The kids are all huddled together, looking worried sick.

“Come here. Everything is okay. I’m fine. I hurt my head, but I’ll be better soon. It’s nothing serious.”

Sawyer sets Corrine and Ashley on the bed with me. He stands while Declan and Vincent sit on the edge down by my feet.

“Mom will be okay too.” I hope I’m telling the truth, considering I don’t have the faintest idea what happened out there. We sit there, waiting in silence for what feels like forever. My girls fall asleep on me. Poor little Vincent won’t say a word. He’s a momma’s boy for sure. He looks the most worried out of everyone, if that’s possible.

The nurse finally returns. “Mr. Hart, your wife is being examined. She wasn’t feeling well while she was waiting and she fainted. They are just looking her over to make sure she’s okay and that it wasn’t anything more than stress.”

“When will I be discharged?”

“They are working on your papers right now.”

“Can I go see her?”

She looks over my children. “It may be best if you stay here with your kids.”

“What about me?” Sawyer asks. Declan and Vincent look at her hopefully, already planning to tag along I’m sure.

The nurse flicks her eyes over to me. “Mrs. Hart didn’t ask to see anyone.”

All of my boys’ shoulders fall. I’m not about to leave Idaline somewhere in the hospital. They apparently want me to stay put, so, “Show them where their mother is.”

“I really don’t think—”

“It’s either all of us, or only three of us. Your choice.”

She sighs, but leads the way for my boys.

The only thing left for me to do now is wait to be discharged and for news on Idaline. My discharge comes first. That leaves me carrying the sleeping girls to where Idaline waits. I hear her voice before I see her. Hear her laughter. That alone relaxes me completely. Whatever is going on, we’ll all be okay.

When I see her and my boys, they are all smiling.

“Hey,” Idaline says. “What happened with you?”

“You first.”

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