Page 34 of A Date with Fate

“I tried walking, but my feet are really tired.”

I glanced down at her sandaled feet, the toes bright red and blistered as well.

“Well, you’ve had quite a morning, eh? Why don’t we take a walk into town to see if they might know where you live. Sound okay?”

The girl nodded eagerly and put on a brave face as I pulled her to her feet. She took one halting step then another, grimacing a little as her blistered toes rubbed against the rainbow colored canvas straps on her sandals.

“Okay, how about this… It’s only a little ways back. Can I carry you?”

After a thoughtful look, Hollie nodded again. I wasn’t used to carrying around children, but she was easy to adjust, moving so that I could swoop her up without jostling her wrist. It was turning an ugly shade of purple in some places, and I assumed it was probably sprained, maybe broken.

Together, we marched along, and while the city-side of my personality was thoroughly convinced someone was going to pop out at any moment and accuse me of kidnapping, I kept going, chattering gently to the girl in my arms as we made our way back out of the houses and towards town. Suzy knew everyone. She would for sure know who to call about their little girl.

I’d admit about halfway there, my arms started to tingle, but there was no way I was letting this sweet baby hurt any more than she already had. So, I just shifted her and kept walking. By the time I turned onto Main Street, my brain was completely focused on the task ahead. So much so that I didn’t hear the sound of Scott’s truck until he reached for my arm.

I ripped out of his grip, turning away and making sure that he didn't accidentally jostle my passenger. Scott held his hands out, palms up defensively as I relaxed my snarling face. “Oh, sorry, Scott, I didn’t see you.”

“What’s going on? Who is this?”

“She fell off her bike. I didn’t know where else to take her.” I heard the sound of the front door of the diner opening and watched as Suzy marched out.

Scott’s face was serious, his hands still raised. “You did the right thing. Can we take her? Oliver can look at her and make sure she’s okay.”

I feel oddly compelled to hold her tighter, afraid to let her go now. “Oliver? Why would he…?”

“He's got a few years of EMT experience under his belt,” Scott answered.

“I just wanted to get her somewhere safe. Her wrist is pretty bruised up, and her toes…” I trailed off, emotion thickening my voice.

“It’s okay,” Oliver said, appearing behind Scott’s shoulder. “You did the right thing, Taylor. Hello there,” he said to the girl in my arms.

“Hi,” Hollie said quietly, her good hand knotting in my shirt. “My hand hurts.”

“I’m sure it does. Let’s get you inside. My mom owns this diner. Have you been here?”

“Not yet,” Hollie said, her eyes looking up to me again. “Should I go?”

“Oliver will take care of you.” I held her off of my body so Oliver could reach out to grip her. “Her name is Hollie.”

The girl grinned at me, making my heart rise up in my throat once more. And as soon as Oliver stepped away with the child, I put my hands on my hips, bending over and breathing deeply.

“Hey, hey…” Scott’s warm body was against me, smelling like freshly chopped wood and cotton. “You did amazing. She’s going to be just fine.”

“How do you know?”

“Because between the three of us, we broke our wrists a half dozen times.”

I choked out a teary laugh. “Of course you did.”

“Your mother is a saint.”

“She is,” Scott said solemnly, his hand stroking my back. “But you’re amazing too, Taylor.”

I breathed him in, soaking in this realization, embracing it. “It was easy. It felt… I didn’t scare her.”

“Of course you didn't, baby.”

“They always said I was too cold. That I wouldn’t know how to give that kind of love,” I rushed on, ignoring the way his face transformed. “That I wouldn’t be able to. Just like Mom struggled with us.”

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