“I am mad.” Adam looked over at Danny with his head resting against my lap. “I’m mad at myself.”
We passed a semitruck carrying hay bales as we got closer to Clifton.
Listening to Adam berate himself was crazy. He was the most caring father I’d ever seen. Adam was nothing like my father.
He cared, and he was doing everything he could to protect Danny. I hated to see him being so hard on himself.
We sat in silence for quite a while.
“Adam.”
He didn’t look at me.
“Adam.”
He glanced in my direction.
“This is not your fault. You cannot stop Danny from hurt and pain.”
He groaned. “Then what good am I as a parent?” He pulled into the urgent care parking lot and parked near the door. He turned off the truck and leaned his head against the bench seat, closing his eyes.
I rubbed his arm, his blue long-sleeved shirt had the sleeves pushed up against his elbows. “You’re there to pick him up when he falls and tell him everything will be okay.”
Adam sighed then shifted to open his door. As he turned, I could see a small amount of dried blood on his back through the shirt.
He came around to Danny and scooped up the seven-year-old boy like he weighed nothing. Danny woke up with a start, which caused him to move his hand and start crying again.
“I got you, Champ.” Adam hugged him close to his chest and pressed his jaw into Danny’s hair as he walked toward the entrance. I closed the door of the truck and quickly followed.
Poor Danny. Poor Adam.
Once the nurse called Danny back, Adam and I both went.The nurse asked questions and took Danny’s vitals. The doctor came in and ordered an X-ray for Danny.
“Would you mind checking his back?” I pointed toward Adam.
Adam shook his head. “Honestly, it’s fine. I’m just worried about Danny.”
The doctor turned and faced Adam and asked what had happened.
Adam mentioned the tree branch but how his old Carhartt jacket got the worst of it.
“Well, let’s have a look.” he gestured for Adam to remove the shirt.
I blushed and looked at the floor as Adam pulled his shirt over his head.
I didn’t even look at Adam’s chest as the doctor felt around his back. Okay, fine, I peeked. I totally checked out his abs, and they were as chiseled as I imagined.
Adam grimaced, and my eyes shot to his as they closed.
“Yep. Looks like you’re going to need a few stitches.”
After a few hours, Adam was stitched and wrapped in gauze with ointment, and his shirt was back on, which for my focus was probably for the best. Danny had his X-ray and it looked like all he had was a nasty sprain. He got a brace and both boys got pain medicine.
As Danny’s pain reduced, Adam relaxed.
Once back in the truck with Frosty playing on Adam’s phone again, we headed back to Hillsdale.
“Wait! What about the tree?” Danny leaned forward. “We only got two.” His eyes were wide with worry.
