“I’m sorry,” she said as her teeth continued to chatter.
He shook his head.“No, I’m so glad he did.”
Myla shook her head and started crying.
“Baby, listen to me.”
He waited until she focused on him.“I saw you yesterday run into Joel’s arms.”Kaleb pinched the bridge of his nose.“I thought...”
“What?”
“I thought he was...”
“A boyfriend?”
“Yes,” he said simply.
“Is that why you—”
Kaleb nodded.“Yes.”
Myla went silent as she tried to process what he’d just said.
“Baby, will you let me help you?We can talk about this later.We need to see about your head and other injuries.”
She raised a shaking hand to her forehead.“My head hurts.”
“I know, Baby.”
Kaleb turned and saw Joel outside the cubicle, talking to someone.“Hey, can you get a female doctor in here?”
Joel nodded.“Already asked for one.She’s on her way down now.”
Kaleb turned back to Myla.“Will you let me hold you?”
“Will you promise you won’t let me go, just until I feel better?”she whispered.
He saw a flash of hurt in her eyes.“If I have my way, I’m never letting you go,” he stated and held a hand out to her.
She scooted out from her area, and then she raised her arms.Kaleb swallowed back tears, reached for her, and stood.He went to place her on the table.
She tried to struggle out of his arms.“No, please.I don’t want to lie there.”
He tightened his arms.“All right, Baby.How about we sit in the chair?I’ll hold you on my lap.”
Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she nodded.“Yes.Okay.I’ll sit with you.”
He sat down and arranged her over his lap, tucked her head against his chest, and wrapped the blanket around her.He tried to keep her quiet and calm while they waited for the doctor.
He wiped away the tears that continued to streak down her cheek and then tried to smooth back the hair that stuck to her injuries.He tried to see the damage.The gash on her head was still bleeding and swelling more as the minutes passed.Her lip was split, and one side of her face was scraped up.Myla tensed, and her grip on him tightened when the female doctor came into the room.
The doctor stood a few feet away and didn’t try to come any closer.“Hi, Myla, my name is Jessica, and I’m here to help you.”
Kaleb could tell Myla was listening to the woman when she turned her head toward her.
“I want to make you feel better.Will you let me do that?”
Myla glanced up at Kaleb and then back to the doctor.“You won’t make him go?”
