“I was in a car accident.” I decide to just tell the truth.
“Does it hurt?” Benji tilts his head, looking at me.
“No, sweetie.” I shake my head. “Not even a little bit.”
“What are you doing out here, Benji?” Luc questions the little boy.
Right. It’s the middle of the night.
“There was a funny noise and it kept waking me up so me and Fox went for a walk but then I couldn’t find my way back.” Benji holds up his stuffed bunny rabbit.
He…he named his bunny…Fox.
“That’s a rabbit,” Luc tells the boy.
I have to stifle a laugh when Benji narrows his eyes on Luc.
“His name is Fox,” Benji tells him matter of factly.
Luc looks at me incredulously and I don’t hide my grin.
“How about we try and find your parents, Benji?” I rise up. Benji’s hand curls around two of my fingers.
“I don’t have a dad,” Benji looks up at me, “only Mum.”
My heart breaks for the little boy who doesn’t seem bothered about not having a dad.
“Mum said if I wander off, I’ll be in trouble,” Benji swings our arms as we walk.
“I’m sure your mum will just be happy that you’re safe,” I tell him.
“She also said ‘sixty nine’.” Benji looks up at me, like I’m supposed to answer that.
“Uhhh.” I blink at Luc who has the same mortified look on his face.
“She said I had to remember that,” Benji continues talking, unaware of the horrified looks on mine and Luc’s faces.
My eyes slide over one of the room doors before they snap back. Eighty-four. The room numbers are two digits.
“You mean the room number, Benji?” Luc questions, realising what I’ve figured out.
“Uh-huh,” Benji says before telling me we should skip.
I shake my head, meeting Luc’s relieved eyes.
So, Luc holds Benji’s other hand and we skip down the hall where we nearly run into a lady that’s coming flying out of Room 69.
“Benji!” The woman falls to the floor and hugs Benji tightly.
“Mum!” Benji wiggles in his mother’s arms.
“You cannot run off without telling me,” she scolds him, looking more relieved than angry.
“I had to take Fox for a walk,” Benji tells his mother. “And I took a weapon.” He brandishes around his nerf gun.
“Okay,” she sighs. “Next time you want to take Fox for a walk, you have to wait until morning and you need to tell me before wandering off.”
Benji nods. He grabs my hand, tugging on me.
