It takes a few seconds longer for Kade to stop than Nash, but finally, they’re both paying attention to me.
“Daddy is in Rochester which is where Poppy lives.” Of course, Kade jumps straight in to cut me off from talking, desperate to tell me something.
“And where she’s a firefighter.” He looks proud of himself for remembering that.
“Yes, buddy, but I need you to just let Daddy talk for a minute and then I’ll tell you when you can talk again. Understand?” I can see Nash looking at his brother, annoyed that he interrupted me.
“Okay, but did you take a photo of the firetruck?” Kade blurts out again.
I groan and try again.
“Not yet, but I will before I come home. Now no more talking, it’s Dad’s turn.” I see him open his mouth, but Adrian clamps his hand over it, and we all start laughing.
“Okay, how about if you stay quiet while I’m talking, you can stay up for an extra ten minutes tonight.” Kade and Nash nod, while Adrian asks why he’s being punished. But I don’t reply because I know I have a very small window of opportunity to get out what I want to say before Kade won’t be able to help himself.
“Now, the reason I’m here is because Poppy got hurt at work, and she needed me to come and help her.” I’m not sure that Kade understands what I just said, but I can see Nash, my little softie’s eyes getting wider, and he already looks worried. “But Poppy is okay, so there is nothing to worry about. She has a broken leg, but that means she now has a really cool cast on it that we can write our names on and draw beautiful pictures for her.”
Adrian’s hand is still loosely over Kade’s mouth, but he still goes to talk. Nash elbowing him in the side shuts him up, though. I’m not stopping, otherwise Kade will certainly start talking. “Now, remember when we first met Poppy when we were waiting to see Santa and Nash was a little scared?” They both nod, and Nash looks down toward the ground. “And Poppy said when someone holds your hand it stops you from being scared.” With that Nash smiles a little as he remembers. “Well, Poppy asked me to fly here to Rochester to hold her hand because she was feeling a little scared. Kind of like when you fall over when you’re running and you graze your knee. If someone holds your hand and kisses your sore, it makes you feel better again. That’s what Poppy needed. For me to come and hold her hand and make everything better.” And I just hope they don’t ask why the person she needed was me and not Mrs. B.
Kade is now squirming like he needs to go to the toilet to pee, which he always leaves until the last minute because he’s toobusy playing. “So, is it okay if I stay here for a few days to hold Poppy’s hand?” I give Adrian a slight nod so he knows he can set Kade free.
“Yeah, can we talk to Poppy, where is she? Can we come visit her too on the airplane? I can make her some cookies.” Kade doesn’t stop, not even to take a breath, and I can see him still dancing on the spot.
“Kade, toilet now, and I’ll answer when you get back,” I tell him.
“But—” he starts to protest.
“Now, Kade, go.” And then his brain finally tells him he’s about to wet his pants, and he’s gone in a flash.
“Seriously, one day he will get past this,” I mumble under my breath and turn my concentration to Nash.
“You okay there, buddy?” I ask him, waiting for him to work out what he wants to say. Nash is my deep thinker, a thoughtful soul, but also full of big feelings.
“Is Poppy really okay? She’s not going to die like Mommy, is she, and never ever come back again? Because I don’t want Mrs. B to be sad like I was.” I can see the tears starting to well in his little eyes, and it breaks my heart that I’m not there to wipe them away. Adrian kneels beside Nash and puts his arm around his little shoulders.
“I promise you, Nash, that Poppy is going to be just fine. She will be back visiting us in Boston very soon. This isn’t like Mommy, so don’t you worry about that, okay?” He stares at me with those big eyes to see if I’m lying to him.
“Where is she, why can’t I see her? You said you were holding her hand,” he asks as Kade comes running back to stand next to his brother. And I know the only way they will believe what I’m telling them is to show them.
“Poppy is asleep, so if you promise me you can be very, very,veryquiet, and Kade, that means not one word, then I will takethe phone in so you can see her for just a quick second. Do you think you can be completely silent?” They both nod their heads like crazy.
I hope I won’t regret this.
Very gently opening the door, I peek in, and just as I suspected, she’s fast asleep.
Looking at the boys on my phone, I bring my finger to my lips to signal it’s time to be quiet and then press the button on the camera to turn it around so they can see her.
I can see the relief in Nash as his little lips finally tilt upwards in a bit of a smile. But Kade is just looking intently at her, like he’s trying to work it all out in his little head.
And just as I’m about to push the button again to turn the camera around, Kade yells as loud as he can into the phone.
“Wake up, Pop—” is all he gets out before Adrian’s hand claps over his mouth again.
I swear this kid’s going to be the death of me.
Poppy gasps, and her eyes open so wide.
“Kade. Where are you?” she says, frantically looking around the room, and the heart rate alarm on the monitor starts going off again. Great, I’m about to be lectured by the nurse again about keeping her calm.
