“Yes,” I choke out.“Paisley, did you eat?”
“Yes...”
Mum comes back with Paisley’s medical bag.“No, baby girl, you didn’t.The new girl just asked what you wanted her to do about the breakfast you left.”
I quickly grab what is needed, taking her levels.“Shit, they’re low,” I growl.“I thought they rise with stress?”
“She hasn’t eaten.It’s not a good combination,” Mum explains as I grab two glucose sachets.
“Was she hit too?”Faith cries, rushing over with a bag.
“No.It’s her blood sugars.She’ll be okay in a minute,” I promise.
“Check Rex,” Paisley pleads.“He got hit.”
“Sir, is this bird aggressive?”I hear.
Jaxon rubs the back of his neck.“It’s a duck, and it’s protecting his family.”
Sure enough, the damn duck is flapping its wings at any officer who attempts to get close to us.
Rex growls again, and Faith quickly pulls back.“I think he’s waiting for you to be okay,” Faith whispers, tears forming in her eyes.“Where is Landon?”
“Here,” he barks out.Landon looks stricken when he sees Paisley on the ground with Rex near.I’m waiting for him to fly off the handle, to attack the woman who caused this, but he surprises me when his only concern is Paisley.I shuffle back so he can take my place.“Baby, did you eat?”
Tears gather in her eyes.“I was too distracted, and then Rex...You need to help Rex,” she rasps, clutching at his arms.“I’m so sorry.I’m so sorry I froze.I should have run faster to try and help.Now, he won’t let Faith near him and it’s because of me.Because I didn’t eat.”
I place my head in my hands, watching how gentle he is with her.I can also see the tears he’s holding back, and the anger, but I see it’s not at her.Fuck!“No, baby.None of this is because of you.From what I hear, if he hadn’t of stepped in, a little girl would be badly hurt right now.I’m glad you froze.If you had been hit...”he pauses, gulping.“Nothing can happen to you.”
“I love you,” she whispers.
My chest hurts and I feel like I can’t breathe.It’s not the first time my sister has needed medical help.Hell, it’s not the first time I’ve seen them act all loved up.But this...I get it now.I get what she fought for.And the guilt I feel for trying to tear them apart suddenly eats at me.I thought I was protecting her.I’ve made his life hell pretty much every day since he moved in.Sometimes she hasn’t been all that amused by it.But they are it for each other.
He runs his hand over the dog’s head.“You did good, boy.But you need to let Faith check you over.”
The dog licks Landon’s fingertips and then bizarrely, turns to Faith, like he understood the entire conversation.Faith gives him a small smile and quickly feels his back legs, earning another whimper.“I’m going to give him some pain meds, and then we need to get him over to the farm.I have an x-ray machine.His leg is definitely broken, but I want to check his pelvis is okay.”
“Let me get Paisley inside, and I’ll be right over.You hear that, boy?I won’t be long,” he assures the dog.
“No, I’m coming,” Paisley whispers.“Please.I need to be with him.”
“Can I come?”Milly chokes out.“Please.”
“I can take her,” Mum offers.“But I understand if you don’t want her out of your sight just yet.”
Malia, who has barely paid attention to anything but the woman now in the back of a police car, moves her gaze over to Mum.“I’ll wait here.”
With help from Wyatt, Faith gets Rex into the back of the car.Everyone is moving around me whilst I’m still on the floor.
Summer kneels in front of me, taking my wrists, pulling them away from my face.“Are you okay?”she asks softly.
I splutter out a laugh.“Am I okay?”
“I wasn’t being sarcastic,” she whispers, her face downcast.
“I’m sorry,” I hoarsely reply.“I can’t do this.I can’t.”
I get up, ignoring her on the floor.Perceptive as ever, Jaxon walks over, a crease between his eyebrows.
