“Dad?Do you say yes?Daddy says only if hims says yes.”
“I say yes, honey.These people are here to help you.”
She blinked at him, but took the drink and sucked it down, gaze holding his.
“It’s going to be okay.”That he could promise.
She let them do the x-rays, and it was just minutes before they came back with the results.
Thank God that Ian and Peter came in at the same time.“What did they say?”
It was a huge relief to have Ian with them again.“They’ve given her some ibuprofen and taken x-rays.Doc said he’d be here in a moment with the results.”
Ian sat and held Peter in his lap.“Good deal.That ibuprofen should help a ton.”
“Yeah, it seems to have eased her.Oh.Here’s the doc.”
She introduced herself to Ian, then addressed them all.“The arm is indeed broken, but it’s a clean break.We’re going to put a light cast on it and give her a sling.Ibuprofen for pain.And please keep her calm and quiet for the next few weeks.”
JP snorted.He didn’t mean to, it just kind of came out.
Ian smiled and nodded.“Will do.How long before she can S-K-A-T-E.”
“Give it three weeks at least, okay?See her pediatrician in a week to ten days to check.”
“That quick, eh?It’s good to be four.”He rubbed his leg ruefully.It was aching fairly badly from all the walking while carrying her.
“It is.Much easier than when you’ve been playing hockey for a while.”The doctor winked at him.
“True that.”He smiled at Tori.“You hear that, sweetie.You’re going to get a cast!”
“Is it going to hurt?”Her little eyes filled with tears.
“No, it’s going to make it so your bone can heal and not have any movement.And it’s not for very long.Maybe you can even get everyone to draw on the cast.That would be fun, eh?”
Ian nodded.“You can have a colored one too, right?”
The nurse nodded.“Absolutely.You want pink?Purple?”
“Blue.”Tori rolled her eyes.
JP hid his grin.She was coming back to herself pretty quickly.And he imagined it was going to be hell on earth keeping her from being too wild.
“Blue it is.”
“Gonna have blue on my hockey pucking ufinorm.”
“Yeah?What team are you gonna play for?”JP asked.
“Same as you, Dad.Gon’ make all the puckings.”
How did he tell her she couldn’t be on the teams he’d been on?
“I bet you will be amazing.You’re very brave.”
Peter watched his sister with worried eyes.“Her is brave.”
“She really is Peter, isn’t she?You’re both brave.”And he really believed that.Peter was scared of skating, but he’d gone out and done it anyway.
