The Favorite by Ty Carlson

Author:Ty Carlson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: 4 Horsemen Publications, Inc.
Published: 2022-10-12T22:42:58+00:00

Chapter 15

The drive to the hospital was much faster this time. Turns out that when the speedometer is pushing ninety, the miles seem to click by at an alarming rate. It wasn’t really even necessary, at least not to stop the bleeding. By the time we’d made the drive all the way to the hospital and I parked, his nose had long since stopped. Kathryn still wanted to get him checked out, and I was inclined to agree. She sat in the backseat of the SUV between Keller and Jackson, the latter laying his head on her shoulder and a look of worry creasing her features. Keller kept looking around the edge of his car seat at Jackson and saying his name. When Jackson didn’t respond, he looked at Kathryn’s face. To her credit, she smiled weakly at him and held his little hand the rest of the way when it was offered.

Checking in was a slow process since there was no immediate danger. By a stroke of luck, Dr. Krist was on call that night. Thankfully, there weren’t many others in the waiting room, so we only had to wait an hour or so. Jackson fell asleep in my lap, and Keller did the same in Kathryn’s. Even sitting there, the remnants of panic and fear roiling around in my midsection, I stared at both of my kids. I was reminded of the innocence in the world, of what peace is. It wasn’t always the quiet of the empty house, or at least not quiet on its own; it was the calm in the middle of chaos. Peace by itself is nothing more than silence or stillness, but it transforms into peace when chaos and upheaval whirl around it. So many times we chase peace but mistake it for calm and quiet, forgetting that the unknown wild winds are what give us the circumstances in which to recognize it.

If I’m being honest, I felt a little ashamed with myself. Any parent would have probably acted in a similar fashion, but I could have done better. I wondered if I was searching and requiring the quiet in order to feel at peace when I should be searching for peace amidst the noise.

My thoughts were interrupted when a nurse called our names. We stood carefully and walked to a door she held open for us. I smiled a tired smile at her, and she returned it.

“Right this way.”

We followed and sat in a room for a while. I sat on the gurney with Jackson while Kathryn sat in an adjacent chair with Keller. She sighed and hugged him to her chest. I saw a tear make its way slowly down her cheek, and I reached for her hand. She looked at me a moment later and grasped my hand.

“What are we going to do?” she asked, lip quivering.

I could feel my throat tighten. I wanted to ask what she meant. I wanted to let her know that everything was going to be fine.

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