Chapter 40
Chapter 39: Daddy’s Back 1
r’s gring boring here. Mommy The only good thing about being here is that I get to spend my day with you, and you’re not going to work. But schen can I go home? I miss my friends and school, Rylic complained, her tiny hand moving across the coloring book Ryker lud given her.
Rylie.
that should be green, not brown. That’s the leaf, Ryker said, oblivious that his twin sister was about to throw a tantrum at any moment.
Rylie frowned and put down the crayon. “Do you know what art is, Ryker?”
“Art is the expression of human—”
“Oh, please, stop talking like a teacher.
- an. Artis freedom”
“Freedom”
Rylie, seemingly forgetting about her earlier complaint, proudly crossed her arms over her chest. She smiled like she had just shared a great secret. something her brother didn’t seem to understand.
“Freedom means I can color the tree leaves brown even if they should be green, according to you. I can even color the branches pink because it’s my freedom. This is my art. Right, Mommy?”
I laughed a bit and nodded. “Right, baby”
Ryker nodded. “Okay, if you say so,” he said, returning to the science book Gavin had given him.
He acted nonchalantly about what his sister said, but I could see the faint smile on his lips. Like me, he was proud of Rylie,
Rylie groaned. “Ugh, Ryker’s so annoying?”
She turned to me and pouted. “When can I go home, Momuny?” she repeated, remembering what she had been complaining about earlier.
I smiled and gently caressed her cheek. “We’ll just wait for the doctor’s advice, sweetheart.”
“But Doe Leila is taking too long. Is there something wrong with me? I feel okay now, though, she said, grabbing the stuffed doll Liam Anderson
had brought for her that night.
It had been five days since Rybie was hospitalized. It took her a couple of days to finally regain her energy. Her doctor had been closely monitoring her condition. She had another lab test yesterday, making me anxious, but I tried my best not to show it to my kids.
“No, baby, there’s nothing wrong with you. Doc Leila just wants to make sure you’re completely well before you go home.
“Good morning! The door opened, and the doctor we had been waiting for finally arrived
My neart started beating faster as I anxiously waited for what she would say..
Der Leila walked in with a warm amille, holding a clipboard in one hand. She glanced at Rylie, whose big epes were already watching her expectantly.
So, I have some good news for you, Kylie.”
I released the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding when I heard her say that.
That would have been bad news if she had told me we needed to talk outside. But hearing those words–it was indeed good news,
“Doctor, the only good news I want to hear is that I
1 I can go home,” Rylle said.
Doc Leila and I dis, kled. “All right, then you should accept my good news, our princess. Since your latest test results look good and you’ve been feeling benar, I’m giving you the green light to leave the hospital.”
Hylie’s face lat up: “Really?!”
“Irally, but on one coudition”
Kylie’s smile wavered “What condition, Doctor
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Chapter 10
“You have to promise to take it easy for the next few days–no running around too much, and you need plenty of rest.”
“Does that mean
can’t go to school?” Rylie asked, her eyes watering as if she were about to cry.
“Oh, well, you can
an, just make sure not to run
rum too much-
Yes, yes, Doc Leila! I understand!” she quickly agreed
Doctor Leila smiled, then tumed to me as she stood up. “I’ll need to discuss a few things v with your mommy before you can go home. Won’t you miss me, Ryliel
“Oll I will, Doctor Leila, but I no longer want to be a patient. I don’t like hospitals”
Then you should always listen to your mommy and take care of yourself so you won’t have to be my patient again
Doc Leila and I stepped out of Rylie’s room, and she went over the test results with me.
“She had to stay longer because of her blood tests. You see, her anemia didn’t improve with the initial medication prescribed, but fortunately, the new one worked. Your daughter also has multiple allergies, and her body tends to reject certain medications. However, based on her latest test results, there’s been some improvement in her blood levels
“Bant my daughter is going to be okay, right, Doc?” I asked anxiously.
- r. Just make sure to follow my instructions carefully, and I want her to come in for a follow–up
“Based on her current results, yes, Miss Miller. checkup. She must hot miss it?
“TIL make sure to follow everything you said, Doctor Thank you.”
She nodded and smiled at me. “You’re welcome, Miss Miller
“It’s genetic,
isn’t it Rylie’s condition?” I asked, a sad smile forming on my lips. “I have a lot of allergies, too, and my body tends to reject certain medications when they’re injected into me.”
“Well yes, you could say that,” she replied with a sympathetic look.
It pained me to think that my little girl had inherited something from me that made her suffer. If I could take her place, I would in a heartbeat.
“Miss Miller, Rylie is strong. And now that we know how her body reacts to certain medications, we can manage her condition better moving forward”
I nodded, forcing a small smile. “Thank you, Doctor. I just… I wish she didn’t have to go through all this?
“I know, it is every parent’s wish,” she said softly. “But she has you, and that makes all the difference. You’re doing a great job as her mother.”
1 smiled–genuinely this time. It meant a lot to hear those words, especially on days when I felt like I was the one causing my children pain.
When I opened the door, I found my twins bickering.
“You better listen, Rylie. Otherwise, you might end up back here, and then you’ll be bored again, Ryker warned.
Rylie stuck her tongue out at him. “Whatever, Ryker. I’m going home!”
The moment she saw me, her eyes lit up. “Mommy! Can we start packing now?”
Instead of answering. I rushed to them and hugged them tightly. These two are my everything.
“Mommy, what’s wrong?”” Hyker’s voice was laced with concern as he asked me.
“Oh, nothing’s wrong. I just love hugging my babies. I love you, Rylie and Ryker.” I whispered, pressing a lingering kiss onto their heads.
Rylic giggled, “We love you, too, Mommy!”
I closed my eyes and held them close, reassuring myself that everything would be okay. Silently, I promises myself–again–that I would do everything in my power to protect them.
“Daddy’s back! Daddy’s back!” Rtylir suddenly exclaimed as the door creaked open.
Assuming she meant Gavin, I smiled and loosened my hold on them.
But as I turned toward the door, my smile vanished
2/3
Chapter 40.
cause standing there wasn’t Gavin
I was Liam Anderson:
again:
