When Love Walked Away novel · Chapter 6 of 24

Chapter 6: Not Her Mother

The emergency room doors opened before the stretcher touched them.

A team in blue scrubs was already waiting.

And one of them said "Heat stroke, child, hundred and six," as if she were reading a menu.

They took Tilly out of my arms.

I let go, and it was the hardest thing I had ever done with my hands.

"Mom, you need to stay out here," a nurse said.

"She's five."

"I know. We're going to cool her down. Someone will come get you."

The doors swung shut.

I stood in the hallway with ice water dripping off my sleeves and blood running down my arm.

A hand turned my elbow gently.

"You're bleeding," Gabe said.

"It's fine."

"Sit."

He pushed me into a plastic chair and pressed a clean towel to my forearm.

His hands were shaking a little too.

He had gravel in his hair and a long cut across his knuckles from the window.

"You broke the glass with your own hand," I said.

"Just a splinter."

"You should get that looked at."

"After you."

I put my head down on my knees.

Down the hall, the glass doors opened with a whoosh.

Brodie came in first.

Lacey was behind him in her white linen, with her son by the hand.

And behind them, walking fast in a lavender cardigan and pearl earrings, came Gladys.

Gladys saw me, and her face did the same thing it always did.

It tightened.

"Where's my granddaughter?" she said.

"In there."

"Is she alive?"

"She's alive."

"Thank God." She crossed herself, which she never did, and turned to the nurse at the desk. "I'm her grandmother. Gladys Dalton."

"Ma'am, only the parents can go back."

"Her father is right here."

"I'll need him to sign for consent."

Brodie started toward the desk.

I stood up.

I didn't mean to do it, but my body moved before my mind.

"No," I said.

Everyone in the waiting room looked at me.

"He doesn't go in there."

"Theresa, don't," Brodie said quietly. "Not here."

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