35. Embarrassed Enough
EMBARRASSED ENOUGH
“ D ang it,” Daphne said on Tuesday.
She looked down and saw the formula all over her shirt where she was shaking it for Tatum. The top hadn’t been put on tight and it went flying...right in her face and down the front of her.
“That’s funny,” Holly said, giggling. “Let me try it.”
The little girl was reaching for the bottle in her hand which was only half filled at this point.
“No,” she said. “Can you make Tatum laugh while I clean up and get him another bottle?”
The baby was fussy on top of it and he was squirming and crying because when he was hungry, he wanted to eat ten minutes ago.
Tatum was on the counter in a bouncing seat and Holly was covering her eyes and playing peek-a-boo. It wasn’t doing much in terms of calming the baby, but it was entertaining Holly.
When the bottle was ready and she’d wiped up as much of her shirt as she could, Daphne put a towel over the front of her and picked Tatum up to feed him while she sat down in the family room off the kitchen.
Holly had a doll in her hand and was making her dance, and whatever worked, she didn’t care.
Tatum was still fussy and didn’t want his bottle, but then latched on and guzzled it like a drunk on the street with a bottle in a brown paper bag.
“Is this your version of a keg stand?” she asked him and grinned. She’d bet he’d be one of those kids doing it.
Then she looked at Holly.
Nope, it’d be her. Definitely her.
It took longer than normal for Tatum to finish his bottle and get his burp out, but they finally got it done. Holly rushed over. “Can we go outside now?”
“I need to change my shirt,” she said. Normally she didn’t care if she got something small on it, but she was soaked and didn’t want to smell like formula. As the day went on, it’d be worse.
“Can we walk to your house?”
“We can,” she said. “Remember, no running, please. I have to push the stroller.”
And thanks to the newly installed walkways, it’d be easy to go that way rather than up the driveway and then around the long way.
“I’ll get Tatum’s hat,” Holly said.
“Please do,” she said. She always put a hat on his head even though she’d cover him up so that he didn’t get any sun on him. “And grab your sneakers. I don’t want you tripping in your sandals.”
Holly handed over Tatum’s hat and it felt like it was a wrestling match with a baby alligator the way he was thrashing his head around.
Once it was secured, she bent down and put Holly’s sneakers on the correct feet. Velcro was great and it helped the little girl, but not if she didn’t get them right.
“Ready!” Holly yelled.
She laughed over the excitement. Everything made Holly happy.
“Slow down,” Daphne said when she got the stroller out of the garage. She pulled it out through the door and put Tatum in it, secured him, and got walking, hoping that it’d calm him some. He was normally a good baby, but today he wasn’t happy.
“I want to run,” Holly said.
“No,” she said gently. “You know the rules. No running except on the grass and no running when I’ve got Tatum. I can’t keep up with you if I’ve got him.”
“I’ll get on the grass,” Holly said. “Can I walk fast?”
She rolled her eyes. “Not too fast. I don’t want you too far ahead. It has to be a walk.”
Holly moved to the grass and was walking fast, but Daphne was able to keep the distance small.
They went up the little hill toward her cabin and she saw the guys all working. There was Abe’s truck too.
She’d get to see her boyfriend for a few minutes. It was almost worth being doused with formula.
“What are they doing?” Holly asked.
There was some equipment on the grass.
“They are digging and then going to put some stones and bricks in before the plants,” she said.
She knew it was going to be beautiful when it was done. She’d seen the pictures of it.
Just like Abe showed her the design he’d done for someone this weekend. An outdoor kitchen and patio. The clients were so in love with it, they put their deposit down immediately.
She was happy for him when he told her last night.
“I like flowers,” Holly said.
Holly was getting ahead of her a bit, but still on the grass and not too far. They were close to the house anyway.
Tatum yelled, which wasn’t like him. She looked down and he was vomiting everywhere, including hitting her already damp shirt.
“Urgh,” she said.
She grabbed the burp cloth and wiped around his mouth and neck. He was crying, but there didn’t appear to be more coming out of his mouth.
She heard giggling and it was far away in her mind. When she looked up, Holly was on a dead run and reaching the backhoe. “I want a ride.”
“No, Holly!” She pushed the stroller to the grass, kicked the lock in place, and took off on a dead run after Holly.
There were others heading in that direction too, but Holly was somehow climbing up and getting toward the driver's seat.
How the hell had she done that?
Then Holly slipped and started to fall, but Daphne was close enough that she dove in the air and was able to catch Holly as she fell, but landed hard on her shoulder and heard something pop. Maybe it broke.
She wasn’t sure other than Holly was crying and she was in pain and felt like she was going to throw up herself.
Abe reached her first. “Oh my God. Are you two hurt?”
“Get Holly,” she groaned.
He took Holly out of her arms. “Are you hurt, Holly?” he asked.
“I want a ride!” Holly yelled.
Daphne was trying to sit up, but her arm wasn’t working the way it should be.
“Is she hurt? Or just upset?”
“I think she’s upset,” he said. “Holly, do you hurt anywhere?”
Holly shook her head and Abe set her down and looked her over.
“Holly,” she said. She was starting to lose focus with the pain. “Are you okay?”
Holly nodded her head. “What’s wrong with your arm?”
She looked down and just saw her arm lying there. She tried to move it, but it wasn’t lifting up.
“I don’t know,” she said, starting to panic. “Did I break it?” She closed her eyes quickly when things started to spin in front of her.
“Shhh,” Abe said. “Stay still. I think you might have dislocated your shoulder. Don’t move. Let me call an ambulance.”
“No,” she said. “Someone can take me. I need to call Reese to come get the kids. Oh my God, Tatum. He’s crying.”
“He’s fine,” he said. “Mac is bringing him closer. That’s why you hear him crying.”
“He threw up and I was dealing with that and Holly took off on a run and I couldn’t watch them both. It’s my fault.”
“Stop,” he said. She felt the tears running from her eyes. “No one is hurt but you. The kids are fine. I’m going to call Reese now. You stay right here like this. Let me get you water.”
She wanted to take care of Tatum, but she couldn’t stand up. She knew her legs were working, but her brain couldn’t get them to do what they were supposed to. Not yet at least.
She turned her head and Mac had Tatum in his arms and was soothing the baby. That was something at least.
Abe brought her over water and handed it to her with his phone to his ear. “Reese, it’s Abe. Daphne is hurt and I need to bring her to the ER. We’ve got her and the kids down here at the cabin. The kids are fine if you can come get them.”
“Give me the phone,” she said.
“Daphne wants to talk to you,” he said to Reese.
“What happened, Daphne?” Reese asked.
“The kids are fine. I’m so sorry. I don’t mean to leave you like this.”
“Nonsense,” Reese said. “I’m getting in my truck now. I’ll be right down. Put Abe back on, please.”
“He wants to talk to you,” she said, handing it back over.
She put the bottle of water between her legs to hold it there and then twisted the top off with her right hand and took a drink.
She felt like a fool sitting there, but standing up would be hard. It wasn’t helping everyone was staring at them.
“Holly took off on a run away from Daphne and toward my backhoe. She was climbing up and Daphne ran after her. As soon as Holly started to fall, Daphne dove to catch her but then landed on her shoulder. I think she dislocated it. Holly is fine. Just scared that it all happened so fast. Tatum was in the stroller with the safety locks on.”
She hated that Abe was telling Reese that she wasn’t watching the kids and now she was worried she might get fired.
Holly could have been seriously hurt. Tatum was left abandoned.
This was a nightmare and if she wasn’t in such pain, she’d be planning on how she could find another job.
Abe hung up the phone and moved back to her.
“Why did you tell him that? I sound so incompetent.”
“No, you don’t,” he said. “Every single person here would vouch that you saved Holly from getting hurt.”
“But I should have never let her out of my sight. Tatum was vomiting and I was cleaning it up and next thing I know she was gone.”
“She’s an active little girl and a curious one. Don’t blame yourself for this. Shit, I could blame myself for the equipment being there.”
“That’s crazy,” she said. “You’re doing your job.”
“And so are you.”
They turned when a truck came to a halt and Reese got out and ran over.
Holly raced to him and put her arms up. “I’m sorry, Daddy. I didn’t mean to get Daphne hurt. I’m sorry.”
“Shhhh,” Reese said. “Stop crying. It’s okay. You’re not hurt?”
“Just my feelings. I made Daphne hurt her arm,” Holly said, wailing.
“It’s fine, Holly. I’m going to be fine. It’s nothing. Don’t be upset.”
Reese walked over and put Holly on the ground and then reached for Tatum in Mac’s arms. The baby was actually sleeping now. He’d probably tired himself out throwing up.
“Looks like it’s more than nothing,” Reese said. “Geez, I’m sorry, Daphne. Holly knows better.”
“It’s my fault.”
“It’s no one’s fault,” Abe said. “You can’t be in two places at once.”
“Don’t blame yourself,” Reese said. “I know my daughter is a handful. She might have had a few too many Pop-Tarts this morning. She was a bit wound up.”
If she’d known that, she would have tried to let Holly run around the yard a bit more, but it’s not like she needed those things reported to her.
“It’s fine,” she said. “Abe, can you help me up? They should be able to pop something like this back in place, right?”
She looked down to see her arm hanging there and gagged.
“Oh boy,” Reese said. “You just got white. Don’t look. Let’s call an ambulance.”
“No,” she said. “I’m already embarrassed enough. I don’t want to do that.”
“I’ll take her now,” Abe said.
“I’m going to call Poppy. She’ll see if Daisy can call Theo. Maybe we can get you in with him quickly if he’s around.”
Normally she didn’t like favors, but at this point, she didn’t care.
“Anything to make this quicker,” she said.
“Are you sure you’re okay to walk?” Abe asked. “I want to carry you, but I’m afraid to hurt you.”
“I can walk,” she said. “Just don’t let me trip and fall.”
He put his arm around her right side and walked with her to his truck, then helped her in.
“Do you have your phone?” Reese asked. She hadn’t realized he was on his phone talking.
“Yes,” she said.
“Poppy is going to talk to Daisy now, then someone is going to text or call you soon.”
“Thanks,” she said. “I appreciate it.”
“Just head to the ER,” Reese said. “Poppy will let you know if you can go to Theo’s office. If you don’t hear from her, you’re at least at the ER.”
Abe started the truck and drove away. “I wish I could give you something for the pain.”
He was taking it easy to not jar her around. “I don’t feel anything. It’s completely numb now. I hope that isn’t a bad sign.”
“Don’t think like that,” he said.
“I’m going to lay my head back and close my eyes. I don’t want to think or focus. If my eyes are open, I see my hand lying in my lap. I’d rather not.”
“Good idea,” he said. “I’ll turn the music up so it will distract you.”
“Sure. We can say that might work.”
A few minutes went by. “What is that smell?”
“What?” she asked and opened her eyes.
“It’s you. Your shirt.”
“The reason I was walking home. It’s a combination of formula and vomit. See, bet you can’t say you come home with that on your clothes.”
He laughed. “No,” he said. “You’ve got me there.”