Football and Fairy Tales

Chapter 7

Dakota

A curse word erupts from Devin's mouth when he hits the brake. I should feel bad, but I can't make myself express an apology. Instead, my gaze is on what's happening outside my window. Opening the door, I jump out and run to the woman I saw crying in the street cradling what looks like a small child.

"Are you okay?"

Devin yells after me. "Dakota! Are you crazy?"

He stops short when he sees the woman. When she looks up, he gasps.

"Mia?"

The woman is young, maybe early twenties and tears are streaming down her face.

"Devin?"

He kneels down next to her, and I follow. Inside her arms lays a small toddler with his eyes closed.

"My car broke down," Mia sniffs. "Colin started running fever and I couldn't get it down."

She's right. He looks delirious and unmoving.

"I gave him some Tylenol but it only brought it down a little."

"We can give you a lift to the hospital," I say firmly without thinking about the fact that I'm volunteering someone else's vehicle, but Devin only nods.

"Of course." Leaning down, he helps her up while being careful not to wake the child. Mia whispers words to him and he whispers them back. It's obvious they know each other by the level of comfort they're portraying. It makes me wonder what kind of relationship they have. For two people to be that familiar with one another, they have to have known each other a long time. Opening the door to the back seat, he helps Mia and her little boy inside before running to the driver's side and jumping in. I follow suit on the passenger side. The trip is silent, but quick since Devin is speeding. When he pulls into the emergency room parking lot, Mia jumps out and runs toward the entrance with Colin in her arms. She doesn't look behind her to see if we leave or follow her. Devin turns off the ignition and leans back in his seat.

"Mia's the bartender that works the afternoon shift at Frank's Tavern."

He doesn't need to explain their association but something in his face tells me he wants to, so I remain quiet. He sighs.

"She's a damn good mom that's been handed a bad hand in life."

Nodding, I look out the window. I can make out Mia sitting in a chair inside a cubicle while a nurse takes the child's temperature.

"We should go wait with her."

"You sure?" He studies me like he's wondering how I'll respond to a situation like this, but we've only met today. I don't expect him to know I'm not the type of person to leave a young mother without any kind of support.

"Cause I can take you home. I've helped Mia before. We both know what it's like to carry what family we have on our shoulders."

For some reason I find myself jealous over the connection they have even if it's an awful connection. No one should have to feel alone.

I nod. "I'm sure."

I'm way past curfew at this point anyway. I pick up my phone and notice there's no text messages or phone calls waiting for me. Most likely, my parents crashed after their romantic interlude. They probably won't even notice I've been gone, but I shoot a quick text anyway like the dutiful daughter I am. Half the time, I'm pretty sure I'm the parent in our three-way family. Devin stares at the steering wheel before he turns his gaze on me and back toward the hospital. His eyes are soft when he studies Mia through the glass doors and that pang of jealousy hits again. When his eyes land on me again, I can see his reluctance to leave the car.