The Wrong Brother

Chapter 18

IRIS

I could hear my parents talk in the front seat of the vehicle, but it was just noise, I couldn’t make sense of anything they were saying if I wanted to. My best friend was sitting next to me, her hand holding onto mine for dear life. Nothing in the last nine years had prepared me for this.

Today started off on such a perfect note. After watching a movie late into the night, Monty ended up accidentally staying the night. When we woke up in the early morning hours, we both agreed it was better for him not to be there with Nia woke up. Our relationship was moving much faster than I thought I would be ready for. I was nervous about a lot of things when it came to dating Monty, but he seemed to calm those fears a bit, even admitting that we both shared some similar worries.

I just felt happier when he was around or when we were texting and talking on the phone. I knew he’d get along with Nia, especially knowing he was athletic and she loved sports. Even though I was a cheerleader growing up, actually liking sports was not my thing. Nia was just four years old when she saw kids in the neighborhood playing soccer and wanted to join the fun. She didn’t end up liking soccer that much, but from there we found softball and then basketball. I was prepared for her to ask me nonstop for Monty to come over and play basketball. Something I’m sure he would have dropped everything for.

That didn’t happen today, though. Shortly after Monty left, Nia awoke complaining about a headache and overall not feeling well. Considering the uncomfortable position she was in on the couch all night, I chalked it up to that. I set her back to bed in her room, figuring a little bit of rest would do her well. Not even two hours later I went to check on her and she was burning up and I could barely wake her up. I screamed for Jade to call 911 as I did everything I could to get her conscious.

Once the ambulance arrived it was all a blur. I rode with her and Jade called my parents while she headed to the hospital herself. She was taken back immediately and I was forced to sit in the waiting room without a clue was was happening with my little girl. My parents and Jade may have been there, but I felt alone and feared for the worst. After what felt like hours, but was really only about thirty minutes, a doctor came to update us and take me back to the room she was in.

They had pushed fluids and tried to give her a fever reducer, but it had yet to start working. Nia was a bit more with it but was crying, complaining about her head hurting. The doctor started going over possible diagnoses and asking questions about her medical history and what she had been doing the last few days. I did my best to answer, but my attention was mostly on my daughter. They ran some tests and we did a lot of waiting.

Another doctor then came in and said they needed to transfer her to the children’s hospital, that she’d get more specialized care there. While we waited, I remembered that I was supposed to meet with Monty. My call to him to cancel was interrupted by the paramedics and doctor who were responsible for her move to the large hospital.

They didn’t let me ride along that time, but we left shortly after they did. We shouldn’t have been too far behind. My dad pulled into the emergency bay and I jumped out. They could deal with parking, I needed to get inside. The automatic doors swiftly opened and I quickly walked inside, looking for anybody who could give me answers.

“Iris!” His unexpected voice came from the row of waiting room chairs. Monty jumped to his feet and pulled me in for a hug. “Jade told me you’d be here. I came as fast as I could.”

“Did you ask about her?” I asked while clinging onto him for dear life.

“I’m not family, so they wouldn’t tell me much. The only thing they could suggest was waiting out here until you showed up.”