After a doctor’s visit, I dropped her off at home with my mom, so Penny could nap, and I came to get her medicine.
“Hey,” a cheery voice calls from behind me.
I turn and see Sutton smiling as she holds a basket with cotton balls, bandaids, and a few other things.
“Hey.” I nod curtly, not able to find my manners with the worry I have about getting this medicine to Penny as soon as possible so it can help bring her fever down.
“What’s wrong?” Sutton furrows her eyebrows, clearly noticing my tense mood.
“Nothing,” I wave it off. My problems aren’t hers.
“Are you sure?” She lifts her brows now.
“Yeah, Penny’s sick, and I need to pick up her medicine.”
“Hmmm… Yeah, that must be scary,” Sutton says on a nod.
“Yeah,” I sigh, running my hand through my hair and tugging at the roots.
“Be right back.” She smiles and walks to the front of the line. I lean to the side to see what she’s doing.
“Hi, ma’am. I hope you don’t mind, but would it be okay if my friend went next? His daughter is sick, and he’s worried about gettin’ her medicine to her quickly. It won’t take long, I promise. You should see him, I think he grew a few grays in the few minutes he’s been standing in this line,” Sutton leans in and whispers this last part, her southern drawl thick. I chuckle and shake my head.
“Of course, dear.” That’s when I notice Mrs. Engle, the owner of The Mad Batter, is next in line. I sigh in relief when Sutton waves me over.
“Thank you, Mrs. Engle. You have no idea how much I appreciate this. I’ll go by and order a dozen cupcakes as soon as Penny is feeling like herself again.” I thank the woman who smiles and pats my arm, looking between Sutton and me.
“You’re lucky to have such a great friend.” The way she accentuates the word friend leaves the meaning weighing between us as if Sutton and I were more than that.
“Thanks,” I nod and look at Sutton with a smile. “Appreciate it.”
“Don’t mention it. Hope Penny feels better.” Sutton walks away, leaving me with more wrinkles on my forehead and Mrs. Engle with a huge smile.
With a bag of medication, I walk out of the pharmacy. Thankfully, the pharmacy was able to get the order the doctor called in ready by the time I picked it up.
“Gavin,” Sutton calls out, speed walking toward me. “I know you’re in a hurry, but I got this for Penny. I hope she feels better.” A soft smile appears on her face, and her hazel green eyes peer up at me.
“Thanks, she’ll love that.” I smile genuinely and hold the small stuffed chick she hands me. The plush toy tickles my palm as I hold it.
“It’s what they had since everything is Easter related, but I hope she likes it.”
“I’m sure she will. Thanks again for helping me back there.”
“Anytime. You must feel helpless, so the least I could do is help.”
I nod and take a deep breath before saying goodbye and peeling out of the parking lot and speeding home to see my little girl.
“How is she doing?” I ask my mom as I burst into the house.
This is the hardest part of being a father. The fear that hits me when Penny is sick is indescribable. I never thought I’d react this way to a stomach bug, the flu, a fever, any kind of illness. I still remember the first time she got a fever. It was after her mom had left us, and I was drowning in her cries, burning skin, and my own tears. It was then that I decided to move back in with my parents.
“She’s sleeping now,” my mom whispers in the hallway by Penny’s room.
“Good. I got the medication. Should I wake her up so she can take it?” The words rush out of me.
“Let her sleep. I gave her a fever reducer, and I’ve been monitoring it.” My mom gives me a small smile, knowing that when Penny is sick, it’s not just the worry about her health but the reminder that I wasn’t supposed to do this alone.
I scrub a hand down my face and shake my head. Right now, I need to focus on my daughter, not the past. It’s been five years since Hadley left us, anyway. I should be over it by now.
“Thanks, Mom. I’m going to sit in her room and watch her.”
My mom squeezes my hand and leaves me alone in the hallway. Taking a deep breath, I quietly walk into Penny’s room and place the corner chair next to the bed. I watch her small body curled into a ball and wish I had the power in me to right all the wrongs in the world, starting with getting rid of illnesses.
I lean my head back against the chair and clutch the yellow chick, the bag with medicine on the floor next to me.
Flashes of my life with Hadley pass behind my eyelids. I’d known her since we were kids and loved her since I was a teen. She was my world—the only woman I could ever imagine spending my life with. Getting married, having children, chasing our dreams together as we danced around our home, and laughed like all was right in the world.
Until all the laughter faded and the music died. Until she disappeared, taking all her belongings with her, and never looking back. Until all that was left was a screaming baby and a crying man.
To this day, I can’t understand what happened. How having everything we always talked about suddenly became something she wanted nothing
