CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
(part six)

Tuesday afternoon — 1:40 P.M.

“Aden! There you are,” Sandy said. Sandy leaned back against the couch in her living room. Tanesha and Heather looked up. “I’ve been calling all over for you.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Aden said. “I’m used to you working all the time. I forgot to check in.”

“Did you pick out a dog?”

“Yeah,” Aden said. “Sandy, I’m at Children’s.”

“What? What happened?” Sandy said.

Her raised voice brought Jill in from the kitchen.

“Aden’s at the hospital,” Sandy said to the women.

“Nuala hit Noelle in the face,” Aden said.

“Oh my God,” Sandy said.

“That’s not the worst of it. She cracked Noelle’s cheek bone and gave her a concussion. They put Noelle out and want to keep her overnight. I’ve been here with Nash. Noelle’s in pretty bad shape. They’ve scheduled every test known to mankind. She’ll be here at least overnight and maybe a couple days depending on the test results. There’s a chance her eye is injured.”

Aden’s voice cracked. He blew out a breath.

“What can I do? Shall I come there?” Sandy asked.

“Please come. We haven’t eaten and…. I know Noelle will love to see you when she wakes.”

“Gosh, Aden, of course, I’ll be right there.”

“Oh thank God,” he said. “I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier. I didn’t know really what to say. I never should have taken them this morning. It’s all my fault.”

“Don’t be silly,” Sandy said. “How would you know? It will take me twenty minutes to get there.”

“I didn’t even think of that,” Aden said. “I was so desperate for you to come I didn’t think you wouldn’t have a car.”

“Jill’s here,” Sandy said. “I’m sure she’ll either take me or I can take her car.”

“Jill’s there? Why is Jill there? I thought she had school.”

“Just a girl’s lunch,” Sandy kept her voice breezy. “See you in a few.”

“Ok. Thanks. Love you, Sandy.”

“Love you too.”

Sandy hung up her phone.

“The ex hit Noelle and cracked her cheekbone. They think she might have injured her eye.”

“Oh my God,” Jill exclaimed as the women gasped.

“He wants me to come there. How do I look?” Sandy asked. “You think he’ll know?”

“That you’ve been crying all afternoon? Yes, I think he’ll know,” Jill said.

“No, he won’t,” Heather came in from the kitchen. “I’ll drive. You can put some teabags on your eyes. We’ll do a quick make-up before we go into Emergency. He’ll never know.”

“But you’re going to tell him, right?” Jill asked.

“He’s got all this going on. I can tell him later,” Sandy shook her head.

“You tell him when you’re good and ready.” Tanesha hugged Sandy.

Sandy nodded. She’d tell him when she was good and ready. She just wasn’t sure when that would be.

Denver Cereal continues on Monday….