Chapter 122 Investing in the Kindergarten
Mrs. Morris knew deep down that this gentleman's concern for Leo was no coincidence, so she didn't dare to ask too many questions.
Holding Leo, Luca got into the car. He carefully placed Leo in the passenger seat, fastened the child's safety belt, and then pulled out a fruit candy from the glove compartment.
This was something he had specially prepared for Leo, always kept in the car, waiting for the occasional moment he could see the child.
He slowly unwrapped the candy and brought it to Leo's mouth, coaxing softly, "Have a candy. It's sweet, and once you eat it, the pain will go away."
Leo opened his mouth and took the candy. The sweet, fruity flavor melted on his tongue, easing the pain on his forehead and washing away the hurt in his heart. Though he still sniffled occasionally, his small hand clung tightly to the corner of Luca's shirt as he asked in a quiet voice, "Uncle LO, why isn't Mommy answering the phone?"
"Your mommy is probably busy with work and didn't hear the phone ring. Once she's done and sees the missed calls, she'll call you right away."
Luca raised his hand and gently stroked Leo's soft hair, his tone patient and warm. As his fingertips brushed over the child's head, his heart was filled with tenderness and guilt.
Over the past five years, Olivia must have faced so many hardships raising the child on her own. He swore to himself that he would make it up to both mother and son in the future.
The car drove steadily to a nearby hospital. Luca carried Leo straight into the emergency room, and a nurse, seeing the bump on the child's forehead, quickly called for a doctor.
The doctor crouched down to check him gently and said with a smile, "It's fine, just a minor skin injury. There's a bit of swelling, but apply some cream to reduce it, keep an eye on him at home for a couple of days, and make sure he doesn't scratch it."
With that, the doctor took out the cream and a cotton swab. As soon as Leo saw the swab coming toward his forehead, he instinctively shrank back into Luca's arms, a little scared.
Luca held his small body steady, leaned down, and softly blew on the area near the wound, comforting him gently, "Don't be afraid, the doctor will be gentle. I'll blow on it for you, it won't hurt at all."
The warm breath brushed over Leo's forehead, carrying a faint, fresh scent.
Sure enough, Leo wasn't scared anymore. He leaned obediently against Luca, letting the doctor treat the wound. His little brows were furrowed, but he didn't cry out even once. His sensible behavior made Luca's heart ache even more.
After applying the cream, the doctor gave a few detailed instructions, which Luca listened to carefully, nodding repeatedly in agreement. Then he went to the convenience store downstairs in the hospital and picked out some sugar-free biscuits and warm milk that Leo liked, choosing everything according to the child's taste.
He sat with Leo on a bench in the hospital's rest area, handing the snacks to him with a gentle tone, "Eat something, are you hungry?"
Leo was indeed hungry. After crying for so long, his stomach had been growling. He reached out his small hand, took a pack of biscuits, and ate them bit by bit. The sadness on his face slowly faded. After a few bites, he even broke off a piece and offered it to Luca, his big eyes sparkling, "Uncle Luca, you eat too."
Luca took a bite. It was just an ordinary milk biscuit, but it felt incredibly sweet to him. Watching the child eat, a soft smile curved on his lips, and the fondness in his eyes was impossible to hide.
He took out his phone and quietly snapped a photo of Leo. In the picture, the child's bright blue eyes shone like stars, with a tiny crumb of biscuit on the corner of his mouth—adorable and cuddly. Luca set the photo as his phone wallpaper right away.
After eating half a box of biscuits and drinking a carton of warm milk, Leo leaned against Luca, letting out a small yawn. His little hands clung to Luca's arm as he murmured, "Uncle Luca, I'm a bit sleepy."
Luca patted his back gently and said softly, "Sleep, I'll hold you. When your mommy comes, I'll wake you up."
Leo nodded, buried his little head in Luca's chest, and soon closed his eyes. His breathing became even, a faint smile on his face as he slept peacefully.
Luca held the little guy in his arms, sitting on the bench without daring to move, afraid of waking him. Only after making sure he was taken care of did Luca feel okay to leave.
Meanwhile, Olivia was swamped with work at her studio.
Her computer screen was filled with design drafts. The client was pushing hard, demanding the revised plan by the end of the day. She had been working nonstop for hours, her phone on silent, completely unaware of the missed calls piling up.
"Let's tweak the color here a bit, it'll feel more family-friendly," Olivia muttered to herself, her fingers flying across the keyboard.
The only sound in the studio was the tapping of keys. She was so absorbed in her work that she didn't even notice the sky darkening outside.
It wasn't until past four in the afternoon that she finally finished revising the plan and sent it to the client. Only then did she let out a long sigh of relief.
She stretched, picked up her phone to check the time, and froze when she saw the screen full of missed calls from the kindergarten and Mrs. Morris.
Her heart sank, a bad feeling washing over her.
She quickly called Mrs. Morris back, and as soon as the call connected, she asked urgently, "Mrs. Morris, did something happen to Leo?"
"Ms. Ross, you finally called back," Mrs. Morris said with a hint of relief. "Leo fell during a physical activity class this morning and bumped his forehead. It's swollen, but he's okay now. He's been taken to the hospital and the wound has been treated."
"He fell? Is it serious? How is he now?" Olivia's voice trembled with fear as she grabbed her bag and rushed out.
"It's not serious, just a minor injury. He's had cream applied, and the doctor said it's nothing to worry about," Mrs. Morris hurried to reassure her. "Don't panic, the child is at the hospital now. Just head over there, I'll send you the address."
After hanging up, Olivia's hands shook as she opened the address Mrs. Morris sent. Her heart was filled with anxiety and guilt.
It was all her fault for being so focused on work and putting her phone on silent. She missed the calls and let her child suffer.
She sped all the way, silently praying that Leo was okay, wishing she could fly to the hospital instantly.
A dozen minutes later, Olivia arrived at the hospital. Following Mrs. Morris's directions, she quickly found the bench outside the emergency room.
From a distance, she saw Leo sitting there, holding a pack of biscuits and eating happily. There was a piece of gauze on his forehead, but he seemed to be in good spirits.
The weight on Olivia's heart finally lifted. She hurried over and crouched in front of him, "Baby, how are you? Does it still hurt?"
Seeing his mommy, Leo's eyes lit up. He dropped the biscuits and threw himself into her arms, "Mommy! You're finally here!"
"I'm sorry, baby, Mommy was late." Olivia hugged him tightly, her voice choking with emotion as she gently touched his forehead. "Does it still hurt?"
"Not hurt anymore. The doctor put cream on it, and a kind guy blew on it for me," Leo nestled in her arms, his tone light.
Olivia paused, quickly asking, "A nice guy? Which guy?"
"Just a really kind one," Leo blinked his big eyes, thinking hard for a moment. "He's very tall, speaks gently, and bought me snacks. He even had me call him uncle."
He remembered their agreement, so he deliberately didn't tell the whole truth.