Chapter 20 20

Chapter 20 20
Vanessa’s POV

I ran out of the car, my heart beating so fast I thought it might stop.
“Thanks for the drive,” I managed to say quickly to Elliot before rushing toward the hospital entrance.
I didn’t wait to see if he replied amd just kept going inside. My mind was filled with one thought only Emily. Was she okay? Was she in pain? Was it serious?
Just as I reached the sliding doors of the hospital, I heard footsteps behind me. Elliot was following me.
“Where are you going?” I asked, “What about the inspection?”
He reached out and gently held my hand, trying to calm me down. “Calm down Emily is fine and the inspection can wait.”
I snatched my hand away like his touch burned me. “Stay away from me,” I snapped, my voice shaking. “You don’t get to tell me if she’s okay or not.”
He looked at me, surprised by my outburst. His eyebrows lifted, and he stepped back a little. I turned away quickly, trying to breathe and not cry. This was not the time for emotions, Emily needed me.
I walked inside, and of course, he followed. “You should go for the inspection,” I muttered without turning to him.
“No,” he said simply. “I should be here with you and make sure she’s okay.”
At the front desk, a nurse looked up at me with a warm smile. “Hello, how may I help you?”
“I’m looking for my daughter,” I said breathlessly. “Her name is Emily Adam’s. She was brought in after an injury on the playground.”
“Oh, yes,” the nurse nodded. “She’s in Room 107 a  teacher is with her. The doctor already stitched the cut on her hand, she is doing fine now.”
Relief flooded me, and my knees almost buckled.
“Thank you,” I whispered and hurried down the hall, my shoes clicking against the floor.
I get to the room and pushed the door gently, afraid of what I’d see.
Lying on the hospital bed with a small bandage wrapped around her left hand, her big brown eyes looking around curiously. Her teacher sat beside her, holding her tiny fingers gently.
“Mommy!” Emily said the moment she saw me.
I ran to her and dropped to my knees, hugging her tightly. Tears poured out of my eyes before I could stop them. I kissed her cheeks, her forehead, her little fingers.
“I was so scared,” I whispered. “I thought… I thought I lost you.”
She hugged me back. “I’m okay, Mommy.”
“She was very brave,” her teacher said kindly. “She only cried a little. The cut needed some stitches, but we took care of it before we called you. I stayed with her until you arrived.”
“ Thank you so much,” I said, wiping my tears and holding Emily even tighter. “I’ll take it from here.”
“I’ll get going” tge teacher said standing up.  Just then, Elliot stepped into the room.
Emily looked up and smiled. “Mr. Hayes!”
He smiled right back and walked to the bed. “Hey, superstar, how are you feeling?”
“I’m fine now,” she said proudly. “I didn’t even cry when the doctor stitched my hand.”
“You’re tougher than me,” Elliot said, gently hugging her. “I’d probably cry like a baby.”
She giggled. “Really?”
“Absolutely,” he said, tickling her sides just a little to make her laugh more.
I stood back, watching the two of them. The way he looked at her and the way she smiled at him. It was too much for me and I didn’t want it. 
He doesn’t know she’s his daughter and I’ll never let him know. It scared me to death that he might find out. I looked away for a moment, needing space to breathe. I couldn’t let myself get emotional again.
Elliot suddenly left the room and I wondered where he wondered off to. A nurse came in and I asked if she saw a 6 foot 5 man. 
“He went to the front desk to handle your bill,” she said. My eyes widened and I rushed out to find him.
He was at the counter, signing some papers.
“Elliot,” I said, walking up to him, “you didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to,” he said simply, not looking up. “It’s nothing.”
“No, I mean it,” I said firmly. “You don’t have to pay, I can take care of my daughter.”
“I know you can,” he said finally looking at me. “But I still wanted to help don’t worry about it.”
I hated it, I hated him acting like he cared but I didn’t want to overreact again I was so tired. 
After we got the discharge papers, we walked back to the room to pick up Emily.
“Ready to go home, little one?” Elliot asked her.
“Yes!” she said cheerfully. “I’m so hungry.”
Elliot looked at me. “Let me drive you both home.”
I wanted to say no, I  really did but I was too tired to argue and the day had taken too much from me already.
“Fine,” I sighed. “Thank you.”
We walked out of the hospital and Elliot held the door open for us. 
The drive was quiet for a while and Emily started talking.
“I was swinging really high,” she said, telling her story, “and then I thought I could jump off like a superhero.” “Oh no,” Elliot said with a smile.
“I landed on my hand and it hurt so much,” she said, holding up her little bandaged wrist.
“Well, superheroes don’t always get it right the first time,” he said. “Next time, maybe try flying with a cape.”
She laughed. “Do you have a cape, Mr. Hayes?”
“I might,” he said, winking. “But it’s a secret.”
I watched them from the corner of my eye. The way he joked with her and she laughed at everything he said. 
I placed my hand on my lap and squeezed my fingers tightly.
She’s his daughter, she had his hair and smile. 
“Mommy,” Emily said from the back seat. “Mr. Hayes is funny, he makes me laugh.”
“Yeah,” I said softly, glancing at Elliot. “He does.”
He smiled, but didn’t say anything. When we got to our apartment, he parked the car and turned to me.
“Can I come in?” he asked, I paused.
I didn’t want him too close or inside my space not after the long, emotional day I’d had but I also couldn’t forget how much he had helped today. Saying no would feel... ungrateful.
Still, I was skeptical; I shifted on my feet and looked at him with narrowed eyes.
“I just want a glass of water,” he added quickly. “Or would you say no to offering someone water?”
“Fine,” I muttered. “You can come in.”
He smiled and stepped inside as I pushed the door open wider.
He followed behind as we entered the elevator. It was quiet inside, I didn’t speak, and neither did he. When we got to the apartment, I unlocked the door and let him step inside.
“Make yourself comfortable,” I said, already heading toward the kitchen. “I’ll get your water.”
“Thank you,” he said, looking around slowly.
I poured a glass of water from the dispenser and took a deep breath. My heart was still uneasy when I walked back to the living room, he was standing by the shelf near the TV, looking at something.
I stopped for a second when I saw what it was. He was staring at a framed picture of me and Emily.