Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47569 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47569 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
I turn to Thabo. “Do you have a spare pacifier?”
“Of course.” He turns toward the cabinets and a moment later holds up a sparkly pink paci. It’s perfect for Ava.
“Thank you.” I lean over my Little girl and hold it to her lips. “Here, Baby girl.”
She opens her mouth and lets me slip it in. Immediately she suckles, and her heart rate slows. I can feel her pulse in her wrist.
I stroke her cheek. “Look at me, Little one.”
She turns her head toward me.
“Does it hurt?”
She shakes her head.
That’s good. “The doctor is going to fix it. I promise.” I have no idea why I’m making such a promise. I’m still doubtful. Can he fix her? Will she mend?
I know intellectually she will. I’ve studied human females. They do break bones more often than Eleadians, but they almost always heal.
I can’t stand to see her hurting, and I hate the tears running down her face. It’s my fault. I should have been watching her.
“I’m going to realign the bones,” Chadka says. “It would be best if you don’t look and keep her gaze your direction also.
Realign the bones? I might puke. Since when am I squeamish?
I cup Ava’s face and hold her head toward me, staring into her eyes. I need to be strong for her. “It’s going to be okay, Baby girl. Keep your eyes on Papi.”
I’m aware of Chadka jerking her arm hard, and then it’s over. She felt nothing. I numbed her well. At least I did one thing right. When I look again, her arm looks far better than it did when I brought her in. Her hand is in the right place.
Chadka is holding a wand over the injury. “This is just taking pictures of the bone, Ava. Have you ever had an X-ray before?”
She nods.
“This is like a portable X-ray machine only far more advanced. I can see every single nuance. If there’s even a tiny shard of bone, I’ll see it.”
She sucks her pacifier harder.
Chadka smiles. “It looks perfect. It’s all realigned now. I’m going to put a cast on it to hold it in place. It will heal quickly.”
She frowns.
Chadka pats her arm and meets her gaze. “I know it takes about six weeks to heal on Earth, but humans on Earth don’t have the special Papi serum we have on Eleadia. Your Papi can inject you every few hours. It will keep the arm from hurting, lessen the swelling and inflammation, and speed up the healing process.”
I’m as surprised as Ava. “It will really be okay?”
“Definitely. Inject her with your quill every four hours for the first day, then spread it out to six hours the second day and eight hours the third day. Her recovery will be faster if she sleeps a lot. Encourage her to take her bottles, but don’t worry if she can’t finish them for a few days. Rest is the best thing. If she’s experiencing pain in three days bring her back. Otherwise she’ll be fine.” He pats her shoulder and gives her a semi-stern look. “No more climbing out of your crib, Little one. You shaved some years off your Papi’s life,” he teases.
Her eyes are wide as she nods.
It doesn’t seem like we were at the clinic very long before I’m carefully carrying my Little girl back home. I’m moving gingerly and much slower this time, trying not to jostle her too much. She’s mostly asleep, though she does suckle the pacifier non-stop.
I can’t catch my breath. I’m still shaking with nerves. It’s hard not to feel responsible for what happened.
I vow to myself to be more diligent and keep a closer eye on her from now on. She’s mine to protect. I won’t fail her again.
Chapter Fourteen
Four days later…
Ava
I’m groggy when I wake up and look around. I’m in my bouncy seat in the middle of the great room, which is where I’ve found myself often for the last several days. I’m strapped in tight. There’s no chance of me unfastening the buckles because I only have one hand. My left arm is in a cast that reaches all the way to my fingers.
Papi is sitting at the kitchen table. His computer is open in front of him, but I don’t think he’s working. I don’t think he has worked much since I got hurt. All he does is pace and watch me and look a bit green.
I pull my pacifier out with one hand as I stare at him. He feels responsible for my fall, which is crazy. It was my fault. I broke the rules, and I got hurt.
For the first time in days, I feel more myself. Papi didn’t inject my arm this morning because the doctor told him to stop so we would know if my arm hurts without the pain-killing effects of his serum.