Charlie stared hungrily down at the raviolis and garlic bread on his plate. Elizabeth laughed, “You can eat.”
“No. A gentleman does not eat until the lady has received her food.” He waited for her to fix her own plate.
“Oh, well in that case, I’ll hurry up.”
She sat down next to him. As soon as her plate hit the table, he started munching on his dinner. “Mmmm! Dad is an awesome cook. Way better than mom.” He paused, guiltily, “Don’t tell mom I said that.”
Elizabeth mimed zipping her lips and throwing away the key. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“When will Dad be back?”
“I’m not sure. He said he would try to be back before we finish eating.” Thunder rumbled outside. Elizabeth’s eyes widened in fear.
Not noticing her discomfort, Charlie began to eat as quickly as he could. With a mouth full of food, he managed to say, “Hurry! The faster we eat, the faster he will be back!”
“I don’t think it works like that.” It was a sweet thought, but it wouldn’t make Derrick come back any quicker.
Suddenly, the little boy doubled over in pain clutching his side. “Ow!”
“Charlie?! What’s wrong?” Elizabeth stood up and rushed over to him. Panic contorted her face.
“My side hurts!” He looked up at her with big eyes. The pain on his little face made her heart break. “Make it stop.”
“Maybe it’s just gas.” She fumbled around her purse for her phone to call Derrick. Outside, lightening flashed. It was closer now.
“Owww!” He groaned and sank to the floor.
“It’ll be okay.” She pulled out her phone. It was dead. Charlie was crying now. His sobs were quiet and uncontrollable. He wasn’t doing it for show. The little boy in front of her was in agony. She couldn’t call anyone. She had to get him to the hospital. “Can you walk?” He wordlessly shook his head no and clutched his side again as another wave of pain took hold of him. “Alright, here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to pick you up and take you next door to my car. I’ll take you to the hospital. Everything will be okay.”
Elizabeth scooped him up from the floor and carried him to the door. Outside, the sky was turning green, and the wind howled at her. Thunder pounded the air. She fought the wave of terror that tried to force her back inside. Charlie needed her. She had to do this.
Charging across the lawn, she cradled him against her. Rain beat against her arms and shoulders like tiny, angry fists. She gently put him in the backseat and buckled him up. Her fingers fumbled her car charger into the port on her phone as she used the windshield wipers to flick off another notice from the HOA about her car. Focusing only on the child in the seat behind her, she was able to set aside her own fears momentarily. Her eyes fixed on the road as she took off into the storm.
Elizabeth parked under the awning by the emergency room and ran to the back door to get Charlie out. He was still clutching his side. “You’re doing great, Charlie. Just hang on.” She carried him inside to the nurses’ desk. An orderly ran over to them and brought out a wheelchair.
“What’s going on?” The receptionist looked at the child in alarm.
“We were eating dinner, and he started clutching his side.”
“How long has the pain been going on?”
“About ten minutes. I got here as fast as I could.”
“Are you his mother? Is he allergic to anything?”
“I’m just babysitting. I don’t know if he’s allergic to anything.” She was starting to panic more. She clutched her barely charged phone as she tried to call Derrick. He didn’t answer. “I’m trying to call his dad.”
“Okay. We’ll take him back to have a doctor look over him. You keep trying to reach his father.”
Elizabeth nodded and hit redial. No answer. “Derrick, I had to bring Charlie to the hospital. He’s in a lot of pain. Please, please get here as soon as you can. I have no idea what he’s allergic to or anything else.” She tried to call him five more times. No answer. She paced back and forth.
A doctor came out from behind two double doors, “Are you the lady who brought in Charlie Page?”
“Yes.”
“We had to take him into emergency surgery. His appendix is highly enflamed. Have you reached his parents yet?”
Elizabeth shook her head no, “There’s no answer. I called and left a voicemail. I’ll keep trying.”
The doctor nodded. “Let the nurses know when one of the parents get here so we can get some forms filled out.”
“Okay,” she choked back a sob, “is he going to be okay?”