A Soldier's Girl

Chapter 70: Detonation

Chapter 70: Detonation

Daryl's View

So I apologized to Espen over and over again and she just keeps saying, 'You need to rethink this' and walks away. For two weeks this has been our conversations and it to the point I don't even know what it means. What does she want from me? It was our first time having se and I slip up and now she won't talk to me about it? To get passed it? Obviously not. What's even worse is I feel Beth found someone new too. Whenever she drops Jackson off, she's slightly giddy and back to dressing like she has a life. What is up with her? Better yet, who's up in her? The thought drives me mad and it irritates me. Not only will Espen not touch me, but, now Beth may have someone? Call me an asshole, but those bitches.

Espen went grocery shopping today, something she still does for the both of us, and I have Jackson. He's moving fast lately and sometimes I don't even have time to turn around before he's missing. Setting him down to answer the phone, I pick up and it's Joe.

"Hey, Daryl...."

"Joe, what's going on?"

"I was wondering if...."

*The sound of thunder cracks close by.

"What was that?" He asks and as I turn, I notice the basement door open and I hear screaming.

"FUCK! I'll call you back!" Throwing my phone on the counter, I race down stairs and Jackson is laying on the wood floor crying his eyes out. Face red and blood coming from somewhere, I panic. "Jackson, hey buddy...hey, it's okay. Look at me..."

Getting his attention briefly, I notice, he's cracked his head open. Kill me God! Just kill me! I scream internally as I go to grab my phone an realize, again dumb fucking me, it's on the counter. Taking my white shirt off, I gently wrap it around his head to stop the bleeding. I know I shouldn't, but I have to pick him up and take him to the hospital. I grab my phone on the way and call Espen.

"Hello?"

"Espen! I'm heading to the hospital!"

"What! Why?"

"Jackson fell down the basement steps and his heads bleeding! I'm a fucking idiot!"

"Shut up! Call Beth! I'll meet you at...what hospital?"

"Grady." I say fastly as I pull into parking lot of the ER.

"I'll see you there!" He hangs up and I race Jackson inside. I try calling Beth after they take us back there and the nurses start checking him over. Beth isn't picking up and it's pissing me off. Who the hell is she fucking so hard, that she can't pick up the phone?

"The doctor will be in shortly."

"Thank you." I say to the nurse an look at Jackson, who's cheeks are still red and eyes are still teary as he keeps the sucker in he holds onto my thumb. "Hey buddy...I'm so sorry. I should've shut the door. I'm so sorry and stupid."

The door opens up and it's a tall with copper hair and stormy gray eyes.

"I'm Dr. John Kess. What seems to be..." He pauses as he notices Jackson and Jackson seems to recognize him too. "Jack? Buddy, what happened?"

His voice grows soft and gently like mine does often when I talk to Jackson or when I used to talk to Beth's stomach.

"I'm sorry, how do you know my son?"

"I know his mother. Beth." He stands up straight and starts looking my hold over. "What happened?"

"He fell down my basement steps. I forgot to shut the door before I set him down and I turns away for two minutes and he fell down them. Is he going to be okay?"

"Well, you stopped the bleeding at the right time. He seems to be doing okay, but I'll probably have to put some stitches in and put him on an IV." Looking down at my hands, I feel like a terrible father. "Hey, this could've happened to any one. Babies take hard spills all the time."

"I just feel like I'm the worst father ever."

"Hey, my father hit me with his car when I was three, I broke my arm and my leg. Fortunately, he was a doctor, so he set them, but ya know, still hit me." Now I get it. He's gay. Has to be. Well that makes me feel better. "I'm gonna go get the medical thread an a few nurses to hold him down. I'll be right back."

After he leaves, I sigh and look over Jackson, who seems a bit better looking in skin complexion. When the door opens again, Beth and Espen come in. Both slightly irritate with me and yet both very calm.

"What happened?" Beth demands softly as she runs her hand over Jackson's forehead.

"I forgot to shut the basement door. Beth, I'm sorry. I know I'm an idiot." She glares at me and then stops. When her gaze meets Espen's it's faltered a bit. As if Beth knows something eerie.

"Things happen. I'm just glad he's okay. He is okay, right?"

"Yes, the doctor is going to stitch him up when he gets back." Looking at Espen, she smiles softly at me and then nods her head towards Beth. "Beth, I was thin...."

"Got the thread and nurses...." John stops and his eyes go wide. When I think he's looking at Beth or I, I sort of smirk. "Espen..."

"John..."