The Perfect Timing

Chapter Twenty

Maddie

It's been the longest three hours of my entire life. Never have I been more petrified than I have tonight. Izzy has never been sick like this before, and watching the doctors have to put an IV in her was pure and utter torture.

No child should have to be in a hospital bed. She's in a little crib with a bunch of cords attached to her, and after hours and hours of screaming she had finally gone to sleep. My eyes are so puffy from all of the crying. They sting, and every ounce of me wants to go to sleep, but I don't want to close my eyes for a second. What if she wakes up? What if she needs me?

Curling up into a ball in the hospital chair beside her bed, I close my eyes to the gentle beeping of the monitors, letting more tears escape onto my cheeks. My mom had left an hour ago, and now I feel more alone than ever.

Cameron hadn't even replied to my text messages about her. He might still be at the shoot, but he should keep his phone on in case something like this happens. He needs to be able to be reached.

I mean, I had said it wasn't a big deal when I shouldn't have. I had no idea what it would be like when we got here, and hearing her cry in agony for hours was awful. I am so mentally drained.

Almost like my prayers have been answered, I hear knocks on the door. It's not Cameron though, it's a nurse. "Excuse me," she says, "the father says he's here. Is it okay to send him back?"

Oh, thank god.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you!

"Yes." I eagerly nod and watch as she disappears, glancing over to the crib to make sure she's still sleeping. I'm still curled up into a ball when Cameron finally walks in. He pauses by the door, a hand going over his mouth when he sees her.

"What the fuck?" He chokes out. "I thought it was just a fever?"

I sniffle. "It is, but since she couldn't keep anything down they had to put an IV in her to give her fluids, and she has a heart monitor on just to make sure her breathing is okay since she's so stuffed up."

Cam lingers by the door before he finally looks at me, and I don't know what it is, but this expression is different. It's one I haven't seen in years.

"Maddie..." He trails off. "I'm so sorry that it took me so long to get here. I took the first flight back. Your mom told me she was here, and I should have called you to let you know I was coming, but I was just worried as hell, and-"

"I'm just so glad you're here." I cry, wiping desperately to get rid of the tears. "T-they had to stick her with the needle like four times before they finally got it. She was screaming in a way I'd never heard before. It was fucking traumatizing. I had to be the strong one for her though, you know? Even though it was breaking me inside I had to tell her that it was going to be okay, even if I had no damn clue that it would be."

Without having to ask, Cam picks me up from the chair and sits down in it himself, letting me curl up into his lap. I sob into his shirt, clutching onto it for dear life.

"You don't have to be strong anymore," he reassures me. "I'm here now, okay? I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere, baby."

The nickname sends me spiraling. I don't know if it's a mistake, or if it just slipped out. My stomach is already raw from the nerves, but the combination of that and the butterflies make me feel dizzy as hell.