Since I've Been Loving You

Chapter 8

Danny has been home for a few weeks now. The two of you began to settle into a routine, which included him babysitting Y/D/N whenever possible. Danny was the one to propose the idea, and you immediately objected. You didn't want him to be tied down with a baby if he didn't have to be. But Danny insisted, and he even said he would do it for free. Again, you objected. If he was going to watch Y/D/N five days a week, you at least wanted to pay him. After much back and forth, you finally gave in.

On the days where you had work Danny would spend the night at your place. He said it would be easier than packing up all of your daughters' stuff and hauling it over to his house. You had to admit it was nice to have someone else help out with Y/D/N in the morning. It saved you from rushing into work late every day.

Work was usually slow, and Danny would take that opportunity to call you and send pictures of him and your daughter. So, you didn't think anything of it when your phone rang in the middle of your shift one day. You smiled as you saw Danny's name and you answered the call.

"Hey, Danny. I actually can't talk today. The owner is here and - "you didn't even get to finish your sentence before you were cut off by a frantic Danny.

"Y/N, listen. I'm taking Y/D/N to the emergency room. I need you to meet me there." The minute you heard those words, your heart fell into your stomach. Your daughter had been sick for a few days now, and you were giving her over the counter medicine. You told yourself if she wasn't better by tomorrow morning that you would call her doctor, but you figured she must have gotten worse during the day.

"I know. That's where we're going. To meet mommy." You could hear Danny try and comfort your daughter as he drove. "She keeps asking for you, Y/N."

"I'm leaving now. I'll be there in fifteen minutes. I'll meet you in the waiting room." You explained and hung up.

"Ronnie." You yelled over to the owner of the small record store. He picked his head up and looked in your direction. "I have to go. Y/D/N is sick. Danny's on his way to the Emergency room with her right now." You threw your purse over your shoulder as you spoke.

"Go," Ronnie answered. "I got everything covered here. I hope she's okay, Y/N."

You couldn't get yourself to move fast enough. You barely yelled out a goodbye to Ronnie as you raced out the door and across the parking lot to your car. The normally fast drive to the hospital ended up being slow and full of traffic. You mentally cursed the fact that summer vacation had started for all the local schools.

Eventually, you pulled into the parking lot, not even caring if you were between the lines in your parking spot. Your eyes scanned the waiting room as you entered and panic set in when you noticed Danny and your daughter were nowhere to be found. In an attempt to get some answers, you walked over to the front desk.

"Hi, I'm Y/F/N Y/L/N. I'm looking for my daughter, Y/D/N. She was brought in about a half-hour ago by my boyfriend, Daniel Wagner." You could feel your heart beating out of your chest as the receptionist slowly typed away at her computer.

"Ah, yes, Mrs. Y/L/N, your daughter was called back 10 minutes ago. I'll have a nurse escort you back to her room." The woman explained.

You nodded your head in response and made your way over to the doors. There you were greeted by a nurse who guided you down the hallway.

"Here we are. Another nurse will be in shortly to evaluate her." The nurse spoke before making her way back down the same hallway.

You entered the room to see Danny sitting on the white hospital bed, holding your daughter. She was still in the same pair of pajamas from this morning, but she didn't look the same. She looked paler and more tired. She barely even registered that you walked into the room. You sat on the bed across from Danny and took your daughter's hand in your own.