Started rolling over giggling while I was about to draw blood. Gave me quite a start.”
“Yes, well, I suppose I was happy about something.”
“Nice to see you’re in good spirits for once. Now hold still so I can finish up here.”
She jammed the needle into Rayne’s arm, and he watched it fill with dark red liquid, wincing in pain.
“Care to tell me what you were dreaming about?” she asked.
“Sorry,” Rayne said with a sheepish shrug. “I’m afraid I’ve forgotten.”
Chapter 3
School bells rang through the streets late on a Thursday afternoon. Levi, book bag slung over his shoulder, walked down the cobblestone pathway to the front gates. David stood there, leaning against the stone column of the gate, wearing an un-tucked shirt and slacks under a brown coat. Levi ran to him, smiling.
“All ready to go home then?” David asked him.
Levi nodded without a word, and the older man took him by the hand. Unlike Rayne, David owned a car, negating the need for a bus. It was a beat up, old, green thing, but still reliable, as David took good care of it. Levi tossed his bag into the back seat and climbed into the passenger side while David started the car up. It was still cold out, but the snow on the streets had melted enough for a safe drive.
After they’d driven a few blocks, David took a sudden right turn, and Levi looked concerned.
“Aren’t we going to see Daddy?”
“Not going to the hospital right now. I’m to bring you straight home.”
“But-but I’ve been looking forward to it all day! You promised me that we’d see Daddy every day until he got better!”
“I know I did. And I assure you, a promise is a promise. But today, we’re going home first. You’ll see your father soon, all right? I promise.”
“You’re lying! I want to see Daddy!”
“I’m not lying, really! God’s honest truth, you are going to see your father today.”
Levi kicked the dashboard in front of him, a scowl on his small face.
They pulled up to the building, where David parked the car right in front. Levi hopped out of his side and walked around the front to the sidewalk, and stormed inside without waiting. David locked up and dashed after him.
“Levi, wait!” he yelled, running up the stairs after the hastened footsteps. He reached to top to find Levi with arms crossed outside the flat, glaring at him.
“It’s locked,” he grumbled.
“Levi, I can explain why we had to come home first,” David stammered, fumbling for his keys.
“I don’t care. You’re just going to lie again!”
The key was already in the lock before Levi even finished speaking, and David pushed the door open to let the child run inside, not willing to argue.
“If you’re hungry, I bought a few candy bars at the shop,” he said. “They’re in the cupboard.”
“David, what have I told you about feeding him junk food?”
Levi turned when he heard his father’s voice, and Rayne appeared from around the corner. He was wheelchair-bound, his left arm cradled by a sling, chest still wrapped in bandages, and he looked tired, but otherwise cheerful.
“I see David brought you right home from school. Good thing too; if you’d stopped by the hospital, I wouldn’t have been there.”
“Daddy!” Levi exclaimed, running up and hugging his father.
“Careful now,” David cautioned him. “Can’t have you breaking him now, can we?”
Rayne pushed the wheels of his chair forward. He hadn’t quite gotten the hang of it, but he was better than this morning, when he’d only been able to roll around in circles. David had installed a one-arm drive onto the chair, so he could propel it with a single hand while his other one remained in a cast.
“That looks fun,” Levi said “Can I ride in your chair some time?”
“Not while I’m using it, you can’t.”
“What about while you’re sleeping?”
Levi’s question was innocent, but Rayne stopped short in his tracks.
“If it’s night time,” he
“Yes, well, I suppose I was happy about something.”
“Nice to see you’re in good spirits for once. Now hold still so I can finish up here.”
She jammed the needle into Rayne’s arm, and he watched it fill with dark red liquid, wincing in pain.
“Care to tell me what you were dreaming about?” she asked.
“Sorry,” Rayne said with a sheepish shrug. “I’m afraid I’ve forgotten.”
Chapter 3
School bells rang through the streets late on a Thursday afternoon. Levi, book bag slung over his shoulder, walked down the cobblestone pathway to the front gates. David stood there, leaning against the stone column of the gate, wearing an un-tucked shirt and slacks under a brown coat. Levi ran to him, smiling.
“All ready to go home then?” David asked him.
Levi nodded without a word, and the older man took him by the hand. Unlike Rayne, David owned a car, negating the need for a bus. It was a beat up, old, green thing, but still reliable, as David took good care of it. Levi tossed his bag into the back seat and climbed into the passenger side while David started the car up. It was still cold out, but the snow on the streets had melted enough for a safe drive.
After they’d driven a few blocks, David took a sudden right turn, and Levi looked concerned.
“Aren’t we going to see Daddy?”
“Not going to the hospital right now. I’m to bring you straight home.”
“But-but I’ve been looking forward to it all day! You promised me that we’d see Daddy every day until he got better!”
“I know I did. And I assure you, a promise is a promise. But today, we’re going home first. You’ll see your father soon, all right? I promise.”
“You’re lying! I want to see Daddy!”
“I’m not lying, really! God’s honest truth, you are going to see your father today.”
Levi kicked the dashboard in front of him, a scowl on his small face.
They pulled up to the building, where David parked the car right in front. Levi hopped out of his side and walked around the front to the sidewalk, and stormed inside without waiting. David locked up and dashed after him.
“Levi, wait!” he yelled, running up the stairs after the hastened footsteps. He reached to top to find Levi with arms crossed outside the flat, glaring at him.
“It’s locked,” he grumbled.
“Levi, I can explain why we had to come home first,” David stammered, fumbling for his keys.
“I don’t care. You’re just going to lie again!”
The key was already in the lock before Levi even finished speaking, and David pushed the door open to let the child run inside, not willing to argue.
“If you’re hungry, I bought a few candy bars at the shop,” he said. “They’re in the cupboard.”
“David, what have I told you about feeding him junk food?”
Levi turned when he heard his father’s voice, and Rayne appeared from around the corner. He was wheelchair-bound, his left arm cradled by a sling, chest still wrapped in bandages, and he looked tired, but otherwise cheerful.
“I see David brought you right home from school. Good thing too; if you’d stopped by the hospital, I wouldn’t have been there.”
“Daddy!” Levi exclaimed, running up and hugging his father.
“Careful now,” David cautioned him. “Can’t have you breaking him now, can we?”
Rayne pushed the wheels of his chair forward. He hadn’t quite gotten the hang of it, but he was better than this morning, when he’d only been able to roll around in circles. David had installed a one-arm drive onto the chair, so he could propel it with a single hand while his other one remained in a cast.
“That looks fun,” Levi said “Can I ride in your chair some time?”
“Not while I’m using it, you can’t.”
“What about while you’re sleeping?”
Levi’s question was innocent, but Rayne stopped short in his tracks.
“If it’s night time,” he
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