“Don’t worry.” The girl gave her a quick thumbs up with her right hand. “The doctors are really good here and I’m in all the time.”
Such a brave face. She had to be in an insane amount of pain. And here she was encouraging Elisa.
“Is there someone you should talk to about how often you get hurt?” Elisa struggled for the right tone. It was one she’d heard more than once when people had been concerned for her. Some places had safeguards in place for…
Blue eyes widened. “Oh, it’s not what you’re thinking. Trust me, people ask my dad. And it’s not like that at all. I study mixed martial arts. I get bruised and bumped all the time and usually it’s nothing, but Dad always makes me come in to get checked.”
It was hard not to believe in the earnest tone. But monsters were everywhere.
The girl gave her a rueful smile, still amazing considering how much pain she had to be in. “This time it wasn’t just a bump.”
“Which is why they’re going to see you as soon as they can, Boom.”
Elisa hadn’t heard the man approach or seen him approach. He was just there, kneeling down in front of the girl, gently tucking an ice pack under her arm while moving it as little as possible. For her part, the girl hissed in pain but otherwise held up with amazing fortitude.
Elisa would’ve been in tears. The arm had to be broken. It didn’t take a doctor to figure that out. No wonder the man had been mad earlier. She dropped her gaze, unable to watch.
“Here.” An ice pack appeared in her view. “Your wrist should be iced, too. Take down the swelling while you wait.”
Speechless, Elisa looked up.
The man’s words had been gruff, awkward. His expression was blank. But his eyes, a softness around his eyes and a…quiet in the way he watched her made her swallow and relax a fraction. Her heartbeat stuttered, but in a fluttery kind of way. A completely different reaction from what she should be experiencing if she were wise.
Learn from your mistakes. You never know who a person really is.
“You should listen to Dad.” The little girl had regained her earnest tone. “He’s usually right. Even when I think he’s crazy, it turns out he’s right and I wish I’d listened to him. Besides, he gets hurt even more than I do. He says ice is his best friend.”
“So is ibuprofen.” Elisa snapped her mouth shut, not even sure why she’d let the comment pop out.
The little girl gave her a brighter smile. “Yeah. He says that, too.”
The dad in question stood, his knees creaking a bit as he rose up and took a step back.
Elisa was grateful for the space even though he probably wanted to be near his daughter. His presence was intense even if his movements were all steady and smooth. No sudden or frenetic motion. Nothing to freak her out.
“Have you ever had self-defense?” The girl was continuing. “Dad says every person should take at least one class or seminar. It’s what got me started in mixed martial arts. I liked it so much I started taking classes.”
“I haven’t, no.” Elisa wasn’t sure if the man minded the conversation, but it did seem to keep her mind off her own wrist, so maybe it was a distraction for the girl, too. If it was, the least she could do was help a girl this nice. “But it sounds like good advice. Will you be worried about mixed martial arts now?”
The girl gave a slight shake of her head, grimacing as she unintentionally shifted her arm. “I want to go back as soon as this is fixed. I’ve got a belt test at the end of the year, and I want to make black belt before I get to middle school.”
“We’ll let the doctor take a look and get some X-rays,” the man interjected, his voice low and maybe amused. “Then we’re going to follow the doctor’s orders to let you heal up correctly.”
“Then I’ll go back to class.” The little girl was not to be deterred.
Elisa couldn’t help but smile. Dauntless. So much conviction in such a young package.
“Rojas?” A new nurse was standing in the double doors leading from the waiting room back into the emergency room area.
Her father straightened. “Here.”
The nurse nodded and motioned for a young man in scrubs pushing a wheelchair.
In moments the girl was eased into the wheelchair, big round plushy support and all. She gave Elisa a wave as she was wheeled away to see the doctor.
Elisa waved back.
Wow. Just wow. Elisa took a deep breath. There was one heck of a personality. Someday that little girl was going to grow into a powerful, confident woman.
Someone cleared his throat near her.
She jumped.