After a thorough exam in the ER, a nurse finally led Jade and Dez to the children’s wing of the hospital. Jade was fine, just like she’d told every single trooper and paramedic who wanted her to get checked out, but the doctor thought Dez could benefit from warm saline through an IV.
“We could do it here in the ER,” he said, “but frankly the pediatric nurses are better equipped at handling such little veins, and I think you’d both be more comfortable.”
It wasn’t difficult for Jade to agree. The transfer to the children’s area was time-consuming, but the nurses on the children’s floor were fabulous, and they kept Dez distracted enough while putting in the IV that she hardly fussed at all.
“How long do I got to keep this in?” Dez asked.
Jade yanked Dez’s free hand to keep her from scratching the site. “It’ll probably just be a few hours. They want to make sure your temperature goes up, and they think you need your rest. Which you do.”
“But I’m not tired.”
“That’s because you like being the center of attention.”
Dez pouted. “No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do. I saw the way you were hamming it up for Officer Ben.”
“He told me to call him Mister Ben.”
“Well, as long as you’re under my roof, you’re calling him Officer.”
“I’m not under your roof right now.”
“Stop being smart with me.”
“I thought it was a good thing to be smart.”
Jade reached her hand under Dez’s pile of blankets to tickle her daughter’s ribs. “Too smart for your own good, that’s what you are.”
Dez giggled, then her face grew more serious. “Mama?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“That church lady, do you think she would have killed you?”
“What makes you say that?”
Dez’s whole body heaved as she let out a sigh. “I was just thinking. That’s all. I guess it’s good you shot them both, huh?”
“No, baby. It’s not good. I just did what I had to do.”
“Are you gonna get in trouble for it? Is Officer Ben gonna have to arrest you?”
“What? No. They know I did what I had to do to protect my little girl. That’s not against the law.”
Dez’s face twisted.
“What are you thinking, baby? Tell me.”
“Did you want to kill them, Mama? Were you mad at them for what they did to us, and that’s why you killed them?”
Jade reached toward her daughter and held her while she started to cry. “No, baby. It wasn’t like that at all.”
“So it wasn’t the demons that made you do it?”
“What?” Jade pulled back just long enough to look her daughter in the eyes. “No, of course not. You listen to me. Demons are real, but they don’t have any power besides what God gives them. And nobody can make you do anything that goes against God’s rules.”
“Not even the devil?”
“Not even the devil. I know what happened to us was scary. I’m glad it’s over, but it’s still really bad that those two people ended up getting shot. God tells mommies and daddies to take care of their kids, just like he tells people like Officer Ben to take care of regular folks like you and me.”
“Do you like Officer Ben, Mama?”
Jade shrugged but didn’t meet her daughter’s eyes. “Sure, I like him. He’s a very nice man and good at what he does.”
“Would you ever want him to be your boyfriend?”
Jade couldn’t keep in her laugh. It felt good to have her daughter talking to her about something as innocent as dating and crushes. “What? Of course not. Why? Do you want him to be your boyfriend?”
Dez giggled.
“Tell you what.” Jade picked up the blankets the hospital staff had given her. “Why don’t you scoot over in that bed, because these nurses must think you’re the size of a baby elephant giving you all this extra room.”
“What are you doing, Mama?”
“I’m getting up here and cuddling my baby. That’s what I’m doing.”
Dez’s eyes widened. “Are you allowed to do that?”
“Am I allowed? What do you mean? Are you my child? Did I give birth to you? Do I hug you and feed you and tell you I love you every single day of your life?”
“Yeah.”
“Well then, I guess that makes you my baby, and I just happen to think that it’s time to snuggle with my baby. Is that all right with you?”
Dez scooted over in the bed. “I suppose.”
“Well, thank you very much, Your Highness.” Jade gave Dez one last round of tickles and then got busy adjusting the two of them under the blankets. “We’ll stay warmer like this, you know.”
Dez let out a snort. “Want to hear what I think?”
“What do you think, baby?”
“I think it’s just that you don’t want to sleep in that chair all by yourself. I think you’re too scared.”
“You know what, baby?”
“No, what?”
“You’re a very smart girl. Have I ever told you that?”
Jade propped herself up on her elbow long enough to watch Dez roll her eyes. “Only, like, every day.”
Jade kissed her daughter on the forehead one more time, snuggled up a little closer, and soon was fast asleep.