Her voice trembled. “Am I in trouble?”
He shook his head and gently kissed the top of her hair, careful not to touch her back. “No. Never. You did the bravest thing you could have done.”
The drive to the children’s hospital felt endless. Every bump in the road made Sophie whimper, and each sound tightened the knot in Aaron’s chest. One hand stayed on the steering wheel, the other rested on the edge of her seat, as if that alone could keep her safe.
“Did you feel sick at all?” he asked softly.
She nodded. “I felt really hot. Mommy said it was nothing.”
At the hospital, the staff moved quickly. Sophie was taken back right away, given pain medication, and settled into a bed surrounded by calm, efficient hands. A pediatric doctor, Dr. Samuel Reeves, introduced himself with a gentle smile that didn’t quite mask the seriousness in his eyes.
“We’re going to take good care of you,” he told Sophie. “I’m going to remove the bandage slowly, okay?”
As the layers were peeled away, the room fell silent. The wound beneath was inflamed, darkened, and clearly had gone untreated for far too long.
“This injury is several days old,” Dr. Reeves said to Aaron. “There are signs of infection spreading. She’ll need antibiotics and close monitoring. We’re admitting her tonight.”
Aaron sank into the chair beside the bed. “She’s going to be alright?”
