“Oh, sweetheart…” Emily whispered, smoothing her hair. “You’re okay. You’re okay.” But Lily’s tiny body felt limp with exhaustion, and Emily’s heart clenched. She had no idea if the fall had hurt her more than she could see.
David’s car screeched into the lot, stopping crookedly across two spaces. He leapt out before the engine even fully shut off. “Emily!” he called, breathless. She rushed to him, lifting Lily slightly so he could see her face.
“She fell,” Emily said, her voice barely holding. “She hit the ground. She’s bruised, and she’s quiet, David, I don’t— I don’t know if she’s hurt. Please take her in. I have to stay with Ranger. He saved her. He saved her.”
David didn’t waste a second. He took Lily gently, holding her like something sacred. “I’ve got her,” he said softly. “Go. Stay with him. Call me as soon as they tell you anything.” He ran for his car, buckled Lily in, and pulled out of the lot toward urgent care.