Love by Love - 40
Reba darted right at her baby hoping to pick her up. Tears rolled down her cheeks like a waterfall. Elizabeth fell down from the stairs and landed on her back. She cried out in pain.
"Reba sweetheart, we should call the ambulance. Don't pick her up yet just in case we make it worse." Brock instructed trying to keep his wife calm. He was a doctor after all, he was better at controlling the situation. Reba cried even more than Elizabeth did when she saw her daughter screaming in pain. Her heart was torn in pieces wanting to pick her little girl up and comfort her. It killed her that all she could do was just kneel there and watch her daughter cry.
The ambulance arrived to check on the girl, they took her to emergency to have her throughly checked up; including x-ray. To their relief, Elizabeth was doing fine. Except the big goose egg in the side of her forehead, she had nothing broken.
"Mommy..." She hugged Reba as Reba was crying out of relief. She too held her daughter tight and continuously apologized for not be able to hold her earlier. Brock drove them back home. The family was waiting impatiently to see if their little sister was doing all right. Elizabeth buried her face at the crook of Reba's neck, refusing to talk to anyone. Cheyenne tried to caress her cheek but Elizabeth brushed her hand off and hugged Reba's neck tightly. Cheyenne frowned. She thought it was her fault Elizabeth fell down the stairs.
"Elizabeth isn't in a very good mood right now, she'll feel better."
"No!" The little girl disagreed.
"I think maybe we should put Elizabeth in bed. She had a long day today." Brock stated. Reba carried Elizabeth to her room and changed her in to pajamas. But when Reba was going to tuck her in she held on to Reba tight.
"What's matter, baby?"
"Mommy here." Elizabeth pat on the small empty space next to her.
Smiling, Reba asked, "Do you want me to sleep with you tonight?" The toddler nodded. "But your bed is too small for me." Elizabeth frowned and started to tear up. "I tell you what, why don't we go to my bedroom, you can sleep with mommy and daddy tonight. Do you like that idea?" Elizabeth beamed. Reba carried her to the master-bedroom, and set her down in the center of the bed. Brock eyed Reba with silent question. Reba waited until the girl fell asleep before she answered Brock. "So we can keep an eye on her tonight. Poor girl, she fell so hard."
"I was trying to catch her, but I wasn't fast enough." Brock felt guilty too that he could see their baby running toward him, he should have made an effort to get closer to her. Now that the moment of shock had subsidize the couple held on to each other thinking how close they were to lose the baby. If only she fell head first, she may have broken her neck. They consoled each other and thanked heaven that their little girl was all right.
Reba woke up in the morning feeling pressed. Elizabeth had her upper half on Reba's tummy and her legs was rested across Brock's chest. She couldn't help but snicker. Reba gently lift the girl up and put her in the right position between her and Brock. Brock noticed the movement, he opened his eyes lazily. Reba brought her forefinger to her lips gesturing Brock to remain quiet. Once her head found the pillow again, the girl curled up with her back pressing Reba's chest. Reba kissed her head tenderly. She saw the swollen spot on the side of Elizabeth's head. She lightly brushed her thumb on it. Reba sighed. She glanced at the clock; it was about the time she got up and got the kids to go to school.
"Keep an eye on her okay? Don't let her fell of the bed." Reba told her husband. Brock nodded and wrapped his arm on the girl falling back to sleep. Reba scoot out of the bed putting her rope on and went to prepare breakfast for the kids.
"Mom." Cheyenne came into the kitchen and sat on a stool.
"Morning Cheyenne." Reba took a glance at her step-daughter and looked back at the stove.
"How's Elizabeth?"
"She's still sleeping. She woke up once last night saying her head hurt. I gave her a baby aspirin and put an ice pack on her bulge. She was peevish a little, but I think she'll be all right." Reba explained taking pancakes out of the pan and rested them on a plate.
"I'm sorry about what happened mom, I-"
"Did you push her off the stairs?" Reba cut her off.
"No!" Cheyenne exclaimed.
"Then it's not your fault. The accident was bound to happen. Brock said Elizabeth was excited to see him back and tried to run. She stumbled over her own leg." Reba consoled Cheyenne. She knew how much Cheyenne loved her little sister.
"But she seemed to be angry at me." Cheyenne murmured. Before Reba had chance to disagree. Brock came in the kitchen with Elizabeth in his arm. She was wearing her new Hello Kitty slippers that Cheyenne bought for her. She also had a little pink Hello Kitty robe that Cheyenne also bought for her previously. Well, Reba bought it, but Cheyenne was the one selecting.
"Elizabeth saw her boo boo in the mirror when she was brushing her teeth. She wants you to kiss it better." Brock stated as the girl leaned over to her mommy. Reba took her from Brock.
"Aww, you'll feel better soon sweetie," said Reba tenderly kissing the girl's bruise. Elizabeth then spotted Cheyenne. She struggled to get out of Reba's arm, so Reba put her on her feet.
She walked to Cheyenne and pointed at her forehead. "She-anne, boo boo."
Cheyenne thought Elizabeth blamed her for the bruise, she quickly apologized "I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I-"
"Cheyenne." Reba called. She then explained with a grin, "She just wants you to kiss her boo boo." That put a smile back on Cheyenne's face knowing that her little sister wasn't mad at her. Elizabeth seemed to forget how she got a bulge on her forehead, she still walked up and down the stairs, but this time all grown ups kept an eye on her. She asked every one to kiss her boo boo; mommy, daddy, Cheyenne, Kyra, Jake, Barbra Jean and Henry.
"When would she stop asking us to kiss her bruise?" Questioned Barbra Jean after the girl came over to collect her kiss.
Laughing, Reba replied. "Whenever it disappear, I guess."
"It's barely visible now."
"Well she just wants a little attention." Reba looked at her daughter who played with her blocks lovingly. Elizabeth hummed some type of a tune. She looked up and saw Reba smile at her, she got up and ran to her mommy.
"I love mommy," said the toddler so sweetly wetting Reba's cheeks and lips with her kisses.
"Aww... I love you too sweetheart."
Barbra Jean watched the interaction between Reba and her daughter, her eyes started to water. "I want another one."
Reba narrowed her eyes looking at her friend suspiciously. Barbra Jean and Blake's divorce was finalized close to a year now. From what Reba was understanding, they left on good terms, and Barbra Jean even rooted for him to get back together with his ex. So Barbra Jean was alone for quite sometime now. "Is there anything you want to tell me"
"No nothing. Shall we go to a playground now?"
"Sure." Reba then yelled to the top of the stairs for Jake and Henry. They were playing in Jake's room. Reba got her kids ready and the two friends walked to the playground nearby. Reba tried to ask if there's something bothering her friend, all she got was Barbra Jean was tired of being alone. Jake and Henry raced to the slide. Elizabeth wanted to go with them but she was too little. Reba had to take her to a smaller size playground. She put her little girl in a sandbox with a handful of toys. "Barbra Jean, can you help me watch Elizabeth for a minute? I have to use the facilities." She left once Barbra Jean acknowledged her request. However, when she came out, Elizabeth was playing with another girl and Barbra Jean was talking to someone: a good looking someone.
"She's very cute." The stranger said to Barbra Jean. "She's your daughter?"
"Elizabeth? No, she's my friend's daughter. The little blond boy over there with a big head is my son, Henry" Barbra Jean replied with a snicker. The stranger introduced himself to her and they kept the conversation going until Reba returned. "Here she is." Barbra Jean motioned to Reba who walked closer to them. "This is Reba, my best friend. Elizabeth is her daughter. Reba this is Eric. And that's his daughter, Jen."
"Hi, how do you do?" Reba shook her hand with his. Elizabeth saw her mother came back, she went and grabbed her hand pulled her to sit down and play with her. Reba excused herself to join her daughter, leaving Barbra Jean to have a conversation with Eric. Reba could see sparks fly between her friend and Eric. She smiled. Maybe, he could be the one that her friend was looking for.