A Wifey for the Bad Boy(138)

Jan heard the screech of brakes a moment before she heard a thunk and a scream. She was already on her feet and out to the playground when the screams started.

“Jan, I need your help!” She hurried to the edge of the play area, pressing through the throng of people, mostly six-year-olds. What had happened; had one of the kids been hit right here on the playground? Jan rushed forward; it was instinct to do so, and she motioned to a coworker, Claire, to move the children out of the way. Whatever had happened, they didn’t need to see it firsthand.

Mr. Phillips, supervisor of the childcare center, stood over the boy, trembling and wringing his hands.

“I didn’t mean to! He stepped out in front of me!’

Oh shit! Mr. P had been on a bender again; Jan could smell it on his clothes. The police were going to have to deal with this.

Jan dropped to her knees alongside two of her coworkers, who were comforting and assessing one of her students.

“How bad is it?” She asked, knowing that she would need to relay the information to the 911 operator. She grabbed her phone and dialed 911.

“I… I think he has a broken leg. I – I didn’t see him.”

“Child injured.” Jan relayed the name of the school and the location quietly, not wanting to stress the boy out. She exchanged concerned glances with the other girls, the ones who ran the preschool program.

“It’s okay,” Jan said faintly while the 911 operator got emergency services mobilized. She didn’t have time for this, not when there was a scared and injured child on the ground. Mr. Phillips was an adult and didn’t need her support as much as the child did. “Why don’t you go inside, sir? Please, go. Now.”

Once Mr. Phillips was gone, staggering toward the door, Jan turned her attention back to the call, just as the 911 operator came back, asking if the child’s parents were present.

“No, but we have emergency medical proxy. I’ll get a copy of the proxy and bring it along. He scared and he’s only six.”

After the 911 operator told Jan to keep the line open, she put her phone in her pocket and moved closer, to see how Brady was doing. He was reluctantly taking comfort from Denise and Vicky, but he was crying and he was scared. Brady was one of the children in Jan’s class and it was her responsibility to take care of him.

“Oh, honey. It will be okay. I promise.” She nodded to the coworkers and knelt down on the asphalt, stroking her little charge’s head. Big fat tears rolled down his face and his little snuffling gasps told her just how scared he was. Brady had a lot of bravado; he never let anything bother him. The fact that he was, showed just how scared he was.

It all hit Jan as Brady clutched her hand. Their supervisor had hit a child, and he was stinking of booze. The police would be involved and the school would probably be closed by the end of the week, if that. This was a disaster, a complete nightmare.

Jan stroked Brady’s hair until the ambulance arrived. As soon as it did, Claire handed Jan Brady’s medical proxy, her coat, and her purse, so that Jan could ride with him rather than following behind. Brady whimpered and reached for Jan’s hand and she whispered to him that everything would be all right. For him, yes. For her and the school, probably not so much. Jan kissed the tips of Brady’s fingers, trying to do whatever she could to soothe him while the emergency personnel assessed him. It was clear they wanted to put an IV in him and administer some pain medication, but the little guy was just too scared right now.

The ride to the ER was only several minutes in duration; the new complex had opened up on this side of town, and it was only a few miles away from the school.

Brady whimpered, but by the time they had him at the hospital, the ambulance staff as speedy as they were helpful, he’d trailed off into silence.

“Miss Jan,” he said through his snuffles. “Where’s my mommy?”

“She’s coming, honey.” Jan had no idea what the status update on that was, but she couldn’t really spare the time to check. Her text message alerts were blowing up, but she’d get to those when she could. “And your daddy.” He did have a dad, didn’t he? Jan hoped she hadn’t messed up there.

“And Daddy,” he agreed. “I hurt. I have a big ow,” he told her, pointing to his immobilized leg. She thanked god that it didn’t seem as if he’d noticed the bone protruding. This would require more than a cast and the paramedics seemed to be treating the injury, and Brady, for that matter, with kid gloves.

“I know, Brady, but you’re being very, very brave,” Jan said, and one of the paramedics nodded enthusiastically.