traumas go. Her heart ached for her daughter needing to learn this lesson so soon.
"He left because adults sometimes need to leave, sweetheart," she said as gently as she could. "It's just something that happens …"
"Does Philip not like us anymore?" she asked in a small voice, and Marnie reached over and hugged her small daughter tight.
"No, sweetie, I promise, he likes us very much. He just … can't be around anymore."
Marnie wasn't sure what it was that finally broke through to her daughter, but after that, great fat tears started to roll down Victoria's face. She sobbed soundlessly and laid her forehead down on the table. All Marnie could do was comfort her daughter as she seemed to cry out far more tears than her small body could hold.
Throughout Victoria's grief, Marnie's own heart was crying as well. Finally, though, she had to draw back, and even Victoria's tears dried up, though she still looked red-eyed and pale when her mother stood up.
"It's okay to feel sad when someone leaves," Marnie said. "Even if it's only for a little while or if you are going to see them again. But we still have things to do and work, okay? Go on and get ready for school."
For a moment, Victoria looked as if she would simply continue sitting at the table, but then with a tiny nod, she stood up to get dressed. While she was teeth-grindingly slow, she did manage to get ready for the group that would walk her to school.
She's tough, she'll be fine, Marnie thought. So will I.
Or at least, that was what she thought until the school called.
*
At the hospital later that day, the doctor explained it to her, but despite his kind words, Marnie could only think that her daughter had sickened with grief.
"Well, children can be both incredibly tough and unbelievably delicate at the same time," he said. "If she had an emotional upset, illness that was held at bay could definitely get a foothold."
"But she'll be all right, right?" asked Marnie. "I mean, she'll heal up? I can take her home?"
The fact that the doctor didn't tell her yes right away made her nerves dance.
"We'd like to keep her overnight for observation. We'll see how things look in the morning."
With that, the doctor was called away, and Marnie was left alone in the hospital hallway. They had given Victoria a sedative to help her rest and heal, and Marnie went in to sit next to her. Her beloved beautiful daughter looked so pale and still that it felt as if her own heart had stopped.
"I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry …"
She held her daughter's hand with one hand, while with the other she sent a text.
Please. Come.
*
Philip arrived at the hospital in less than half an hour, an impressive feat given the fact that he was at the airport. When the text came, he had had his pilot dock the plane again, and called for a cab that got him to the hospital as quickly as it was possible to cut through Manhattan.
He found the room after a number of frustrating directions, and he didn't start to relax until he opened the door and found Marnie inside, sitting next to a painfully still Victoria.
"Marnie, what happened?"
Marnie didn't look at him as she explained what had occurred. She kept her eyes on Victoria's face as she told him what the doctor said. Victoria would likely be fine, but just in case they wanted to keep her under observation for the evening. She could probably go home tomorrow. She didn't need to tell him about her fears. He understood all too well as he sat on Victoria's other side, holding her hand.
Once, her eyelids, as fragile as eggshells fluttered, and he thought she looked at him. Then the sedatives took over again, and she was pulled down into a deep sleep.
"Excuse me, but visiting hours are over, and you'll have to leave," the nurse said, and Philip's heart ached at how alarmed Marnie looked.
"Can't I just stay?" she pleaded. "I'll be quiet, I won't even need a bed …"
"I'm very sorry, but hospital rules prevent it unless the patient is more severely
"He left because adults sometimes need to leave, sweetheart," she said as gently as she could. "It's just something that happens …"
"Does Philip not like us anymore?" she asked in a small voice, and Marnie reached over and hugged her small daughter tight.
"No, sweetie, I promise, he likes us very much. He just … can't be around anymore."
Marnie wasn't sure what it was that finally broke through to her daughter, but after that, great fat tears started to roll down Victoria's face. She sobbed soundlessly and laid her forehead down on the table. All Marnie could do was comfort her daughter as she seemed to cry out far more tears than her small body could hold.
Throughout Victoria's grief, Marnie's own heart was crying as well. Finally, though, she had to draw back, and even Victoria's tears dried up, though she still looked red-eyed and pale when her mother stood up.
"It's okay to feel sad when someone leaves," Marnie said. "Even if it's only for a little while or if you are going to see them again. But we still have things to do and work, okay? Go on and get ready for school."
For a moment, Victoria looked as if she would simply continue sitting at the table, but then with a tiny nod, she stood up to get dressed. While she was teeth-grindingly slow, she did manage to get ready for the group that would walk her to school.
She's tough, she'll be fine, Marnie thought. So will I.
Or at least, that was what she thought until the school called.
*
At the hospital later that day, the doctor explained it to her, but despite his kind words, Marnie could only think that her daughter had sickened with grief.
"Well, children can be both incredibly tough and unbelievably delicate at the same time," he said. "If she had an emotional upset, illness that was held at bay could definitely get a foothold."
"But she'll be all right, right?" asked Marnie. "I mean, she'll heal up? I can take her home?"
The fact that the doctor didn't tell her yes right away made her nerves dance.
"We'd like to keep her overnight for observation. We'll see how things look in the morning."
With that, the doctor was called away, and Marnie was left alone in the hospital hallway. They had given Victoria a sedative to help her rest and heal, and Marnie went in to sit next to her. Her beloved beautiful daughter looked so pale and still that it felt as if her own heart had stopped.
"I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry …"
She held her daughter's hand with one hand, while with the other she sent a text.
Please. Come.
*
Philip arrived at the hospital in less than half an hour, an impressive feat given the fact that he was at the airport. When the text came, he had had his pilot dock the plane again, and called for a cab that got him to the hospital as quickly as it was possible to cut through Manhattan.
He found the room after a number of frustrating directions, and he didn't start to relax until he opened the door and found Marnie inside, sitting next to a painfully still Victoria.
"Marnie, what happened?"
Marnie didn't look at him as she explained what had occurred. She kept her eyes on Victoria's face as she told him what the doctor said. Victoria would likely be fine, but just in case they wanted to keep her under observation for the evening. She could probably go home tomorrow. She didn't need to tell him about her fears. He understood all too well as he sat on Victoria's other side, holding her hand.
Once, her eyelids, as fragile as eggshells fluttered, and he thought she looked at him. Then the sedatives took over again, and she was pulled down into a deep sleep.
"Excuse me, but visiting hours are over, and you'll have to leave," the nurse said, and Philip's heart ached at how alarmed Marnie looked.
"Can't I just stay?" she pleaded. "I'll be quiet, I won't even need a bed …"
"I'm very sorry, but hospital rules prevent it unless the patient is more severely
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