Oneshots - Kayce Dutton

I might as well be his mother.

Author's Choice :) 

You sat in the waiting room of the hospital, your knee bouncing up and down as you looked at the clock again. It had been almost an hour now since they took Tate back. He had been riding and the horse got aggressive. Tate overcorrected the horse and it led to him being bucked off, right into the fence.

You knew something was broken, you just weren't sure if it was an arm or leg or shoulder. But that crack only meant broken bones, everyone knew that sound. Lloyd and Rip had helped you get Tate into the truck and you had raced to the hospital while you frantically called Kayce. He wasn't answering and you knew it was because he was out of service with his father. They had gone up to the warm springs to soak and do whatever bonding time they needed.

You hated that bonding time at the moment. Rip had promised to tell them as soon as he could get ahold of them.

But it had been an hour.

The door opened up, but it was just an older woman leaving. You sighed deeply, biting your thumbnail. This was the first time you had dealt with Tate getting hurt since you had started dating Kayce. You knew it was an accident, horses acted up all the time and while Tate had ridden his whole life, he was only nine.

There was a small part of you since you had told Kayce you'd go ride with Tate, that felt as though Kayce would blame you for this.

"Miss?" A nurse appeared behind the counter.

"Yes?" You hopped up immediately and walked over.

"Are you the boy's mother?" The nurse asked.

"Um...no," You sighed. "B-But I'm the only one here. I called his dad but h-he's out of service right now. But I know he'll be here soon."

"We really only allow parents back with children," The nurse frowned at you.

"I'm dating his father," You tried. "Have been for over a year now...I-I know that's not the same but..."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," The nurse gave you a sad smile. "But we have the rules for a reason."

"I-Is he okay?" You leaned against the counter. "Is he gonna be alright?"

"Hopefully his father will be here soon," The nurse answered.

"Wait," You held up your hand. "P-Please, I know I'm not his mother, but I do care. I brought him in...doesn't that mean something?"

"Let me get the doctor," The nurse walked away. 

You felt sick to your stomach at the conversation. You knew Tate was scared back there and all you wanted to do was run there and wrap him in your arms. You hated that he was alone, and you hated that you were out in that stupid waiting room all because of some rule that didn't apply to every family.

"Hi there," The doctor walked out. "I hear you have some concerns?"

"Yes," You swallowed hard. "I know I'm n-not his mother, but I am when he's with his father."

"I'm sorry?" The doctor didn't follow.

"I'm everything but the title," You said. "I cook for him. I-I know he hates strawberries but loves bananas. I do his laundry...I read bedtime stories with him, dinosaurs are his favorite, and I know that he has to have a night light on to help him sleep."

The doctor's face softened.

"I didn't give birth to him," You shook your head. "B-But he's...I...I love him like he's my own. Please...please let me go back and just see that he's okay. I don't have to stay but just so he knows I'm still here?"