Hazel Rain

Chapter 5

"Kim....wake up" Adam touched her hand lightly, Hazel shifted in her arms. He felt his heart drop into his stomach as his niece stirred.

How could he have walked out on her, she had no one in the world but him and he turned his back on her. Though, judging by what he had walked in on Hazel had more than just him, she had Kim.

Kim grumbled as she scooted up in the chair, one arm wrapped lovingly around Hazel, the other reached up to rub her eyes, as she finally opened her eyes she felt her face turn a deep crimson.

"Oh." She sat upright and carefully slid out from underneath Hazel and adjusted the blanket around the still sleeping toddler, "I had to see her.." She whispered as she reached for her purse, "I'll go.."

"Don't go. Not yet..anyway. How is she?" Adam asked quickly trying to erase the desperation from his words, the bruising on her face had all but disappeared just a slight tint of green was all that remained under her eyes. "I bailed." He mumbled as he turned away from Kim.

"You're back." Kim hated the look she saw in his eyes, "if you don't mind me asking..where did you go?"

"Some shit hotel..I just needed to get away" Adam leaned against the counter, "She woke up..."he watched her intently as she slept, "she had this look in her eyes...it's hard to explain..." He had a death grip on his emotions, he couldn't lose it in front of Kim, "she was scared...confused. She started calling out for Kristin..and Kyle" he ran the back of his hand across his forehead.

"Can I hold her?" Adam asked the doctor.

"Of course, she'd probably like that" the doctor smiled at him, he dropped the side of the crib, "go on.."

Adam carefully moved over and picked her up under her arms, "Oh...Haze.." He gingerly pulled her to his chest, her body rigid in his arms, "I'm so sorry..."

"Mama?" Hazel pulled back from him, her eyes pleading with him, "want mama" her bottom lip quivering as she spoke. Adam would've rather stood in front of a firing squad instead of seeing Hazel so sad.

Adam looked at the doctor, "What do I do..what do I say?" His voice cracking.

The doctor clung to the clipboard in his hands, "I wish I knew what to tell you,  she's so young...she won't understand. I can have child life start meeting with her...but I doubt it'll do any good."

Adam nodded, he kissed her cheek and rubbed her back, "Uncle Adam is here baby..."

"Daddy!" She cried out, tears filling her eyes, "want mama...want mama" she pushed against Adam's chest, "Mama! Mama!" Tears spilling from her eyes, Adam would rather have had his balls in a vice than hear her call out for her dead parents.

Adam felt what was left of his broken heart, crumble into a thousand pieces. Hazel was sobbing uncontrollably in his arms, he handed her to the doctor, "I can't do this...I'm sorry.."

Adam broke himself from the memory, "I'm a piece of shit. I'm a grown ass man and I ran from my niece. I left her. She was scared, and I left her." He felt like a monster, "I don't know how to do this Kim..."

The wobble in his voice was slight, but she caught it and it pained her. She held his hand loosely in her's "Adam, you're hurting too. You're here now."