𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 (2)

𝟸𝟻. 𝚋𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜

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"oh no, hayden, it's okay, bubba," daniel whispered, gathering up the crying baby in his arms. "it's okay, you're just a little sick."

julia was sitting nearby, her lips in a pout and eyes watery as she watched her brother cry.

"i-i want m-momma," he sniffled, his cheeks red and nose running right as he burst into tears.

daniel closed his eyes for a second before rocking the crying boy back and forth in his arms. "baby, you're burning up, let's go to the hospital, okay?"

hayden didn't say anything, just grabbed daniel's shirt and held onto his dad tightly.

"julia, sweetheart, we're going to the hospital to get hayden some medicine, okay? can you be please be good for me?"

julia nodded, reaching her hand out to hold daniel's. "okay, dada."

"thank you, love, now, let's go, okay?"

☆

they made it to the hospital, hayden having a full breakdown in the car before falling into a restless sleep.

julia was still awake, scribbling on the coloring books that were provided in the waiting room.

"hayden seavey?" a nurse called out, his eyes widening as he saw daniel walk towards him, two babies in tow. "you're daniel seavey, right?"

daniel nodded. "how-"

the man cut him off, saying, "audrey's working this shift with me tonight, she's helping a patient and then i'll bring her over to you."

he led the three of them to another room, taking hayden's vitals and giving julia a lollipop.

"normally the staff aren't supposed to practice on patients they know or are related to, but we'll make an exception since he just seems to have the flu," the nurse said. "she'll be here soon."

"thank you," daniel replied. "a lot."

"anything for audrey's kids," the man replied before walking out.

☆

audrey burst into the room, another nurse following her.

"what happened?" she asked daniel, her eyes wide.

daniel stood up, shaking his head. "i-i don't know. he seemed super tired the whole day and all of a sudden he started crying and burning up. i-i didn't know what to do so i brought him here."

audrey didn't answer, just walked over to hayden, examining his eyes, and mouth.

"hayden, can you tell me what hurts?" audrey asked, "hay, listen to me, please. what's hurting right now?"

hayden grabbed onto audrey's arm, not letting go and not saying anything, yet his face clearly showed he was in pain.

"hayden, listen to me, baby," audrey tried again, her voice firm. "can you show me what's hurting?"

hayden moved his hand to his ear, bursting into tears again.

audrey sighed, grabbing the auriscope and looking at his ears.

"it's an ear infection, and he obviously has a fever," she mumbled, writing down the name of the antibiotic hayden needed to take and handing it to the nurse.

"can you send this to the pharmacy? thanks."

the nurse walked out, leaning audrey alone with daniel, julia, and a quietly crying hayden.

"i can't stay here, i have to meet another patient," audrey said, apologetic. "you got him and julia? just wait here until they call you to pick up the medication," she told daniel, who nodded.

"thank you, audrey. and i'm so-"

"don't apologize, daniel, our children will always be my first priority. i'm happy you brought them here. text me when you leave, yeah?"

"yeah, i will. i didn't even know you were working today," he replied.

audrey shrugged, shaking her head. "we've become so distant we don't even know each other's work schedules, haven't we?"

she didn't wait for an answer, just walked out of the room and into the next.

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the next day

"you guys were at the same hospital last night?" christina asked, clearly surprised. "what the-"

she stopped herself as she looked at audrey's sour expression. "what's wrong?"

"nothing," audrey said, "it was weird. it was like we were basically strangers, you know?"

"no, i don't know."

audrey rolled her eyes. "it's just...so different now, right? i mean, we had children together but i don't know anything about him anymore."

christina nodded, "it makes sense, rey. it's been almost a year since you guys separated. you're changing, becoming different people. you're not gonna know everything about each other anymore. i mean, does he know about your boyfriend?"

audrey glared at tina. "he's not my boyfriend."

"whatever. but does he know?"

"no, unless julia told him."

"see? you don't need to know everything about each other. it doesn't matter."

audrey pursed her lips. "yeah, sure. whatever."

christina scoffed, shaking her head. "i know you love him."

audrey didn't say anything, just stared at the ground.

"you need to talk to him, that's all i'm gonna say."

• ☆ •
she speaks !

1) i hate this chapter 😔🤪

2) i luv u

-n
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