bChapter /b46

bSally /bbdidn’t /bblook /bbtoo /bhappy when we got there, maybe bbecause /bshe’d lost bsome /bmoney ying cards. Right in front of bJared/b, bshe /bstarted ranting angrily about her friends from poker.

Making sure I couldn’t bsee/b, Jared quickly reached out a bank card and slipped it into Sally’s hand.

Sally’s face immediately lit up. “Jared, Yvonne bis /bsleeping upstairsb. /bGo check on her.”

Jared looked at me and said, “Go bring Yvonne down. Then let’s get out of hereb.” /b

I rushed upstairs and found Yvonne lying in bed, breathing a bit heavily, and her bface /bwas red.

I ced my hand on her forehead and found she was burning up. I picked her up right away.

Still groggy, Yvonne called out “Mommy” a couple of times. Her little hands clutched tightly around my neck. “Mommy, bI /bdon’t feel good.”

As bI /bcame down the stairs, Jared came over and took Yvonne from me. As soon as he held her, he realized she had a bfever/bb. /bHe turned to Sally. “Mom, Yvonne has a fever. Didn’t you notice?”

Sally jumped up from the couch. “What? She’s sick? Oh my, I didn’t know. We need to get her to the hospital quickly!”

Jared’s face darkened, and without saying another word, he stormed out.

Sally rushed over and grabbed my arm. “Is Jared mad at me? Yvonne was running around all afternoon. I had no idea she bwas /bsick.”

“Don’t worry, Mom. She probably just caught a chill.” I tried tofort her, and we headed to the car.

*****

We went straight to the hospital. It was pretty busy that night, and since we didn’t call ahead, we had to wait in line. Luckily, the line moved quickly, and after about ten minutes, it was our turn.

While we waited, Yvonne suddenly threw up. She was so scared, she started crying loudly, clinging to Jared, her face pale. “Daddy, am I going to die? bIf /bI die, will you and Mommy have another baby?”

Jared’s heart ached as heforted her. “No, sweetheart, you’re not going to die. You just caught a cold.”

“But you

and Mommy still want a baby brother, don’t you?” Yvonne cried even harder. “I don’t want a baby brother. I just want you and Mommy to love me, just me.”

bJared /blooked at me, and I immediately said seriously, “Yvonne, don’t be so bossy. Whether we have another baby or not is up to your dad and me, not you.”

“But bif /byou have a baby brother, you’ll stop loving me. I don’t want that. I don’t want him to take your love.” Yvonne, likely feverish and confused, blurted out everything in her mind, not caring what we adults thought.

bJared /bhugged her a little tighterb, /bgently patting her back. “Alright, don’t cry. Mom and Dad aren’t nning to have another baby anytime soon. If you’re not feeling bwell/b, just close your eyes and rest, okay?”

“Daddy, Mommy just wants to bhave /ba baby brother because she’s afraid you’ll stop loving her. She takes medicine and goes to the doctor every bday/bb. /bbPlease /bdon’t have a baby brother with her,” Yvonne said.

She was crying so hard, and to my surprise, she bwas /bming me for wanting a son.

I stared at Jared in shock.

Jared’s lips pressed together as he looked at me, clearly upset.

I felt helpless and speechless. I admit I had been seeing doctors and drinking herbal medicine, making it obvious I wanted a son. But bI /babandoned that idea now.