Chapter 5 - The Reunion
Three days later, in Trauma Room 402 at St. Jude’s Memorial Hospital, Andrew Miller slowly opened his eyes.
The bright fluorescent lights stung his vision. His body felt heavy, wrapped in bandages, his left leg suspended in a heavy traction cast. An IV line dripped pain medication into his arm.
He panicked instantly, his heart monitor beep-beep-beeping frantically as he tried to sit up.
"Ashley..." Andrew rasped, his throat raw and dry. "Ashley... her medicine... I have to go home..."
"Easy, Andrew! Easy!" a gentle voice said.
Officer Natalie stepped up to the bedside, resting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Andrew, calm down. You’re in the hospital. You’re safe."
Andrew looked at Natalie through bloodshot, exhausted eyes, tears streaming down his bruised cheeks. "My daughter... she was alone... she was feverish... I couldn't get up the hill... the mud kept pulling me down..."
"Andrew, listen to me," Natalie said softly, smiling through her own tears. "Ashley is safe. She’s right here."
Natalie stepped aside and opened the door to the adjoining room.
Dr. Vance walked in, holding seven-year-old Ashley in her arms. The little girl was wearing a clean pink sweater, her hair neatly braided, clutching Buddy the stuffed puppy in her lap.
When Ashley saw her father lying in the hospital bed, her face lit up with absolute, pure joy.
"DADDY!" Ashley cried out.
Dr. Vance set her down gently, and Ashley ran across the room, carefully climbing onto the side of the bed, wrapping her arms around her father’s neck.
Andrew pulled his daughter close with his uninjured arm, burying his face in her soft hair, sobbing uncontrollably.
"I’m sorry, baby... I’m so sorry I took so long," Andrew wept, kissing her cheek over and over again. "Daddy tried to come back... I tried so hard..."
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"I know, Daddy," Ashley whispered, wiping a tear from his nose with her tiny thumb. "Officer Natalie told me. You crawled through the river for me. You’re the best daddy in the whole world."
Sitting in the chair near the window, Natalie watched the father and daughter holding each other, feeling a deep, profound warmth wash over her heart. The world had tried to break this little family, but love had held them together through the darkest storm.
