Old Friend

The days seemed like years for the couple as they waited for a sign that their daughter would be okay. Faith laid next to Cheyenne, stroking her pale chubby cheeks while feeling exhausted from crying and not sleeping enough. Singing her a lullaby song, she was desperate to see her run around as if nothing had happened.

It had been torture, and she was ready to go crazy.

She heard Gunner walk in with a tray of food from the cafeteria, setting it down on the table next to the bed before wheeling it towards Faith.

“Faith, you need to eat something, darling,” he whispered to get her attention without waking Cheyenne up from her nap. She looked at him with tired eyes and a faint smile as she sat up, seeing the hot pastrami sandwich and a chicken salad.

“I’m not hungry, Gunner,” she said, her eyes going back to their daughter. “All I want is for her to get better.”

He pulled her up from the bed, enveloped her in his arms, and swayed side to side in an attempt to soothe her. The pain a