Chapter 31: Before and After the Race

Ursula hurried to the ramshackle house, her heart was pounding. She barely kept her balance in her rush, driven by a desperate need to reach her destination.

"Grandma, how's Adam?" she called out immediately upon arrival.

Emily Fisher, her grandmother, got worried immediately. "Ursula, Adam's resting now, but his fever won't break. I've tried everything," she said, her voice laden with concern.

"Thanks, Grandma. I'll take it from here," Ursula replied, her voice tinged with guilt for the burdens her grandmother shouldered.

In the small, plainly furnished room, Adam lay on an old wooden bed, his face flushed with fever. Ursula's heart sank with regret, knowing her absence during her pregnancy might have prevented his current pain.

She lifted Adam into her arms, the lightness of his being intensifying her feelings of inadequacy.

She'd managed to keep their life a secret from Matthew, but the weight of her son's gaze, filled with unspoken longing when he looked at other families didn't escape her. She managed to tell him the truth when he was old enough to understand.

Upon arriving at the Provincial Hospital, Ursula composed herself and paid the driver generously. "Thank you for this late-night trip," she said, offering five hundred dollars.

"That's too much, two hundred is enough," the driver insisted, but Ursula pressed the full amount into his hand, appreciating his kindness.

The driver felt sorry about Ursula's situation as a single mother, so he accepted only two hundred. "Save the rest for your little one," he said, his own paternal instincts kicked in.

With gratitude, Ursula thanked him and made her way into the hospital, Adam cradled in her arms. The emergency department was quiet, and she juggled registration and payment alone, her fatigue hidden beneath a veneer of determination.

After a tense wait, the doctor reassured her it was just a chill exacerbated by Adam's weak constitution. "He'll need an IV for a few days," the doctor informed her, his voice softening as he mentioned Adam's heart condition.

Ursula acknowledged her oversight and promised to be more careful.

The doctor, moved by the sight of Ursula alone and stressed, had a nurse assist her to the ward.

Once settled, Adam received his injection and IV without a tear, his bravery meant to spare his mother worry.

In the quiet of the night, Ursula updated her grandmother and finally took a moment to rest, her feet throbbing with the day's exertions.

Adam's gaze met hers, his eyes were clear and unflinching. "Does it hurt here, Adam?" Ursula gestured to her heart.

"No," he said, shaking his head. He didn't want his mother to worry about his frequent medical treatments.

Ursula reassured him to let her know if he needed anything, and sensing his unspoken wish, she put him into her arms. They lay close together on the hospital bed, Adam's contentment evident in his relaxed smile.

As they settled, Adam wondered if his extended IV treatment meant more time with his mother. "Yes, you'll stay with me until you're better," Ursula confirmed, relieved that her recent fallout with Matthew and his new relationship meant they were unlikely to cross paths.

Adam silently celebrated the prospect of days with his mother, despite the circumstances.

"Okay, mom, I'll be good," he said, his voice was low and hopeful. Ursula, masking her sadness with a smile, suggested a trip to the zoo after his IV treatment, lighting up Adam's face with anticipation.

"Alright, now let's get some sleep so we will be ready for tomorrow," Ursula said, smiling genuinely at his excitement.

"Okay, mom, goodnight. You should sleep early too," Adam replied, his spirits lifted by the promise of their outing.

They fell asleep, nestled together, the worries of the world held at bay for a moment.

In the morning, Ursula woke first, her son still sleeping peacefully. She briefly entrusted a nurse with Adam's care while she stepped out for breakfast and to call in sick at work. When she returned, she found Adam sitting up, his face set in a determined frown, surrounded by nurses trying to persuade him to start his IV.

"Sweetie, be a good boy, your mom will be back soon," they coaxed.

"We'll be gentle, it won't hurt," they reassured him.

Adam waited, his silence a stubborn refusal to proceed without Ursula, but he was really cute.