But the moment his gaze landed on Elissa, something inside him broke. His voice rose in a choked sob. “Mommy! Mommy! Mommy…”
“Oh, sweetheart!” Elissa’s heart clenched as she rushed to her son, her arms aching to embrace him. But fear held her back—fear of causing him more pain. “Mommy’s here,” she whispered tenderly, her voice trembling. “I’m here now, baby.”
“Mommy!” Locke cried, lifting his good arm toward her with all the strength he had left.
“Locke,” she breathed, taking his small hand into hers, clutching it as if to anchor them both. Tears slid down her cheeks unchecked. “Does it hurt, sweetheart?”
“It hurts! It hurts so much…” Locke wept.
The physical pain alone was unbearable, but the moment he saw his mother, the emotional dam burst. Days of longing, fear, and confusion came pouring out in tears he could no longer hold back.
His cries pierced the air—raw, desperate, and full of heartbreak. Each one tore deeper into Elissa, shattering her from the inside out.
A few feet away, Eric was speaking with the doctor. “Doctor, I’m his uncle. What’s the situation?”
The doctor studied the X-rays, then turned to him with calm authority. “It’s a greenstick fracture.”
Eric furrowed his brows. “A greenstick fracture? What does that mean? Does that require surgery?”
“No,” the doctor replied, shaking his head. “Children’s bones differ from adults’. They’re more flexible. The periosteum—the outer layer—is thicker, so the bone bends instead of breaking clean through.”
Eric cut to the chase. “Okay. Just tell me what we need to do.”
“We’ll realign the bone and stabilize it with a cast,” the doctor explained. “That will be enough.”
“Can it be done right now?”
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“Yes,” the doctor confirmed. “We only need the guardian’s signature on some forms.”
“Alright.”
Eric gestured to Phillips, who quickly moved to take care of the consent forms, and then returned to Elissa’s side.
He lowered his voice, keeping it gentle. “No surgery is needed. They’ll realign the bone soon—he’ll be okay.”
“Can I go in with him?” Elissa inquired. The very thought of being separated from Locke, even for a moment, was unbearable.
“Of course,” Eric replied without a second’s pause. His tone was calm but resolute. “I’ll take care of the arrangements so you can be by his side.”
Elissa turned to him, her eyes shining with tears. “Thank you, Eric,” she said, emotion catching in her throat. Gratitude poured from every word.
As the medical staff readied for the procedure, Locke lay curled on the bed, his small body quivering with fear. In the stillness of the room, his frail, pain-stricken voice broke the silence. “Mommy… Mommy… it hurts so much…”
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