Page 32 of The Pucking Single Dad

Meanwhile, back in the United States, Hunter was training hard for the upcoming game. Although he felt distracted without Luna by his side, he knew he needed to stay focused.After finishing his training for the day, he returned home and expressed his gratitude to Ella for staying with Adam.

“How was he?” Hunter asked Ella once he got home.

“He was fine,” Ella responded. “He was fine, but I can tell he isn’t feeling well. He stayed in bed most of the day. If he isn’t feeling better tomorrow, then perhaps we should take him to the doctor.”

Hunter agreed. He hoped that Luna’s being gone had nothing to do with Adam not feeling well, but it was unlike him to be in bed all day. He began to worry, but then he thought it was best not to assume the worst. He figured that it was better to stay positive.

“I will keep an eye on him tonight,” Hunter told Ella. “Thank you again for being here and for covering for Luna.”

Hunter opened up to Ella about his worries. He shared his fears that a life of fame might be overwhelming for Luna. He hoped she wouldn’t just return from Guatemala but that she would come back to him, and their relationship would improve. He confided in Ella that he didn’t want to lose her. She was too important to him.

“You just have to give her time,” Ella replied. “You should have seen how she was when she first moved to America. She needs time to adjust. It’s good that you supported her decision to get away. She’ll have the chance to clear her head, and when she comes back, she’ll be herself again. Just trust me.”

Hunter nodded in understanding. He gave Ella a hug and then went into Adam’s room to check on him. He was still sleeping. Hunter hoped that everything was okay.

Chapter Eleven: A Change of Events

The next few days in Guatemala were filled with laughter, fun, and joy. Being back in her homeland brought Luna a deep sense of peace, and reuniting with her mother filled a void she'd been ignoring for so long. It felt good to be surrounded by family again, and although she knew she would eventually have to return to America, knowing she was leaving on good terms made the thought of her departure less daunting.

She had not talked to Hunter in a few days, and although she was worried about him, she figured he was simply busy with training for their big game later that week. It was unusual, as they had not gone this long without speaking, but she tried not to give it too much thought. Luna tried to remain positive, as everything else was going well. She was finally starting to feel like herself again, and she planned to go back to the United States with the mindset that only her relationship with Hunter matter. She would figure out how to deal with the paparazzi.

That day, Luna decided to try to call Hunter again, and when she looked down at her phone, she noticed that she had three missed calls from him. Worried that something was wrong, Luna quickly dialed Hunter's number and waited for him to pick up the phone. He never called that many times in a row. When she heard his voice, she knew that something was wrong. The trembling of his voice was palpable, and her heart began to race.

“Hunter?” Luna said, worried. “Hunter, what is it, darling? Are you okay?”

Hunter stayed silent for a moment. She could tell that he was trying to gather his thoughts. He sounded as if he was holding back tears. She hated that she was not there with him.

“It is Adam,” Hunter said sadly. “Adam is in the hospital. He’s not doing well. They are still trying to figure out what is wrong, but he’s in the hospital, Luna.”

“It will be okay,” Luna said, trying to calm Hunter. “It will be okay, honey. The doctors will figure everything out.”

“I can’t lose him,” Hunter said, trying to hold back tears. “I can’t lose him, Luna. I can’t lose him too. I have already lost so much.”

“You aren’t going to lose anyone else,” Luna said calmly. “I promise you that you aren’t going to lose anyone else.”

After they hung up, Luna quickly began packing her belongings. Hearing the noise, Lisa hurried in and asked what was going on. Luna wasn’t scheduled to leave Guatemala for another week, so watching her pack in such a hurry made Lisa aware that something was wrong.

Luna explained the situation to her sister and tried to remain calm while explaining the details. However, she was scared. She loved Adam like a son and did not want anything bad to happento him. Yet, she also knew that she had to be strong for Hunter right now. Hunter needed her support; he needed her to remain calm and collected. Freaking out would not solve anything. Luna had to be strong for Hunter, and that was exactly what she was going to do.

Lisa told her sister that she understood and that she supported her decision to leave Guatemala early. Overall, the trip back to her native country was a good one. Luna had reconnected with her mother and felt stronger in her relationship with not only her mother but with her sister as well. However, now she had to go back to the United States and face not only the photographers but Adam's sickness as well. It would be a lot to handle, but Luna was determined to face the issues head-on.

“Be strong for him,” Lisa told her sister. “Remember how much you love him and Adam, and don’t forget to call. We are here for you.”

Lisa helped Luna finish packing her belongings, and they managed to book her a flight back to the United States for later that evening. As Lisa watched her sister go through airport security, she knew Luna had only one thing on her mind: getting back to Hunter.

The flight back to America was long and filled with anxiety. She could not stop worrying about Adam, and she wished that she had been able to be there with him at the hospital from the beginning. He was a healthy child. Where was this illness coming from? She hoped and prayed that nothing serious was wrong with him. She knew that this had to be hard for Hunter. It would be hard for any parent to see their child sick, but Hunter had spent so much time in hospitals already. She was sure that the situation with his wife was in his mind.

Hunter had often told Luna about how much he hated hospitals since his wife died. He had spent countless nights in them, waiting for his wife to wake up, feeling better suddenly. That never happened. He had experienced so much loss in hospitals, and he did not view them as places where people went to get better. He viewed hospitals as places where people went to die. She looked down at her watch. She still had two more hours until the plane landed.

While Luna was still on the plane, Hunter was sitting in the hospital. He was waiting for the doctors to give him an update. He needed her there. She was the only one who could comfort him during this great time of need. He feared his son being sick, and he feared being alone. He felt that his greatest fears were coming true, and there was nothing he could do to stop it from happening.

As Hunter sat there, he fought to keep his mind from going to the darkest places, but fear crept into every corner of his thoughts. He pictured his wife alone and unconscious in the hospital, unaware of the love that surrounded her. Hunter hoped his son wasn’t feeling the same way—he wanted him to know he wasn’t alone during this difficult time. Yet, Hunter was helpless, unable to see him while the doctors and nurses performed their urgent tasks. Tests were being run, and all Hunter could do was sit in the waiting room, restless and desperate for any bit of news. He glanced around, the emptiness of the room only amplifying his worry. And one question gnawed at him: where was Luna?

Hunter was confused and distraught. He leaned forward and placed his face in his hands. The stress of the situation was getting to him. He tried not to cry, but he didn’t know if he couldhelp it. Hunter hated being vulnerable, let alone crying in public, but this situation caused dire circumstances to be forgiven. Hunter needed someone to rely on. As he was holding back his tears, he heard the footsteps of someone walking towards him.

He looked up and saw scrubs, the typical professional uniform of a doctor, and saw the serious face of a medical professional. He could tell that the news was not good, and he did not want to face this news alone. However, it seemed that he was left with no choice but to shoulder this burden alone, at least until Luna arrived home from Guatemala. He waited for the doctor to speak first, hoping that he had misinterpreted his emotions. Perhaps it was not as serious as he made it out to be. Just as he was talking himself out of feeling distraught, his mind quickly wandered back to seeing Adam sick in a hospital bed.

However, what the doctor had to say was serious indeed. The doctor told Hunter all of the symptoms that Adam was experiencing. Adam had frequent episodes of pain and anemia, which was causing him fatigue, paleness, and weakness. Hunter tried to digest the words that were coming out of the doctor’s mouth, but the negative results just kept coming at him. The doctor told Hunter that they had just discovered that Adam had jaundice, which was causing the yellowing of his skin and the whites of his eyes. The above symptoms were the reasons for his son’s swollen hands and feet, as well as his fever, which was the reason Hunter brought his son to the hospital.