“Better to bruise on the outside than on the inside,” I said, to comfort her. And myself.
Josie was pretty flustered. “She was making French toast,” Josie said,her voice incredulous at the memory, “and then she froze for a second, and then she kind of snapped in half and dropped. It was so fast. And the sound of her head hitting that counter…” Josie made a sob-like noise. “I ran to her, but I didn’t know what to do. I’d never seen anything like it.”
“She’s lucky you were there,” I said. “How long did it last?”
“I don’t know,” Josie said. “Two minutes? Three? It felt like a thousand. Can you come?” she asked. “Right now?”
“Of course,” I said. “I’m on my way.”
Before I’d even pressedEND, Owen was helping me to my feet. He knew something was up, but he didn’t ask. He handed me the crutches Tiny had found.
I moved toward the guys, who were all still gathered around the table. My whole body felt wobbly, but I forced it to work right, mind-over-matter style.
“Could I speak to you, Captain?” I asked.
The guys all fell silent. They recognized the sound of panic in my voice. They all turned to watch me.
The captain heard it, too. “Shoot,” he said.
“My mother’s had a seizure,” I said.
He nodded, all business. “Is she at Fairmont?”
“They’ve taken her to Rockport County.”
The captain nodded. “We’ve got you covered, Hanwell. Get your things, and we’ll call in somebody from B-shift.”
“Thank you,” I said.
As I hobbled away, getting my bearings with the crutches, the captain called out after me, “Hanwell!”
I turned back.
“Anything you need, anything at all… it’s yours.”
Then the captain told Case to give me an escort. And to use the lights and sirens.
AT THE HOSPITAL,Josie was waiting outside my mother’s room, nursing a paper cup of tea with the tag still hanging over the side.
“What happened to you?” she said, when she saw the crutches.
“Tiny sprain,” I said. “Don’t even feel it.”
I moved toward the closed door, but Josie whispered, “She’s sleeping now.”
“Any word on the assessment?” I asked.
Josie said, “No head injury that they can see.”
“That’s good,” I said, nodding in approval.
“They want to keep her overnight,” Josie said, “for observation.”
Josie looked shaken. Her expression had that intensity people get in emergencies—when every detail matters. It hadn’t been an easy few hours, and that kind of stress is never good for you, but when you’re just into your third trimester, it’s maybe a little worse.
The sight of her gave me an impulse that I gave in to: I volunteered for a hug for the first time in a decade. “You did great,” I said, wrapping my arms around her and giving a squeeze. “You did just fine.”
“I needed that,” she said when I let go.
