Page 28 of First Comes Marriage
“Wait until after we’ve hit before you bail out. The chopper will momentarily balance out somewhat and that’s the time to go. Do your best to get away from it so you’re not sucked down, butsince the likelihood of injury is rather high, focus on making sure your life vest inflates and you get the beacon on. When you hear another chopper, deploy the flare gun. Godspeed, Dex. Fuck, I hate this, it’s going to break Emily’s heart.”
Reaching over, I clutch his shoulder and say, “We’re both getting out of this one, man. Doesn’t matter if we’re hurt or crippled, our women will be grateful that we’re on this side of the grass.”
He gives me a wry grin and nods. “You’re right. Okay, impact any second.”
I brace as best as I can, my heart racing so wildly that I’m concerned it’s going to explode before we hit the water. Fortunately, that doesn’t happen.
Unfortunately, the pain is so excruciating, I black out before I can deploy my flare gun.
I come to, unaware of how much time has lapsed and even though it feels like every bone in my body was ground up then shoved back inside of me, I painstakingly manage to move my hand to my shoulder and ensure the beacon is flashing. One arm is virtually useless and I’m grateful as hell that the life vest did its job by deploying upon impact. Otherwise, I’d already be nothing more than a memory to my family and friends. At least this way, I’m alive and can live to fight another day, so to speak.
It takes what feels like an eternity for me to reach into the life vest for the flare gun, but I finally have my fingers wrapped around it, looking up as best as I possibly can when I hear the sound of rotors coming in fast. Gritting my teeth against theunfathomable agony in my hand, I manage to fire the flare gun, then slump somewhat backward so I’m floating and not face first in the ocean. As my vision begins to haze over again, I spot another bright yellow life vest to my left and realize that Rex made it out as well. I can’t tell if he’s alive or merely unconscious and it hurts too much to speak out loud. My ears are also ringing as I can still hear mini explosions coming from the rig that blew up.
From somewhere right above me, I hear a voice coming from a speaker system. “Help is on the way, hold on!”
Yeah, I’m holding on.
To the promise of getting home.
But most of all, to the promise of mine and Jolie’s future.
It doesn’t take long for a Coast Guard guardian, I think they’re called, to reach my side, a carrying basket dangling just above his head. “We’re here, can you tell me your name?” he asks as he quickly stabilizes my neck with a C-spine collar.
“Dex Armstrong,” I manage to stutter out between my chattering teeth.
“Mr. Armstrong, we’re going to get you and your friend out of here and back to safety. I can see some of your injuries, what else hurts?”
My chuckle is definitely weak; I have no idea how long it’s been since impact, but I close my eyes and mentally do a full body check. “I… my legs feel like they’re in a million pieces, I can’t move my arm, the other side, I’m pretty sure my shoulder’s dislocated, and if my taste buds are correct, I’ve got gashes and lacerations on my face and in my head.”
He whistles as he efficiently maneuvers the basket closer. “I’d say you’re spot on. Not gonna lie, this is going to hurt like a bitch, Mr. Armstrong-”
I interrupt him and say, “Dex. Mr. Armstrong was my dad.”
“Well, Dex, here’s hoping that you pass out on the way up because the winds are going to make every little movement feel like you’re slamming into a brick wall. Rest assured, we’ll give you pain meds once we’re onboard and have done as thorough of an assessment as we possibly can.”
“Any survivors on the rig?” I ask to try and distract myself from the sheer agony of feeling myself lifted out of the water by two people, the other apparently having just rappelled down to assist, then carefully but quickly, loaded into the basket and strapped down. The C-spine collar keeps me from looking anywhere but up, so I don’t see the looks they give one another.
“No, sir, it doesn’t appear that anyone survived that blast. In fact, you and your friend might just be the luckiest two men on the planet at this time.”
Since talking now has me feeling as though I’m trying to swim in mud, I merely blink. “My wife? Does she know?” I manage to ask as my old friend, unconsciousness beckons.
“She’s being notified at this time, I believe.”
“Good.”
I drift in and out of unconsciousness on the way to the hospital and am thrilled as hell when the doctor there determines it’ssafe to give me stronger pain medication. Life may not be all that great right now, but the agony I was in is at least down to a dull roar, which I can live with for the time being. I know I’m waiting for surgery as they’re assembling a trauma team due to my extensive injuries, but I’m aware that Rex has already been operated on and is in recovery.
God, I wonder how Jolie took the news, my discombobulated mind whispers. I know her biggest fear is that everyone always leaves her and through no fault of my own, I was damn near one of those people.I haven’t even told her that my feelings for her have changed, that I love her and want to spend the rest of my life with her by my side.
Hopefully, barring any infection setting in, I’ll be able to have that conversation with her in the near future. That’s if she still wants me around because I suspect life as I know it will forever be changed.
The nurse comes in and cheerfully states, “It’s your turn, Mr. Armstrong. Let’s go and get you all fixed up now, shall we?”
“Sounds like a good plan to me.”
Chapter Seventeen
Jolie
