It was only six o’clock, but I supposed it felt later than it actually was because it was dark out.
“It’s fine. What’s going on?” I asked, my heart beating faster from the panic in her voice.
“It’s your father, Em. He had a heart attack, and he’s being rushed to the hospital.”
My world closed in on me until it was just the two of us. “What?” I whispered.
“He’s been complaining about his left arm and shoulder hurting all day today.” Mom tried to keep her voice calm, but it cracked a few times as she held back from sobbing. “When he collapsed, I called 911. I’ll keep you updated, honey.”
My blood roared in my ears, and I turned around to look at Dimitri, who had left the kitchen and stood three feet away from me. “What hospital?”
“Honey, no. You shouldn’t go out in the weather. The streets are dangerous right now.”
I shook my head. “Please, tell me. I can’t sit around and wait. What if he...?” I swallowed the word, afraid of uttering it because if I did, it might happen.
Mom stayed silent for a few seconds before she sighed. “Tulane Medical Center. Please be careful, honey. I don’t want anything to happen to you, too.”
“I promise nothing will happen. I’m in good hands,” I said with tears forming in my eyes. We hung up, and I turned to Dimitri. “We need to go. My dad...” My voice cracked, and a tear slipped down my cheek.
He closed the space between us and cupped my face. “It’s dangerous out there.”
I sniffled and curled my fingers into the jacket on his chest. “I know you’ll get me there safely.Please, Dimitri.”
He stared at me for a few silent heartbeats.
“If you don’t take me, then I’m going on my own,” I said as I backed away, but he pulled me back with his hands still on my cheeks.
Scowling at me, he growled, “I’m punishing you later tonight for this.”
I nodded and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him. “Okay. I’m fine with that.”
He kissed me back. It was brief but held so much meaning in it. There was worry, love, and anger all mixed into one turbulent kiss. Drawing away, he nodded toward my jacket I had thrown over the back of the couch.
“Put that on.”
I lunged for it, quickly put it on, and followed him to the front door. He grabbed his keys from the hook and opened the door, letting me go first.
The wind whipped at us, and snow blinded me as I carefully stepped off the porch. Dimitri grabbed my hand and led me to his car. He opened the door for me and waited as I sat on the cold leather seat and buckled my seatbelt. He closed the door, and I waited as patiently as possible as he cleaned off the snow from the windows before climbing behind the wheel. I shivered, and not just because of the cold. I was scared my dad might die. More tears formed in my eyes, stinging them from the freezing air.
Please be okay. Please be okay,I prayed, hoping Dad held on.
Dimitri turned the ignition and gave it some gas to pull out of the driveway. It struggled, the wheels whirling and trying to find some traction, but we managed to get on the street. Dimitri took it slow. I wanted to yell at him to hurry, but we’d wind up in a ditch if he did.
I checked my phone repeatedly on our way there, looking for a text from Mom. Each time I was let down but also relieved. No news was good news.
“I should have used the shadows,” Dimitri muttered as the tires skidded in the snow, not gaining traction as we passed a four-way stoplight.
“Would you have been able to?” I hadn’t thought about him using his powers to get to the hospital, but someone could see us pop into a room through them. That’d raise the alarms and most likely make it on the news. If I knew Dimitri well enough, he’d likely kill everyone who saw us appear from the shadows.
“I would have risked someone spotting us,” he said, confirming my thoughts.
We stopped at another red light. Snow blew around us, the headlights illuminating a white wall. I could barely make out the red light. The hair on the back of my neck stood, and I glanced around, worried that something terrible might happen.
Mom wasn’t kidding. It was dangerous out there.
The light turned green, and Dimitri gave the car some gas. The wheels spun, but we didn’t move. I curled my fingers into my lap, my heart picking up into a gallop as Dimitri gave the car more gas, and finally, we gained traction. Snow crunched under the tires, and something caught my eye. I looked out my window, squinting at the side mirror and spotting a yellow light approaching behind us, closer and closer.
“Dimitri,” I whispered.
