I knew we shouldn’t have gone out tonight. As half a bottle of beer trickles down my back, the intoxicated guy behind me starts off apologizing, but he ends up babbling incoherently instead. He must’ve started drinking before noon and he’s still going. Overindulgence at its extreme.
I’m not a big drinker. I’m not a prude or anything, and I like to kick back with a cold one every now and then. But on the job, I have seen far too often the effects of driving under the influence. And it’s usually the innocent person who happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, who ends up paying the price for someone else’s bad behavior. I seriously hope this slobbering asshole isn’t getting behind the wheel anytime soon.
“Uh oh, did you morph into drill sergeant mode on me?” Brian jokes. “C’mon bro, it’s only a little spilled beer. We didn’t even get up to the bar yet. Don’t let that prick ruin your night before we even get started.”
“I’m not, but like I said, I’m gonna stick to non-alcoholic beverages tonight. After getting a look at the condition that guy’s in—you’re not gonna change my mind,” I respond.
“All right, all right, already. Jeez, loosen up. Will ya? You’re more straight-laced than a spinster schoolmarm out on the prairie,” Brian laughs.
Ever since we were kids, Brian has always gotten on my case about following the rules and doing the right thing. He isn’t exactly a rebel himself, but in comparison he makes me look like a Boy Scout. I’m used to it though, and he isn’t going to pressure me into taking risks I don’t want to take. I can’t afford to lose my job.
“Gimme a Guinness and a Shirley Temple for my brother here,” Brian tells the skimpily clad female bartender.
“A Coke would be fine,” I say to her as she smiles up at Brian.
“Be right back, fellas,” she responds.
“Since you find it so amusing to belittle me in public, the first round’s on you,” I state.
“My pleasure, bro. I’d crack a joke at your expense any day if it would get the attention of a fine piece of ass like that,” Brian responds.
“Watch it now, or I’ll have to tell Kelly you’re up to no good.”
“She has nothing to worry about. I’m only looking. Yeah, I’m in a relationship, but I’m not dead.”
“Not yet.”
As the bartender returns with our drinks, Brian pays the tab without any unnecessary flirting, and we move down to the end of the bar. Just when I’m going to ask him how long he plans on staying, I feel someone tap me on the back.
“Adam, oh my God. Funny seeing you here.”
It’s Suzanne, and she looks…amazing. Her hair gleams under the lights and she is dressed head to toe in black. She’s wearing a sweater that shows off her curves and tight jeans that accentuate her long legs clad in sexy thigh-high leather boots. The only hint of green comes from an emerald pendant around her neck.
“And who is this lovely lady?” Brian inquires. “Adam, are you gonna introduce us?”
I’m momentarily tongue-tied, and I have to admit, turned on. I have to pull myself together or Brian will never let me hear the end of it.
“Yeah, Suzanne, this is my brother, Brian. Brian, this is Suzanne. She works at the reception desk over at General’s ER,” I respond.
“Nice to meet you, Brian. I can see good looks run in the family,” Suzanne replies.
I blush. Is she coming on to me? This feels different from all the times we flirted with each other at the hospital. More intense, more significant…like we are walking down a dangerous path.
“You got that right, and let me say no woman in this bar looks hotter than you do tonight,” Brian proclaims, carrying on the banter.
“Why, thank you, Brian. At least one brother has the sense to pay me a compliment,” Suzanne asserts, looking me in the eye.
“Suzanne, you know you look good. You don’t need me to say it,” I respond.
“Oh, but I do, Adam. I want to hear it from you, most of all,” she relates.
“I think I’ll leave you two kids alone for a minute,” Brian announces, moving in the direction of the crowd gathered around the live band.
Man, I don’t know if I’m ready to see where this conversation is going. Why can’t Brian help me out before leaving me on my own with her? It’s not like I’m
not
into her, but she’s never come on so strong before. I have a feeling if she doesn’t get what she wants, then walking into General isn’t going to be such a comfortable situation any more. I have to watch my step.
“Adam, why is your shirt all wet?” she asks, running her hand down my back.
I jerk unconsciously. Did she just feel me up?
“What’s the matter? Am I getting you excited?” she challenges.
Before I can issue a response, a woman standing on the opposite side of me yells into her cell phone, “Katie Turner, you answer me! What’s going on?”
This can’t be happening. From her bedside, I watch Grandma’s chest rise and fall. She is still alive, but barely.
I received a call out of the blue from the nurse on duty. She said Grandma had taken a sudden turn for the worse, could I come in immediately?
It’s all a blur. I couldn’t get Dad, so I called Jennifer. I don’t know what I said. I can’t even remember driving over here in my car. In a split second, my world turned upside down.
A whistling sound rattles out of Grandma’s windpipe, like her life force is slowly easing its way out of her body.
“Honey, we called the ambulance, and they’re on their way. We’re going to try to get her to the hospital, but you’re gonna have to prepare yourself,” the nurse says, reentering the room.
“How can this be happening? I was just here about an hour ago and she was fine,” I exclaim.
“She’s been failing for a while now. Sure, she’s had her good days, but overall we’ve been noticing a steady deterioration in her condition,” the nurse responds.
“Yeah, she’s been awfully tired lately, but I didn’t think it was any cause for concern. Why weren’t we consulted if she had taken a turn for the worse?” I ask.
“Well, according to her chart, her legal guardian was consulted. It’s your father, correct?” she asks.
“Yes, but he never mentioned anything about it…to me,” I gasp, trying to keep my tears at bay.
The nurse’s eyes soften as we both come to the realization that I was left in the dark. Purposely shut out of how dire the situation was. The seriousness of what I am witnessing begins to take hold. I collapse, leaning forward onto the bed.
“I’m so sorry, miss. He should have told you. Wait here. Let me try getting your father on the phone again. You shouldn’t have to deal with this all by yourself,” the nurse says, backing out of the room, obviously nervous about being placed in an uncomfortable position.
“But she doesn’t realize…now I’m always going to be alone,” I say, staring at Grandma, willing her eyes to open.
“Please Grandma…don’t leave me…not now…please hang on…please try!” I beg.
A stillness comes over the room as the whistling sound stops. And just like that, she is gone.
My knuckles turn white as I grasp the bedspread. In a state of utter panic, I hysterically begin to scream. Sobs rack my body.
This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening.
Just when I think I can’t take any more, a pair of strong arms grabs me from behind drawing me into the safety of their embrace.
“Excuse me, did you say Katie Turner?” I ask.
“Yeah…sorry, but I don’t have time to stop and chat. My grandmother took a turn for the worse, and I have to get the hell out of here,” she responds, obviously distracted.
“Adam, hello? Are you seriously going to start talking to another girl right now?” Suzanne asks, from behind me.
“Was she in a car accident not too long ago?” I continue, before Katie’s relative can turn around.
“Okay, who are you?” she demands, getting up in my face.
“Are you freaking kidding me, Adam?” Suzanne threatens, but I ignore her.
“I was driving the ambulance that picked up your grandmother and Katie,” I explain, anxiously.
“Oh…you’re the guy that…” she mutters, a look of recognition sweeping across her face.
“You know what, Adam? Screw you,” Suzanne whispers, her mouth next to my ear. She is standing on tiptoe, grasping my shoulder. She pushes me away before moving toward the exit.
Before I can utter another word, my cell phone rings. Looking Katie’s relative straight in the eyes, I hold up one finger pleading with her not to move. I check the caller ID. It’s Charlie. I quickly answer it.
“Charlie, what’s going on? I’m kind of in the middle of something. Can I call you back?” I ask.
“Listen kid, we’re swamped with all of these parade incidents…fights, accidents…you name it. I hate to do this to you on your night off, but they’re wondering if you’re downtown, can you take a unit to a nursing home call? You’ll need to meet the crew at the station in the next ten minutes or so. Are you close by?” he inquires.
“Yeah, I can make it if I leave right now,” I say, as my stomach drops. I have a feeling I know where this call is going. “What’s the destination?”
“Shady Hill,” he relates.
“Okay, Charlie, I’m on it,” I exclaim, before hanging up.
Katie’s relative stands in front of me, waiting for me to finish.
“Is your grandmother by any chance at Shady Hill?” I question.
“Yes,” she whispers. This time, she doesn’t even question how I obtained that information. She seems willing to accept whatever role I am destined to play in this scenario.
“Walk with me to the exit while I talk, will you?” I request.
She proceeds to follow me, albeit it somewhat warily.
“I need to respond to a call at Shady Hill,” I relate. “I think it’s your grandmother. The station is just down the block, and the fastest way to get there would be to come with me now. You can call the people you are with from the ambulance and tell them what’s going on. There’s no time to waste.”
“Okay,” she replies. I don’t know why she trusts me, but she does.
Neither of us have our coats, so the briskness of the evening assaults us as we move out of the hot, stuffy bar and onto the street. I grab her hand and start to run. She doesn’t hesitate, keeping pace with me as we dodge people on the crowded sidewalk. Out of breath, we arrive at the station garage. The door is already up and the ambulance’s engine is running.
Passing through the headlights, I hop into the driver’s seat and glance back into the cab.
Great, I have a one-man crew consisting of Chuck.
I don’t even ask if he is ready. Katie’s relative is in the front passenger seat, and as soon as her door closes, I take off.
“Hey douchebag, you don’t even know where we’re going,” Chuck yells as he nearly gets thrown off his feet. “Slow down!”
“Charlie already clued me in, thanks,” I mutter.
“I know we’re short-staffed tonight, but I would have to get stuck with the bottom of the barrel. You better watch yourself,” Chuck threatens.
“Or what? You’re gonna tell your uncle? Get me fired?” I shoot back.
“Guys, cool it, would ya? My grandma’s in serious condition, and I really don’t need this right now,” Katie’s relative interjects.
“And what are you doing with a passenger anyway, dickhead?” Chuck continues.
“I’m not a passenger. I’m Jennifer, the granddaughter of the victim. I have every right to be here. So I suggest you shut up,” she shouts back.
In the rearview mirror, I can see Chuck’s face turning red. But instead of saying another word, he slouches down in his seat, pulls out his iPod, and proceeds to ignore us. Well, at least with his earbuds in, I can talk to Jennifer with some level of privacy.
“So it is nepotism at its finest with him, huh?” she asks.
“You could say that,” I agree.
Clearly nervous, she still manages a chuckle. “Well, I’m glad you’re the driver and not him. Katie spoke very highly of you.”
Her passing remark floors me.
She did?
“Listen, Katie’s my cousin, more like a sister, really. I know her like the back of my hand, and for her to even mention a guy, that says a lot,” she explains. “She doesn’t have the easiest life, and I have a feeling it’s about to get a lot harder, so I know she’s gonna need people around she can depend on, who will be there for her no matter what. I don’t know you at all, but if you made an impression on her, you can’t be that bad.”
She pauses to see what effect her words are having on me. I am startled, pleased, frightened, encouraged. To sum up, I am freaking out.
“When I’m upset, I tend to talk and talk and talk. I say whatever comes to mind. I am probably babbling right now, and you might think I’m a total whack job, but for some strange reason Katie cares about you,” she continues. “She feels a connection to you. And I know how rare these things can be. You have to grab these moments in life and take advantage of them. I love Katie with all my heart, and if you feel anything for her, anything at all, please be that guy she thinks you are.”
I remain silent. It is a lot to take in. Katie thinks about me, too. Can this really be possible? Apparently, she feels as strongly about me as I do about her. At least her cousin seems to think so.
“Please say something,” she begs.
We are here. I take a deep breath as I drive the ambulance up to Shady Hill’s front door. There is no time to waste if there is any hope of saving her grandmother. But before I get out, I say to Jennifer, “I’ll try.”
Seeing Chuck moving in the back, I turn around in time to see a smirk plastered on his face.
He heard every word.
Instead of waiting for me, he opens the rear door and starts to unload the stretcher.
At this point, I don’t care about proper procedure. I have to get to Katie.
“C’mon,” I urge Jennifer as we disembark from the ambulance and head to the front door.
“These damn locks,” she cries as we wait for someone to buzz us in. As soon as we hear the click, we rush through the door. A heart-wrenching scream pierces the air. It’s a sound that will haunt me for the rest of my life. It is the most agonizing thing I’ve ever heard.
Jennifer stops right outside the first door and looks in. “Oh my God,” she whispers.
I move closer and look over her shoulder. There, in a heap next to the bed, is Katie, crying as if she will never feel whole again. Deep, mournful sobs issue from her as what appears to be her grandmother’s now lifeless body rests on the bed.
Without thinking, I move by Jennifer and into the room. I cannot stand by and watch Katie suffer this amount of pain alone. I want to comfort her. I want to take this all away. I want her to know that she is loved.
Leaning down, I pull her into my arms. I will never let her go. Not now, not ever.