27. Henry
27
HENRY
‘H ello?’ Henry called as he opened the front door and let himself inside. ‘It’s me, Henry. I’ve come to see if you fancy going?—’
His words trailed away as he looked at the scene in the kitchen.
‘Rosa?’
She looked up from Christopher and his heart sank at her red eyes, her blotchy cheeks and at Christopher lying on the floor. Bobby was curled up next to his master. He looked up at Henry but didn’t move apart from a small wag of his tail.
‘Henry! Please help. The ambulance is on the way.’
He dashed to her side and knelt next to her, touched a hand to Christopher’s neck.
‘He’s alive,’ he said, relief rushing through him. ‘But he’s cold. I’ll get blankets.’
Henry ran through to the hallway and unlocked the door for when the paramedics arrived, then went to the lounge and grabbed the crocheted blankets off the back of the sofa. In the kitchen, he wrapped them carefully around Christopher then stroked his forehead.
‘Come on, Christopher. You’ll be OK. We’re here with you and Bobby.’ Christopher’s eyelids flickered and a ray of hope stirred in Henry. ‘That’s it, Christopher. Stay with us.’
Rosa covered her mouth with a hand, and he heard her gulp. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her to him.
‘It will be OK,’ he said, and she peered up at him through tear-filled eyes. She looked terrified, and he wished he could take away her fears. But right now, all they could do was wait.
A voice came from Rosa’s phone and she replied to it. The call handler was still on the line and was letting her know the ambulance was seconds away.
Soon, there was a knock at the door, and the emergency team entered the kitchen. Henry helped Rosa to stand, and he picked Bobby up, then they moved out of the way while the paramedics performed their assessment. Rosa and Henry answered their questions, and then Rosa asked if she could go in the ambulance with Christopher.
It felt like years were passing while it happened, but it was only minutes, and soon, Christopher was strapped to the stretcher and covered with a blanket. Rosa climbed into the ambulance, and they drove away. Henry locked up the house, then took Bobby to the bookshop. He would ask Vinnie to watch the small dog while he went to join Rosa.
He went into automatic pilot while he drove, unable to let the fear that Christopher would pass away consume him or he would fall apart, and right now, Rosa and Christopher needed him. There would be time enough to let his sorrow consume him later. For now, he had to be strong for the people he loved.