13. Luke
luke
. . .
As my phone buzzed, I was surprised to see Ed’s number on it. It wasn’t often that he called me—if there was anyone to call from my family, it was my older brother, Landon, who worked as a doctor at the hospital in the nearby city of Rockwood. Still, I picked up without a moment of hesitation, worried that something had happened.
“Ed? Is everything all right?”
“Not really, Luke. I’m calling because Eve was hurt.” My heart dropped in my chest.
“Hurt? How? Is she?—”
“She fell from the ladder in her living room. I told her a million times to wait for me when she needs to get things like that done, but you know what she’s like.” He sighed.
“Is she going to be okay?” I quickly asked, and then a nagging question popped into my mind. “Is Lucy okay?”
“That’s why I’m calling. Lucy’s pretty shaken up. I was there when Eve was taken in the ambulance, and she couldn’t stop crying. I’m pretty sure she’s still crying in the hospital, so she could use a shoulder to cry on. I don’t want her to be alone.”
“I got it,” I said, grabbing my jacket already. Thankfully, I was done with my shift at the medical tent. “They’re in Rockwood, right?”
“Yeah. I already called Landon, too. To keep an eye on her and all. I’m still not done with my shift, but I’ll be there when I finish work.”
“Don’t worry about it.” I rushed toward my car. “I’ll keep an eye on both of them.”
It took me thirty-five minutes to get to the Rockwood General Hospital. On my way there, I called Landon, who, for once, didn’t return my call. I hoped it meant he was in with Lucy’s mom. As I ran into the waiting room, I found her seated at one of the plastic chairs, with her arms wrapped around her as she sobbed inconsolably. Her eyes were red from crying, and her nose from blowing it. The sight was enough to shatter my heart.
“Lucy…” I called out as I walked over to her. The moment I was beside her, my arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. And she let me. She sobbed into my chest, unable to string together a sentence, and I gave her all the time she needed. “She’s going to be okay, Luce,” I promised. I knew Landon would do everything he could to ensure she got the best care possible. “And you will be fine, too. I’ll stay with you.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, sniffling. “But you don’t have to. I’m sure you have a million things you need to do…” Despite her words, she was still gripping me tightly and not letting go. Nothing I needed to do could compare to this—being by her side when she needed me. I missed out on a chance to do it for a decade, and I wasn’t about to let it happen now.
“Why don’t I go find Landon to see what’s happening with your mom?”
She looked up at me with a slight nod.
My hand clasped around hers. “Come with me,” I told her, not wanting to leave her alone for a second. For as long as I could remember, it had always been just her and her mom, so it wasn’t surprising that this left her completely shaken up.
Lucy was silent as we strolled toward my brother’s office. Just when I was about to knock, the door opened, and I nearly bumped into him. While I had the darker traits in the family and Logan lighter, Landon was in the perfect middle, with warm, brown hair and brown eyes to match. He was a few inches taller than me, too.
“I was just about to come find you,” he said. Lucy started sobbing again, but I knew my brother’s expression. The news he was about to deliver wasn’t bad.
“How is she?” Lucy barely managed to force the words out between the sobs.
“Lucy,” my brother said, placing his hand on her shoulder. “She’s okay. She’s in surgery right now. The fall was pretty bad, and she broke her bones in multiple areas. The recovery before her will be lengthy, but she’s in stable condition. We suspect she may have a concussion, too, but that’s about it. After her surgery, she’ll need to stay in the hospital for a few days…” Landon trailed off as Lucy buried her face into my chest. The sobs intensified, but it was the relieved kind. Landon and I exchanged a glance—one where I told him I’d take care of her, and he was free to go. He nodded, then moved down the long hallway to see his next patient while I held Lucy with promises that everything would be all right.