Chapter 4 #2
Bella pointed to a plastic bag that hung on a wall hook. “Everything’s in there. Let me help to get you into bed.”
Gripping the back of his hospital gown to keep it closed, he rose from the wheelchair and sat on the bed. As he stretched out his legs, he said, “That’s better.”
Bella pulled up the white blankets and asked, “Do you need anything?”
There was only one thing he needed and that was to know about Lucy Harris. They’d ridden together in the ambulance but had been taken to different exam rooms once they made it to the hospital. He asked, “Are there any updates about the woman who I pulled from the fire? Her name is Lucy Harris.”
“You know I can’t say anything because of privacy laws,” she said. “Anything else?”
“If I give you permission, can you tell my mom that I’m okay?” Certainly, his mother was waiting for news.
“I’ll let her know.” Pushing the wheelchair by the handles, she walked out of his room. Her shoes squeaked with each step.
He wondered about Lucy, where she was and how she was doing.
But mostly, he wondered if he would get to see her again.
Before he could even think of a plan, Ryan appeared in his doorway.
But he wasn’t alone. The fire chief, Charles Kane, was with him.
Everything about Charles “Chuck” Kane was big.
He was well over six feet five inches and had a chest like a barrel.
He even had a big, booming voice. But his laugh was bigger.
He’d come up through the ranks and been Red Grove’s fire chief for nearly a decade.
Aiden wasn’t ready for the responsibility of being chief yet, but he wasn’t ashamed to admit that whenever Chuck retired, he hoped to get the job.
“I can’t leave you alone for a minute,” said Chuck, stepping into the room. He extended his large hand for Aiden to shake. “You did good tonight.”
“I did what anyone would’ve done.” Aiden pressed his palm to Chuck’s.
“I’m not sure that I agree with that,” said Ryan. “But if it wasn’t for you, Lucy wouldn’t have made it out of that barn alive.”
The room suddenly got cold. “Everyone survived,” he said. “That’s all that matters.”
“Tell me what happened,” said Chuck.
“I went to the carnival at the Five Steers Ranch with my family. I smelled smoke and hopped onto a table to get a better look. From there, I could see that one of the outbuildings was on fire. Lucy’s grandfather told us she was inside.
Ryan and I found a place in the wall where I could get through. So, I did.”
“He forgot to mention how he calmed down the crowd. Told everyone to stay off the phone and to stay put so they wouldn’t cause a traffic jam,” Ryan added.
“Like I said, you did good. You’re an excellent firefighter. Of course, being good at your job means you’ll have to fill out a report about what happened. How’s that for a reward?” Chuck laughed at his own joke.
“I’ll take care of it first thing in the morning,” said Aiden.
Ryan held up a tablet computer. “I need to go over your test results before I let you get out of here.”
Chuck said, “Let me get going so I can talk to Lucy Harris.”
“Can you hold up a minute?” Aiden asked before he’d even decided in his mind to speak. “I’d like to see what Lucy has to say as well.”
Going with the chief to get her statement wasn’t exactly what he wanted. But he’d do anything just to see her again.
“I don’t know if you want me hanging around while you get all your test results,” said the chief.
Being a firefighter meant staying physically fit. If something was wrong, which he doubted, then Chuck would find out soon enough. “I don’t care if you stay as long as it’s okay with Ryan.”
“They’re your records,” said his future brother-in-law. “Whatever is okay with you is fine with me.”
“I’m good.” After all, Aiden had nothing to hide.
“Let’s start with the good news. You didn’t break any bones. You have some contusions. A couple of first-degree burns. But nothing that’s alarming or unexpected.”
“So, are you good or lucky?” Chuck asked.
“Maybe a little of both,” said Aiden.
Ryan continued, “We did a CT scan, which you know. The best news is that there’s no bleeding on the brain.”
That was excellent news, really. “Are you ready to cut me loose, then?”
“Hold on a minute,” said Ryan. “I said I was going to start with the good news. Now, I’ve got bad news.”
Aiden sank back into the bed. “What is it?”
“Even though nothing showed up on imaging, I’m treating you as if you have a concussion. In fact, I’m positive that you have one. You lost consciousness for several minutes.”
He’d worked as a firefighter long enough to know that a concussion was a serious brain injury—one that needed time to heal. Still, he felt fine. “I’m not letting a bump on my head put me on the sidelines. I’m supposed to be at work tomorrow.”
“You know the department’s policy. Anyone injured on the job is placed on medical leave for two weeks,” his boss said, as if he needed the reminder. “That’s especially true of a head injury.”
“Two weeks.” The next fourteen days stretched out like an endless desert. What was Aiden supposed to do without a job for two weeks?
“Taking it easy for a couple of weeks seems best to me,” said Ryan. “You might have headaches. Sensitivity to light and sound. Take over the counter pain meds for the headaches. Find some place dim and quiet to rest as much as you can.”
“At least I can still look into the fire at the ranch,” said Aiden.
Chuck shook his head. “No can do, my friend. You heard what the doctor said. You need to rest.”
“I can’t lie around all day.” He knew his logic wouldn’t work. He tried a different tactic. “Besides, the fire station is shorthanded right now. Let me take the lead on the investigation. That’ll free up other people to take my shifts.”
The fire chief blew out a long breath. “Fine. Get dressed and you can come with me to talk to Lucy Harris. But aside from the fire at the Five Steers Ranch, you’re on medical leave. Understand?”
“Understood,” said Aiden.
Once Ryan and Chuck had left the room, Aiden rose to his feet. The walls seemed to undulate. Holding on to the bed’s railing, he waited for the sensation to pass. He grabbed the plastic bag with his belongings and dumped the contents onto the bed. The stench of smoke wafted off his clothes.
The scent triggered a memory. For a moment, he was standing in the burning barn.
The opening, which he had barely fit through, was gone.
There was no way out. Flames licked around the tanks of helium, their casing only moments away from becoming a deadly projectile.
His pulse soared, and Aiden clenched his jaw.
This isn’t real. This isn’t real. This isn’t real.
He repeated the mantra several times and focused on his breathing. His heart rate slowed, and the image faded.
Aiden had no idea how long he’d been lost in his mind. Seconds? Minutes? Certainly, it was longer than he needed to be standing in the middle of the hospital room with his ass hanging out.
After stripping out of the hospital gown, he stepped into his skivvies. Then, he held up his T-shirt. Embers had burned a constellation of holes into the fabric. He put it on. Once he was fully dressed, Aiden stepped out of his room.
Chuck stood in the hallway, leaning against the opposite wall. “You ready?”
Aiden was more than ready to see Lucy Harris again.