Chapter Eighteen
Colton
Brantley: Roads are shit. We're close but we're probably going to be a little late.
Colton: Thanks for letting me know. See you soon.
I blow out a breath as I set my phone on the table, my already high anxiety skyrocketing.
"What's up?" Wren plops down beside me.
"Brantley texted that they're going to be late because of the snow storm."
"That doesn't surprise me. The roads were hell getting back from my meeting in the city earlier. Where are they coming from?" Ezra looks at me sympathetically from across the table.
Rubbing a hand through my hair, I try to calm my racing heart. "They're coming through the mountains from the opposite direction. "
"I'm sure they'll be okay. Meadow's going to be extra careful since she has the kids. Just try to relax," Daphne reassures me.
I'm about to thank her when the door opens and Jackie walks in. I make my way across the room to my sister and wrap her in a hug.
"Where are Meadow and the kids? I figured they'd beat me here since it took me twice as long with all the snow."
"Brantley texted me that they were going to be late. I guess the snow through the mountains is even worse than it is here."
Jackie starts biting her nail, which I know she only does when she's really worried.
"Come on. Let's go get a drink and wait for them at the table. Brantley said they were close, so I'm sure they'll be walking through the door any minute." I guide Jackie to the table, where our friends all stand to hug her hello.
Everyone talks about their days and catches up since we've seen each other last, but I can barely pay attention. Any time the door opens, my eyes are pulled to it in hopes that my girls and nephew are the ones about to step through.
"You need to relax, baby brother. You're starting to make me jumpy," Jackie mutters beside me.
Checking my phone for the millionth time, my heart rate spikes when I see it's been over half an hour since Brantley texted me. I've sent him a few texts, asking for an update, but I haven't gotten a response. I tried River as well, but no luck there. Logically, I know that if they are in the mountains, they might not have the best service, but my gut is telling me something is wrong.
"I'm sorry, but they should've been here by now." I try to keep the panic out of my voice, but Jackie sees right through it .
Maverick brings a round of drinks to the table and overhears our conversation. "You guys okay?" he asks quietly enough not to draw attention from the others.
"We're waiting for Meadow to get here with the kids. They're coming back from a college visit and should've been here by now."
Maverick looks at me sympathetically.
"I'm probably overreacting, but I'm fucking worried."
"Give me a minute to send out a few texts. Perks of being the town bartender—I've made a lot of friends. If there's anything going on, I'll find out and let you know." Maverick claps my shoulder, giving me a little bit of relief.
"Thanks, Mav. I really appreciate it."
Maverick's barely made it back to the bar when the door flies open and Axle comes striding in. He makes his way over to his brother-in-law, and the two share a hushed conversation. I don't know why my eyes are drawn to them, but when Maverick's head snaps in my direction, my heart sinks to my stomach. Reaching for Jackie's hand, I squeeze it.
"What's wrong?" Her tone is worried, but I can't pull my stare from the pained look on Maverick's face.
"I don't know, but my gut is telling me it's not good. Hold on…" I go to stand, but Maverick's already around the bar and on his way to me, Axle hot on his heels.
"I'm really sorry to be the one to tell you this, Colt, but there was an accident up in the mountains. A tractor trailer lost control, and right now, we're pretty sure the girls and Brantley are pinned between the truck and the mountain. Emerson is en route to help tow the truck out of the way to get to them, but nobody's had eyes on them yet. "
"Oh my god," Jackie cries by my side.
Reaching over, I pull my sister into my arms as she sobs into my chest.
"So, nobody's talked to them?" I look between Axle and Maverick, and wait impatiently.
"I'm not sure. Em got the call for the tow. I was doing a parts run, and she called me once she got to the scene. They won't give her any information other than that there are three people in the car—two teenagers and one pregnant woman—and that they need her to get the tractor trailer out of the way to get to them. I'm sorry I don't have more information." The look on Axle's face is one of complete anguish.
"I-It's okay. Thank you for coming and letting us know that much. What the fuck do we do now?"
"I'll make a call to my friend on the police force. I'm not sure he's working, but he'll be able to tell us where you all need to go. Just give me a minute, okay?" Maverick squeezes my shoulder then steps away.
"I'm gonna go up the mountain with the other wrecker to see if I can help Emerson. She might already have the truck out and your girls free, but I figure it can't hurt to go help."
I grab Axle in a backbreaking hug. "Thank you so much. Please be careful." My tears break free as I let him go.
Axle nods and then heads out the door.
Turning towards the table, I see the devastation on everyone's faces. Daphne is silently crying on Ezra's shoulder while Wren looks completely wrecked in Brooks's arms. Jackie's crying on the phone to her husband, I assume, but I can barely understand her, so I'm sure he's in a panic right now .
Sitting down beside my sister, I cradle her to my chest and pull the phone from her hand. "Hey, it's Colt."
"What the fuck is going on? All I could understand from Jackie was something about a crash and Brantley, but she's too incoherent right now. Please tell me what's going on, Colt. I'm going out of my mind here."
"Honestly, I don't know much yet. All I do know is that there was an accident in the mountains, and it involved Meadow and the kids. Our friends own a garage here, and they got called to come help tow a tractor trailer that has Meadow's car pinned between it and the mountain. Apparently, the emergency teams can't get to them because of the truck, so they called her in to move it."
"What the fuck? Why weren't we notified?"
"I don't know. Probably because they haven't been able to get to them yet? Reception up there is hit or miss, and they wouldn't give Emerson much information because she's not family. I have a friend here who knows someone on the police force. He's working to get us information right now."
"I'm coming to you. I’ll call your parents and let them know."
"Just hang tight for now. I have no idea if any of them have any injuries. Our hospital here in Sparrow Falls is good, but if they need a larger trauma center, you're closer where you're at."
"Fuck! I can't just fucking sit here while my son is trapped." His voice breaks, making my own pain flare.
"I know, but there's nothing we can do right now, and you'd just be putting yourself in danger being out in this mess. I've got Jackie, and I promise I'll keep you updated as soon as I hear any news. "
"Okay. Take care of my girl, Colt." I hear his tears as his breath hitches and he hangs up the phone.
"Hey, sorry to interrupt but I've got news. My buddy is on the scene, and they have made contact with them. Brantley and River are alert, but Meadow is unconscious. River told them she's got a pretty nasty head wound, so that's probably why. Emerson has almost got the tractor far enough from the car for the EMTs to get in, along with the firefighters to get them out.
"He told me that since Meadow's pregnant, they're going to bypass Sparrow Falls Hospital and take them straight to the city. We don't have a NICU, and just in case there's anything wrong with the baby, they want to be prepared. They'll take the kids there as well so that everyone's together."
Standing from my chair, with Jackie still tucked to my side, I wrap my free arm around Maverick. "Thank you so much, Maverick. Seriously… I—"
"Don't even worry about it, man. Just make sure you get your ass safely to that hospital, and let us know how everyone is doing and if there's any way we can help, alright?"
"I will." I nod as tears roll down my face.
"I'll drive. My car is probably best suited for this kind of weather," Ezra offers as everyone stands from the table and starts to put on their coats.
"Thanks, Ez. I don't think I could get us there safely if I tried right now."
"No problem. That's what family is for."
"Come on, sis. We can call Mom and Dad, and Stacie, from the car."
She nods as I help her into her jacket and guide her to the car .
It's normally anywhere from a thirty-five to forty-five-minute drive to the nearest large city from Sparrow Falls, but the drive today takes us closer to an hour and a half. Ezra is a champ at navigating the treacherous highways and keeping his cool while the rest of us are far from calm. I try to not let my mind drift to a worst-case scenario, but my fear for my girls is all-consuming right now.
"Tell me they're going to be okay, Colton."
"They'll be okay, sis. Brantley is strong and in his prime. He might be banged up, but he's going to be okay."
"And the girls?" she whispers.
"I've got to believe that all of my girls will be good. I don't think I could survive in a world where they aren't, so I'm not letting that be an option." I squeeze Jackie's hand, and she squeezes mine back.
"Hey, guys, we're almost there. I'll pull up to the emergency entrance to let you out and then go park. We'll meet you in there in a minute."
"Thanks, Ezra."
My leg bounces as I wait for Ezra to make his way around the hospital and put the SUV into park. I want to race through the doors, but I remind myself to wait for Jackie and help her out of the car then head inside. Our entire family is there, and I happily pass her off to her husband as I make my way to the receptionist.
"Hello, I'm looking for my family. They were in a car accident, and I was told they were being brought here."
"Names?" The elderly receptionist smiles at me.
"Meadow and River Sterling."
"And you are?"
"Colton Harding. I'm Meadow's partner. "
"Yes, they arrived about fifteen minutes ago. The young girl, River, is still down here while her mother was sent to our OB floor."
"Are they okay? Who should I see first? Is our baby okay?"
"Give me one second, sir." She tries reassuring me, but the panic that I'm so close to my girls yet so far away is starting to take over.
I need to see them both, but I need to know who needs me more this minute. I want to check on Meadow and our baby girl, but I can only imagine how terrified River is right now, all alone. And I can't forget Brantley.
"What about Brantley Cole? He's my nephew."
"He's in stable condition. His father was back to see him, and I believe he's getting X-rays right now." She smiles.
"Mr. Harding." A woman in dark blue scrubs in front of the doors to the emergency department calls my name.
I swiftly make my way to her.
"I'm going to take you to River, and then someone will take you to Meadow."
"Is she okay? Is our baby girl okay?"
The nurse stops outside of a room and looks at me head on. "Meadow was unconscious when she got here, but she has a nasty head wound, so that's not surprising. Your baby was in distress. Meadow was hemorrhaging when she made it to us. The OB-GYN on call examined her and determined that she had a partial placental abruption. Do you know what that means?"
My body sinks back to the wall as my hands cover my face. "It means her placenta tore from her uterus, or partially, I guess?"
"Yes. Now, I'm not an L&D nurse, so I'm unsure of what her plan of care is, but I do know they took her to the labor and delivery floor. If the OB-GYN can get the bleeding under control and your baby's vitals stabilize, then I'd assume they would let Meadow continue the pregnancy like normal. But with her being in her third trimester, if the doctors think that either of them are in harm, I wouldn't be alarmed if they do an emergency C-section."
"Fuck. I need to go to her." I start to push off the wall and look for the nearest elevator when the nurse grabs my arm.
"You do, and you will. I promise. But you need to get to her first." She nods towards River's door. "The last thing she saw was her pregnant mother with blood pouring from her head and bleeding from her womb, unconscious and being driven away in an ambulance. From the little she's talked about, I can tell she's not a typical teenager."
"No, she's not. She's fucking brilliant." I smile weakly.
"I can see that, which means she has been a worried mess since she got here. I think it would do her some good seeing you. Other than her mom, baby sister, and boyfriend, you've been her biggest concern."
Blowing out a breath and shaking out my hands, I try to calm myself down so I can go see River, and reassure her that we are all going to be alright and make it through this.
"What am I walking into, as far as River's injuries?"
"She was extremely lucky. She's got a lot of bumps and bruises, a cut on her forehead that needed a few stitches, and a broken arm. We're monitoring her for concussion protocol, but the doctors don't think she has one as of now."
"Thank fuck." I sigh as I run a hand down my face.
"Honestly, you can probably sign her out as her guardian to go see her mom when the doctors give her the all-clear. "
"That's good to know. Her aunts are in the waiting room and can sit with her while I go to Meadow if we have any wait."
"Sounds good. You can head on in."
I nod my thanks, take one more fortifying breath, then push into River's room.
"Colton," she cries from her bed as she tries to push herself up to get to me.
Rushing across the room, I scoop her into my arms as tears flood my face. I hold River as she sobs until neither of us can cry another tear. Pulling her back, I gently brush her cheeks then place a soft kiss on her forehead near her stitches.
"I'm so fucking happy you're okay, kid."
"I was so scared, Colton. The truck came out of nowhere, and the next thing I knew, Brantley was asking for my phone to call 9-1-1 and Mom had blood pouring from her head. Then she said she thought the baby was coming and passed out. Brantley kept talking to the operator on the phone and held my hand while we waited for the rescue people to get us. I don't know how long it actually took, but it felt like forever."
"Aww, River. That sounds absolutely horrible. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. But you guys are okay, and that's all that matters."
"Where's Mom? How is she? How's my sister? And Brantley?"
"Your mom is okay, as far as I know. She was taken to the labor and delivery floor because your sister was in distress. Your mom has a partial placental abruption and a pretty bad head wound, but that's all I know. I needed to come check on you before I went to see her. As far as Brantley, he's awake and okay, and they were taking him to get X-rays when I got here. "
"He might need surgery, Colt. I saw his leg, and it was pretty bad. It's definitely broken." River has a new trail of tears streaming down her face.
"It's a good thing he's a strong, fit kid. He'll make a full recovery. I have no doubts about it." I squeeze her hand as I try to reassure her.
"Can you go find out about Mom? I have my phone. I'll be okay. You can text me."
"Yeah, I will, but I'm not leaving you alone, kiddo. Your aunts are here, and so are Ezra and Brooks. Who do you want me to send back to sit with you?"
"Can they all come back? I don't think I can choose, and I honestly don't think Wren could handle being back here without Brooks right now."
God, her concern for her aunt, even though she's the one who's been through the most traumatic day of her life, shows just how amazing of a kid River is.
Giving her a smile and a hug, I stand from the bed to go check with the nurse. "I'm sure it's against the rules, but I have a feeling they'll make an exception for you."
"Thanks, Colt. Go find Mom and let me know she's okay."
"I will. Love you, Riv."
"Love you too, Colt."
Making my way out to the nurses’ station, I find the one who brought me back to see River.
"How's our girl doing?" She smiles up at me.
"She's hanging in there. Demanding I go get an update on her mom. Is there any way her aunts and their husbands can all come back and sit with her while I'm with her mom? "
"How many are we talking?" She eyes me suspiciously.
"Two aunts, so four people total. But I promise you'll want one to have her husband to keep her under control. Otherwise, she can be a little hard to handle, especially in a situation like this."
"Yeah, that should be fine. Nobody says much when we bend the rules for minors. Go grab them, and then I'll take you to your partner."
I head out to the waiting room, where I find a pacing Wren and the others sitting anxiously.
"It's about fucking time. What took you so long?"
"Easy, little minx." Brooks stands behind Wren and pulls her into his arms.
"I needed to get a handle on the situation. River is down here and has mostly bumps and bruises, and a broken wrist that still needs to be set. Meadow was taken to the labor and delivery floor for a partial placental abruption. If they can manage the blood loss, she will continue with her pregnancy, but if not, they'll do an emergency C-section. Can you all go sit with Riv so I can go be with Meadow?"
"Of course." Daphne steps up, surprising everyone but Ezra, who smiles proudly at her. "Take us to her."
I lead them back to River and stay long enough to make sure she's content, then head to find the nurse. I pass Brantley's room, and see his leg immobilized and Jackie fussing over him. I should stop and check on them, but my need to be with Meadow wins out.
"Can you tell me how to get to labor and delivery, please?" I ask the nurse who has become a bit of a lifeline for me.
"I'll do you one even better and take you myself. We can get an update, and if you have any questions, I can help you understand what's going on. "
"Thank you. I really appreciate it."
The ride to the third floor is silent as the worst-case scenarios flash through my head: Meadow bleeding out, losing her but the baby making it, the baby being deprived of oxygen for too long and not making it, losing both of them…
"Hey, I don't know how I know, but they're going to be okay. I have a gut feeling, and I've learned to trust my gut over the years of working in the ER." The nurse squeezes my arm, which surprisingly relaxes me. "Come on. Let's go find out about your girls." She makes her way to the nurses’ station, where she has a hushed conversation, then turns towards me with a beaming smile on her face. "Follow me, please."
I stumble down the hallway to a room and stop just outside the door, when I hear the most beautiful sound—a sweet baby crying.
"Why don't you go see your girls?" She gestures towards the open door to the dark room.
I stumble in and find a startling-pale Meadow in a hospital bed, trying to get the tiniest baby I've ever seen to nurse. She's talking sweetly to her as the baby cries in search of her food. I take two steps, then sink to my knees when I reach her bed as sobs rack my body, and I startle Meadow.
"Oh, Colton…" Her tears stream down her face as she caresses my head while my hand reaches out to hold her cheek and the other cups our sweet little girl's.
"I-I thought I lost you. All of my girls. I-I didn't know how I was supposed to live a life without any of you."
"Good thing you won't ever have to know." She smiles sweetly as I turn my face and kiss her palm. "Do you want to meet your daughter? "
"More than anything." Standing, I lean down and kiss Meadow, then our baby's head, before sitting on the bed beside her and holding my arms out.
Meadow places our little girl in my arms, and she instantly calms.
"Hi, sweet girl. I didn't plan on meeting you yet, but I am so happy to. I love you so much, sweetheart."
"She loves you too." Meadow smiles.
"What's her name?" I look at Meadow expectantly. We kicked around a few ideas, but we also talked about waiting until she was born and meeting her to finally decide.
"How do you feel about Briar Dove?"
"I think it's perfect. Welcome to the world, Briar Dove."