Chapter 38
LAWSON
Carlie flies out of the Uber as it breaks away from traffic and slows for the curb.
Fuck.
I follow, thanking the driver briefly before a swift exit. The ambulance is already here. Lights flashing still, it idles by the curb, one paramedic still prepping or whatnot in the back with the doors open.
I rush inside, finding Carlie pacing by the elevator. I slam a hand over the up button repeatedly.
“That won’t make it go faster,” she says weakly, biting down on her thumb.
The second it dings, she flies past me, grabbing my hand and yanking me in with her. One small gesture that speaks volumes. This woman’s hell-bent on taking on the world on her own. Now, anxious and upset, she wants me by her side.
I fold her into my chest as the doors close. “Breathe, Carlie. She will be okay, we will make sure of it.”
“Don’t say that.” She pushes from my hold, brown eyes tight with emotion.
“Let’s just assess what trouble Mills has gotten herself into when we get up there, hey?”
As if on cue, the elevator dings, and the doors swoosh open.
We’re at her front door a heartbeat later, but it’s open with Miles waiting in his firefighter uniform.
“Hey Carlie, she’s in the bathroom, and she’s been asking for you.”
“Hey bud,” I say as Carlie flies through the apartment toward the bathroom. “How’s it look, Milo?”
“Not great, but she seems like a fighter. As far as we can assess on scene, she’s fractured her ilium.”
“Little words, Miles.”
“She’s broken her hip on those marble tiles.” His face is all sorts of concern wrapped in empathy.
“Fuck.” I rub my hands over my face with a groan.
Poor Millie.
The fact she’s been lying here for hours . . .
“Has the delay of getting help made it worse?” I ask.
“It’s difficult to say. The hospital docs can tell you more after they give her a full assessment.”
“I should find Carlie,” I utter.
He claps a hand on my shoulder. “She was in a fair amount of pain when we got here, but from the second the meds kicked in, she hasn’t stopped talking. She likes you, bud.” He gives me a wry smile.
“Thanks for coming.” The words are weak, and they don’t quite fit. But what else can I say?
I head for the main bathroom that Millie uses as her own. More EMS staff stand at the bathroom door by a gurney, and I can hear Carlie talking softly to Millie before I see them.
Carlie kneels on the tiles, clutching Millie’s hand. Her face is wrecked but still dry. Millie is watching the paramedics as they go about securing her onto the backboard. She has a C-collar on already and an IV in the hand.
“We’re going to have to roll you over, Millie, to place the board underneath you,” a young paramedic says. “Suck on the whistle, sweetheart, this might hurt a bit.”
Millie’s shaking hand raises to her mouth as she places the long green whistle between her lips. They allow her a handful of deep breaths on the whistle before Carlie moves, and they turn Millie onto her side.
She cries out in pain.
Carlie’s face breaks.
I round the room and pull her into my side, dotting a kiss to her hair. Her fingers grip the opening of my shirt as she turns into my side but doesn’t break her gaze from Millie.
She trembles against me, and I hug her tighter, feeling helpless to do anything else.
With the board in place, Millie is lowered back down onto her back. She groans as her eyes flutter shut.
“Oh god,” Carlie whispers.
“Keep using your whistle, Millie,” the female paramedic says, now at her head. “We’re going to take you downstairs to the ambulance and then to the hospital. That okay with you, hun?”
Millie nods, her eyes still closed as she sucks on the whistle.
“Can I go with her?” Carlie says, and I release her as they lift Millie from the floor, still on the backboard, and carry her into the hallway where they rest her on the gurney.
“Of course, you’re her granddaughter?” the young guy asks.
“Yes.” Carlie’s response is without hesitation.
“Your hubby can follow, but he’ll need to park in the visitor parking lot.”
Carlie glances at me, and I give her a small smile and a nod. “Be right behind you, okay?”
I don’t bother correcting them; if I have my way, this woman will be a Rawlins. When the time is right for both of us.
Carlie holds Millie’s hand as they roll her out of the apartment and into the elevator.
Miles files in beside me. “Tough gig, poor little lady.”
“Yeah,” I rasp.
“You good, bud?”
I swallow past the stone in my throat. Me? No way am I worried about me, but Carlie and Millie, fuck, I’m shook up for them both.
“I gotta go, Miles. Text you later. And thanks for being here.”
“Anytime, Laws. You look after those girls of yours.”
He turns back and helps pack away the gear as I double-check for my wallet and keys. I lock up after the last paramedic leaves and order an Uber. Right now, I’m wishing I had a damn car.
A message pings my phone.
Bring the car, cowboy
On my way.
I file inside and grab the keys to Carlie’s car. By the time I get down to the parking lot under her building, she’s sent me three texts with explicit instructions on not wrecking her baby.
I can drive, Princess. Take care of your Mills. Be there in ten.
The hospital’s smell, clinical lighting, and constant busy noise brings back a flood of memories from my brother’s time in the hospital after we almost lost him.
Every tour we knew it was a gamble, that he may or may not return home to us.
Those few days after he was hurt in action and not knowing anything but the scarcest details were a literal nightmare.
Striding through the corridor, I take in everything I can, hunting for the curtain number Carlie gave me.
4
When I reach the curtain I’m after, a small, elderly man waits, his hands in his pockets, his gaze staring at nothing in particular as he stands guard. Almost stoic.
Henry.
The tension on his face is one I recognize immediately.
“Henry.” I stop a few feet away.
“Lawson, hello.” His voice is low but steady.
“How’s she doing?”
“Carlie’s in there with her. They’re waiting to send her to X-ray.”
“Good. You need me to grab you a chair? It might be a long wait.”
“I’m old, not useless, son.” He glances up to me now.
I nod, offering what I hope is a reassuring smile.
His jaw feathers. “Sorry, this has me all kinds of stressed out. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to worry about someone apart from myself.”
“No, it’s okay. I know what it’s like.”
He holds my gaze for a moment before sighing.
I can tell by the worried look on his face that this is eating him. “Hey, you want me to grab you a coffee, tea, anything?” I offer.
“Ah—no . . . maybe a tea?” He shifts on his feet, as if unsure about anything right now.
“On it. Be right back.”
I head for the nurses’ station to ask where the cafeteria is. Armed with instructions, I head that way through the corridors and into the maze of the hospital. Five minutes later, I have found the small but bustling space. Once I have a tray with steaming lidded beverages, I make my way back.
Rounding the ER nurses’ station, I find Carlie talking with Henry and who I assume is the doctor. She glances my way, and I can tell the news is not good. Her face is pinched, her hands wringing in front of her as I file in beside her.
“How about we go to the family room and discuss our options.” The doctor offers me a small smile.
“Sure,” Carlie breathes.
I hand her the coffee and Henry his tea. He nods his thank you, and we follow the doctor.
“You needing anything else?” I lean down and say to Carlie as we reach the family room, where the doctor holds the door open for us. Three green upholstered chairs that look like they’ve seen better days are lined up against the wall by the door.
“No, I’m good. I’ll see you in a bit.”
She walks inside, indicating for me to stay outside. Henry ambles in after her, throwing me an empathetic look. I’m not included.
I get it, Millie is her family.
But I thought . . .
I was, too?
We’re big on including everyone in everything we do in our family, so it stings a little that she’s shutting me out of this. Ultimately, it’s her choice.
Maybe the degree of separation is better. I can be of more help if I’m not too close . . .
Despite the self-reassurance, something churns in my gut. Because this feels a lot like those walls of hers are going back up.
She’s hurting. Instead of leaning on me, letting me in to help take care of her and Millie, I’m on the outside.
Possibly, I’m reading too much into this.
Or not.
Nope. This is not about me. This is about Millie and Carlie . . . and Henry?
Confused and hoping this isn’t the start of the end, I sink into one of the chairs outside the family room. Like they knew not everyone who walks these halls is privileged to be included. Not everyone fits.
That is a kick to the chest.
I force the worry from my head, trying my best to think of anything but being without her. Not being the person she wants around no matter what. I set my coffee on the floor at my feet and run my hands through my hair.
Christ.
The seat vibrates. No, my phone is vibrating in my back pocket.
I pull it out to find Serelle calling.
How did she find out about Millie? Did Carlie already fill her in?
I slide to answer. “Hi, Serelle.”
“Lawson. Thanks for picking up on a Sunday.”
Her voice sounds off.
“No worries, what’s happening?”
“I don’t really know how to say this, so I’m going to say it plainly. I couldn’t be more disappointed. Honestly, this is not how I imagined hiring you and Carlie would end. I will see the both of you in my office first thing tomorrow morning. You better have one hell of an explanation for this.”
Without another word, the line goes dead.
Christ all-fucking-mighty.