Chapter 19
19
Cooper
For one whole week, Haley and I have been living in engagement bliss.
We haven’t made any plans yet, but the one thing we have agreed upon is that we want small and intimate, and we want to do it in December. Yeah, we’re super ahead of the ball over here, huh?
Atta and I stand in the kitchen cleaning up from lunch, and then we have more drills to run before the day is over. It’s been a fairly quiet shift, which I’m grateful for, but damn, I’m also bored and wishing we had to something to do other than dummy drags.
I slip the last plate in the dishwasher before I shut the door and start it up. Wiping my hands on a dish towel, I turn around and rest my back against the counter and close my eyes.
“You alright?” Atta asks, and I nod at him.
“Yeah, fine. It’s just been a weird shift. Something feels off and I don’t know what it is.”
“I know what you mean,” he agrees, before moving to the fridge to get a water. He offers me one, which I accept, and we move over to the table to sit down.
“Wanna play a couple hands?” he gestures towards the cards, and I spin a chair backwards and sink down.
“You deal.”
Rhett and Myles end up joining after half a hand, and we deal them in, all of us looking for something to do other than training. Cause who the hell wants to do that?
“2:27,” Hayes says, swinging the stop watch above his head, and I collapse onto the ground, panting and trying to catch my breath.
“Fuck off,” I shout, throwing my mask down next to me. “There is no way my time was worse than Hawk.”
“Hey, maybe you shouldn’t be spending all your free time doing cardio, asshole. Then you wouldn’t be so tired when it’s time to go to work.”
I don’t have any energy for anything but to flip him off from where I lay. Hawk pretends to blow me a kiss, before Myles steps up for his turn. We watch him move through the course with ease and steadiness, before finishing up with a dummy drag across the lot.
“2:08,” Hayes yells, and I just grumble as I pull myself up to a sitting position.
Myles was the last of us to go, so we all just take a breather, hanging around while Haye’s gets everyone’s times recorded on the clipboard, before we head inside to get cleaned up. But we’re barely passed into the common area when the bells go off.
“All companies report. Multi car accident on Interstate 440.”
A minute later, we’re all heading in the rigs towards the interstate, our games faces on. Calls like this can always go a number of different ways, and you never really know what you’re in for. Could be fatalities, could be multiple rescues, could be a whole bunch of people screaming at each other because they’re all pissed at each other for causing traffic.
But as we start making our way up the side of all the backed-up traffic across all three lanes, and I catch Fed’s eyes as we slowly move towards where the accident is. Smoke is thick in the air, and I know this isn’t good.
“We got a bad one,” Jamie says from the wheel, and those of us in the back try to look out through the windshield. A tractor trailer is on its side in the grass median, the railing wrapped around the hood of it. He pulls to a stop just a few feet from it, with traffic stopped on both sides. Climbing down, we all try to assess what we’re dealing with.
Chief is right behind us in the buggy, so we wait for him to give us orders, but with other companies already on scene, we all need to work together, not make things harder for ourselves by helping the wrong people. He goes over to the other company nearest to us, and gets an update before coming over.
“Okay, that truck crossed the center divider and slammed into a black SUV. That vehicle hit two head on and caused a total pile up. We’ve already had two victims airlifted out, and we’re working to clear the others that are still trapped. We’re taking the southbound side; the other station is taking northbound. Assess and treat. More medics are on the way.”
Nodding at his command, we all grab tools and then start weaving our way through traffic. I come up on a green Honda, its driver’s side smashed in, with only the driver in the car. “Ma’am, can you hear me?” I call, pounding on the window. Her head lifts from the steering wheel, and while she looks dazed and terrified, she seems mostly okay.
“Brax! I need you!” I holler, and he comes running over with the spreaders. We get the door popped open, and I do a quick check over her. Thankfully, paramedics are on the scene and we get her looked over, neck brace soon on as they move her to an ambo. Moving up the line of cars, I look all around to make sure that I don’t miss anyone. As we near the actual scene of the accident, I see the cars that have already been cut to extricate people.
But it’s the small Ford Focus in the center lane that has me coming to a dead stop.
Rhett slams into my back when I do, and he tries to look over my shoulder. “What’s the holdup?” he asks, and I actually feel my heart stop beating when I look into the back window and see the car seat, a smear of blood on the fabric.
“Marchy?”
“Oh, fuck. Fuck. No, fuck no,” I breathe, dropping my Halligan, running over to the car and pulling at the half ripped off driver’s door.
“Coop?”
“This is Haley’s car,” I tell him, and my eyes fill with tears. What the hell is happening? Spinning around in a circle, I try locating her where they’re setting victims up, or one of the open ambulances but I don’t see my family anywhere. Glancing down into the car again, I see Haley’s cell phone smashed against the floor boards, and on the backseat is Roman’s monkey. I practically crawl into the backseat to retrieve it, and his smell clinging to it has me fighting for control.
“Coop, listen to me. We’ll find them. Come with me.” Rhett tries to steer me away from the car, but movement catches my eye, and I see a paramedic hurrying over towards us, before going back to the car just a few feet in front of us.
“Hey!” I scream at him, grabbing his attention. “These people, where are they?” I ask, gesturing back to the car, and he thinks a second.
“Medevacked out about ten minutes ago. They were both critical, and the kid was barely hanging on.”
My knees buckle as I let out a sound that’s so pain filled, my heart shattering in this moment. Holy fuck. My girl, my son. How is this fucking happening?
“Rhett,” I cry out, tears slipping down my cheeks as I struggle to pull in a breath. I hear him yelling something, but I can’t make it out. I can barely pull in a full breath, and it’s getting harder with each try. Through blurry vision, I make out my best friend on his knees in front of me, and he’s holding my face in his gloved hands.
“Breathe, Cooper. Deep breath in, hold it for five, count out for another five. Come on, you can do it. Breathe with me.” I mimic what he’s doing, and the band tight around my chest lessens, but the panic is still there, hovering at the surface.
“Rome,” I croak out, and his eyes are shiny with what I suspect are tears.
“I’m going to take you to them,” he promises, looking over my shoulder, and I turn to see my whole team behind me, every one of them looking scared. “Chief is going to stay with the guys; we’ll take the buggy, okay? Let's get you out of here.”
At this point, the only reason my body is even capable of doing anything is because Rhett is forcing me up and to my feet. He practically drags me to the Chief’s vehicle, and when we hop inside, he hits the lights and sirens, pulling a U-turn in front of the scene before racing off in the opposite direction.
“He said barely hanging on, Rhett,” I mumble, clinging to the stuffed monkey like my life depends on it. Flashes of Roman play through my mind. His sweet little face when he’s up to no good and causing mischief, the sound of his giggle when we’re playing a game, or teasing his Momma. Haley. Oh God, this isn’t happening.
“I know, man. But it’s going to be okay, you got to keep those thoughts positive in there. You hang on and be strong for your family, Coop. They need you to keep it the fuck together,” he demands, and I swipe my arm over my face.
“They’re okay,” I state, and we make the remainder of the drive in silence. Only when we pull into the emergency room parking lot do I start to panic again, and Rhett comes screeching to a halt next to the doors.
“I’ll come find you.”
Without another word, I take off at a full sprint for the desk. When I give them Roman and Haley’s names, I’m sent to the fourth floor, and the whole way up in the elevator is filled with fear. Every floor that climbs could be taking me to a death sentence if my family is gone.
“Please,” I say out loud, jaw trembling as I try like hell to keep it together. “Please, don’t take them from me. I need them more than I need air. Please, don’t take my family. We’re just getting started.”
A ding announces my arrival to the floor, and I fly out of the elevator to the left, the desk only just ahead. When I make it there, the woman behind the desk is on her phone, and I try to wait as patiently as possible, but three seconds is long enough.
“Please, I’m looking for Haley and Roman Jacobs. They were medevacked in,” I begin, but she doesn’t even look my way, smiling into the phone.
My vision goes hazy in anger and devastation, and I slam my fist down on the counter, causing pens to scatter and the computer monitor to rattle. “My family, where the fuck is my family? Haley Jacobs, Roman Jacobs. Tell me where they are right ?—”
“Sir,” she gasps, dropping the phone into its cradle. “Lower your voice, or I’ll have to call security.”
“I’m a damn firefighter, and I was on scene when I found my family’s car there, so with all due respect I don’t give a flying rat’s?—”
“Coop?” A soft female voice has me whipping around, and that’s when everything comes to a stop. Everything slows down, and I fight to take in a deep breath when I focus on the fact that my fiancée is standing right in front of me, perfectly okay but for a white bandage on her left cheek.
“Ha…Haley?” I choke out, eyes blurry and aching as I try to swallow around the lump in my throat, hands shaking so hard. I try to take a step forward, but my legs feel like lead, and I just stand here shell shocked.
“Honey, you’re shaking. Come here,” she says carefully, reaching out for my hand, and the second her warm skin comes into contact with hers, my chest contracts and I fold in on myself, dropping to my knees in front of her.
“Oh fuck. Haley girl,” I cry, and I drop the stuffed animal, exchanging that for wrapping my arms around her waist, burying my face in her stomach as silent tears soak her shirts. She’s trying to soothe me and is smoothing her hands up and down my back, through my hair, and back over my shoulders but I can’t stop shaking.
“It’s okay, Coop. I’m right here.”
Haley is here. She’s okay; living and breathing right under my own hands, and I’m finally able to pull in a gulp of air, breathing it out as I lean back and reach up to cup her face. Her blue eyes are filled with concern, and I stand up before slamming my lips down onto hers. “Fuck, sweetness,” I groan out painfully, kissing next to the bandage, her cheeks, her nose, and then to her lips again. “I thought I lost you.”
“Hey, hey,” she soothes, running her hands up and down my arms. “I’m right here. Talk to me. Did you get called to the scene?” she asks, taking in my fire pants and boots. I had abandoned my jacket at the scene, and I nod my head.
“I found your car, and I saw the blood in Rome’s seat. What the fuck happened? Where is our boy?” I demand, and her eyes fill with tears. The fear is back full force, and I lean down to pick up his stuffed monkey.
Taking me by the hand, she leads me down a hallway I didn’t notice before, and we step into a small room. Roman is curled up on his side in the bed, a hospital gown on him, and his left arm covered in a lime green cast from wrist to elbow. Releasing Haley, I rush to his bedside, and drop to my knees. His sweet face is slightly flushed, but he’s breathing okay and has tears stains on his cheeks.
“He’s okay?” I rasp, reaching up to run my fingers over the top of his head.
“He has a broken arm, and they had to sedate him in the ambulance because he was thrashing around so much, they were worried about his arm, but yes, he’s going to be fine. I think he’s more scared than anything; he’s been in and out of sleep since they got him fixed up.”
As my finger brushes his forehead, those big blue eyes blink open, and he focuses on me for just a moment before they close again.
“I’m here, Romey. You’re okay, buddy,” I say softly, leaning forward to kiss his head.
“Daddy,” he says softly, tucking his thumb in his mouth before he falls back to sleep.
“Hales,” I sob, covering my mouth with my hand, and she moves in behind me. “Did he just…”
“He did, honey,” she confirms, and I bury my face in the blanket next to him. The adrenaline of the last almost hour have worn out, and I’m weeping into the bed, fisting his non casted hand in mine, my thumb rubbing over the smooth skin of his fingers.
“I thought I lost you both,” I cry, hiccupping a sob before dissolving into tears again. “I found your car, and I thought… I….”
“Hey, shh. I’m here, Coop.”
“I love you both so much,” I tell her hoarsely, my hold on Roman tightening as I lift my head to look at her. “I was so scared that I was too late.”
Kneeling next to me, she pulls me into her arms, and I bury my face in her neck. “We love you, too. We aren’t going anywhere.”
“Sweetheart.”
No more words are said, but she doesn’t stop holding me and repeating over and over again that they’re okay. I have so many questions, but they can wait.
For now, I have the only people who matter in my hands.
And I’m never fucking letting go again.
Rome was discharged an hour ago, and we’ve only just made it back home. After Rhett got upstairs to where they had our son, he called Chief and gave him the good news. My best friend assured me he wasn’t going anywhere, and he sat in the room with me and Haley, my girl securely attached to my lap as we all watched over Roman.
He woke up again and was fussy as hell until he locked eyes with me, and refused to stay still for anyone but me, crying when he realized his arm was in a green hard cast. It’s a simple fracture, and he’s only going to needed it for six weeks at most.
After giving him some Tylenol, I’m currently sprawled in our bed on my back, with Rome asleep on my chest. Haley is lying in one of my arms, her hand rubbing up and down his back, his breathing deep and even.
“Coop?” she asks, and I kiss the top of her head.
“Hmm?”
“What happened earlier?” she asks. “You were so shaken up that I didn’t want to press you for anything until we got home, but you were so angry when I heard you yelling.”
“I asked the nurse where you were, and she ignored me,” I state simply.
“Well, that explains that. But you were acting like you expected to find us both dead.”
Tears prick my eyes at the events of earlier, and I tighten my hold on them both. “When I found your car on scene, I yelled to one of the paramedics and asked where you’d been taken. He said that the two people were medevacked, and the child was critical and barely hanging on.”
Haley lets out a gasp, and sits up in bed, her hand over her mouth. “While you were getting Rome changed to go home, Rhett informed me that the car next to you is the one that had those two victims. A young woman and the kid she was babysitting. They were able to save the little boy, but the babysitter didn’t make it. They’re the car that the semi hit before it spun into you guys.”
“Oh my God,” she whispers, and I simply nod. “I’m sorry, Coop. I can’t… oh fuck, I can’t even imagine what you were going through,” she says, voice thick with tears.
“No more of that,” I croak out, pulling her down so that I can hold her to me. “I can’t think about it anymore, Haley girl. I have you both in my arms, and you’re okay. I can’t keep playing today over in my head, I just can’t. Despite knowing that you’re both alive and here, the hour where I thought I’d lost you both is too painful.”
“I’m sorry,” she says, and I shush her with a soft kiss.
“I love you, sweet girl. More than anything in this world.”
“I love you, too. We’ll never leave you; I promise.”
A tear trickles down my cheek and into her hair, and as we lay there in silence, our son perfectly content and in our arms, I’m finally able to succumb to the day, and with my family safe, I fall asleep.
Tomorrow is another day, and I’ve never been so grateful to see it with both of them by my side.