Chapter 35 – Gentry
thirty-five
GENTRY
The second I heard her call for help over the radio, I bolted into action. Sheer terror coursed through me as I rode in the direction of the field where she said she’d be riding. I heard more ATVs following behind me as we raced to find Ainsleigh.
Holden kept calling out for her over the walkie, but she’d yet to respond. The worst thoughts went through my mind as I pushed the ATV to its limits.
Off in the distance, I saw Sparkle, but Ainsleigh wasn’t sitting in the saddle. I felt it in my bones that something was horribly wrong.
A few feet away, I saw her laying on the ground unmoving, and my hand let off the throttle. At that moment, I froze. The woman I loved within the depths of my soul laid on the ground hurt, and I was scared I’d find her and it’d be too late.
Holden flew past me and reached her seconds later. I could hear him yelling at her to wake up, but his voice sounded like it was in a tunnel. My ears rang as panic fully set in.
Holden screamed my name, breaking me out of my thoughts, and my hand squeezed the throttle to pick up speed. I slammed on the brakes and rushed to his side as he assessed her injuries.
“She’s not waking up. Call 911,” Holden shouted, panic laced in his voice.
I placed the call and explained to the dispatcher the situation. I wasn’t sure what had happened. Ainsleigh was a seasoned rider, but she had to have fallen off Sparkle. There was no other explanation.
“They're fifteen minutes out,” I told him as I remained on the line with the dispatcher who checked in every couple of minutes for an update on Ainsleigh’s condition.
Her chest rose and fell, and she looked like she was sleeping, but I knew that wasn’t the case. The longer she remained unconscious, the more worried I became.
That fifteen minutes felt like hours, but I heard the sirens indicating they’d arrived. Moments later, the medics arrived on an ATV with Sawyer and another ranch hand.
“Has she regained consciousness at all?” the medic asked as he approached.
“No,” I choked out, worried I’d lose her before I’d get the chance to tell her I love her.
“Why hadn’t I told her that I love her?”
They tried to reassure me by telling me her pulse and blood pressure were strong, but until I saw her beautiful eyes and heard her beautiful voice, I wouldn’t be able to stop worrying.
They placed a collar around her neck and put her on a backboard. Seeing her so frail almost caused me to break down, but I had to remain strong for Ainsleigh. Breaking down would do nothing to help her.
The medics secured her to the back of the ATV, and we all followed closely behind, none of us willing to let her out of our sight.
As soon as we got to the ambulance, they quickly loaded her in the back, and Sawyer climbed in the back with them.
“Let’s go. I’ll drive,” Holden said as he pulled me across the gravel drive. I couldn’t take my eyes off the ambulance, knowing the love of my life was inside, and I was left here to wonder if she’d be okay when we got to the hospital.
“She’s going to be fine. Don’t you dare think any other thought than that. You can’t put negative thoughts in your head, or it’ll eat you alive,” Holden gritted out as we climbed into his truck and sped off in the direction of the ambulance.
The ride to the hospital felt like an eternity as I prayed that she’d be okay.
We made it there in record time thanks to following the ambulance. Holden sped into the parking lot, thankfully finding a spot up front.
Holden and I raced across the parking lot and entered through the same entrance as the medics.
“You two can’t come in this way,” a nurse said as she stepped in front of us.
“My sister was just brought in. We followed the ambulance here. Ainsleigh Courtright,” Holden said as he clenched his fists.
If that nurse wouldn’t let us through, I knew he’d find a way.
“Please just let me see her, then I’ll go wait in the waiting room. I just need to see that she’s okay, then I’ll go wherever you want me to go,” Holden pleaded.
“She’s in trauma bay two. Don’t get in the doctor’s way,” the nurse said sternly.
Holden tipped his hat at her in thanks, and we both rushed over to the room Ainsleigh was in.
The most perfect sound greeted us as we entered the room.
Ainsleigh laid there, the collar around her neck, but her eyes looked right into mine.
“You’re awake,” I managed to choke out. Relief swept through me as I stared back at her, so thankful that she was awake.
“We’re going to send her for a cat scan to check her head and neck for injuries, but her being awake is a great sign,” the doctor assured us before he left the room.
“I’m so glad to see those blue eyes, baby sis,” Holden said from the doorway. Seeing her here had to bring back painful memories because I felt the same way.
“I’m fine, Holden. My head just hurts,” she explained.
Her dad leaned over her and kissed the side of her head, then whispered something to her before him and Holden left the room.
I walked over and sat on the seat beside her bed, so thankful that she was still here with me.
Before I could say anything, a nurse came in and took her back for her scan.
I squeezed her hand and told her I’d be waiting for her.
While she was gone, I tried to think of the perfect way to tell her how much she meant to me.
Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t hear the door open when the nurse entered with Ainsleigh.
She still had the collar around her neck, but the nurse assured me it was for her safety and said they’d be back as soon as the doctor read the results.
“How are you feeling, butterfly?” I asked as I picked up her hand and linked our fingers together. I needed to feel the warmth of her skin in mine to reassure me she was truly fine.
“My head hurts and my pride is wounded,” she replied with a groan.
“Can you tell me what happened?”
“I made a rookie mistake. I wasn’t paying attention, and I didn’t see the snake until it was too late. I didn’t anticipate Sparkle’s fear quick enough and when she turned abruptly, I lost my balance and fell off, hitting my head hard against the ground,” she explained.
“It’s okay. Everyone makes mistakes,” I tried to reassure her. I didn’t need to tell her to be more careful in the future; by the pain in her voice, she was beating herself up enough. She didn’t need me to add to it.
“You scared the life out of me. Seeing you laying on the ground unconscious, I swear I lost a few years off my life,” I told her as I pulled her hand up and kissed the back of it.
“I didn’t mean to scare anyone. I’m really okay,” she tried to reassure me.
Until the doctor returned and told me she was fine, I wouldn’t believe it.
“I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you,” I confessed, choking on my emotions.
“I’m fine. I promise. I’d tell you if I wasn’t.”
The doctor came in and told us that her scans were clear, and that she had a concussion. He wanted to monitor her for a few hours, but after that she was free to go.
“I need you to stand up and look at me right this second, Gentry,” she demanded in a terse tone.
I complied, standing at her demand. I looked down at her and prayed she wasn’t about to tell me something I didn’t want to hear.
“I’m truly okay, and I’m not going anywhere. I want you to know something,” she said, and I swallowed hard as I waited for her to continue.
“You mean the world to me, Gentry Parkhurst. You’re the perfect man for me.
You’re loving and kind to everyone you meet.
You go after what you want in life and take all the right roads to get you to where you’re meant to be.
You forgave me and loved me even though you didn’t have to.
You’re the man I love with my whole heart.
And, Gentry,” she paused. My heart raced at what she was about to say.
“Yeah, butterfly?”
“I choose you, cowboy. I’d choose you in every lifetime. I love you so much,” she said with tears in her eyes.
“I love you too. So much it scares me. I never want to lose you again,” I told her as I leaned forward and gently kissed her lips not wanting to hurt her.
“You’re never going to lose me. It’s you and me against the world,” she promised. And for the first time in a long time, I finally felt content and extremely happy. I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her.