Chapter 32 Declan
DECLAN
Holding Ewen in my arms with the cat next to us, I pull back to inspect him for injuries.
Once Ewen sees me he smiles then passes out.
“Hey! We need help!” I yell and hope someone hears us.
A group of firefighters come running, armed with hoses and ready to take on the fire.
“Help!” Two firefighters start spraying the building while two more rush toward us.
“He was in there. He made it out, but he just passed out,” I inform them.
I try to remain calm, knowing my panic doesn’t help them assess the situation.
One talks into his radio and within seconds we’re joined by two paramedics pushing a gurney.
They drop down next to us and start inspecting Ewen.
I scoop up Murder Mittens to get him out of the way while they work on my Aingeal.
I sit there, scratching the cat, consoling him as well as myself.
They put an oxygen mask over his face and take his vitals. His eyes flutter, as if he’s trying to open them but is too exhausted from the ordeal to fully come to. One of the paramedics finds a nasty burn on his hip.
Slowly he opens his eyes. He appears dazed while frantically looking around. I lean forward and let him see me. He starts to realize where he is and can tell he’s going to be okay.
“We need to take him to the hospital and have him fully examined,” a female paramedic says.
I nod in agreement. When they move him to get him on their gurney, his hand shoots out for me.
I grab it and squeeze, letting him know I’m there.
We walk around the burning building. The structure is fully ablaze.
Firefighters with hoses are dousing it, trying to prevent the spread of the flames.
A large crowd of onlookers stand around and watch the destruction.
Whatever caused the fire has an unforgivable desire to consume the architecture.
They’re loading Ewen into the ambulance and I step up to go with them.
“You can’t bring a cat in here.” One of the paramedics stops me.
I forgot I was holding him. I can’t leave the cat, but I can’t leave Ewen either.
I scan the crowd, looking for someone—anyone—I can trust him with.
I spot her red, chaotic curls from here.
Fiona. “Wait, don’t leave yet,” I tell the paramedic and run over to her.
She sees me and I notice she’s crying. “Is—is everybody okay?”
“Yes, but I need to go with Ewen to the hospital.” I shove the cat into her arms. “Here, take care of him for Ewen please.”
“Of course.” She takes the furry critter and gives him a loving squeeze. “Call me and tell me how he is. I’ve got the cat. Go!”
I turn and run back to the ambulance holding the one person I love more than her. Once I hop in the doors close and they rush us to the hospital.
“He was lucky,” the doctor tells me. “He has a second degree burn on his hip and has severe smoke inhalation but other than that, he’s in good shape.
He was lucky you got to him when you did.
But son, you shouldn’t be rushing into fires,” the old doctor adds.
Originally they wouldn’t tell me anything.
I wasn’t family and they couldn’t release any information.
I might have had a major freak out and yelled at a couple of hospital employees.
Caleb was on shift and heard the commotion.
The dorky doc came to my rescue once again.
Fortunately, he’s Ewen’s emergency contact and he informed the staff to release any information they had to me.
I thanked him and he winked at me. I was the one with the killer winks, but when he did it, I knew he was privy to mine and Ewen’s situation.
That fucking man was becoming my unofficial bestie. He treated my sister right, cared for Ewen, and helped me when I wasn’t able to be there.
“He can go home in the morning. We just want to monitor him overnight to make sure there’s nothing else.”
Shaking his hand, I say, “Thank you so much Doc.”
He leaves and I sit in the chair next to Ewen’s bed. I don’t like that we’re back in a situation where one of us is in the hospital. I have a feeling this all links back to the Bianchis.
He’s been sleeping most of the time, only opening his eyes to look for me. Once they land on me he smiles and falls back to sleep. I know it’s what his body needs, but I want to be selfish and demand he stay awake.
I refuse to sleep even for a second, staying by his side all night long. When he finally wakes he gives me a small smile “Hey there,” he says once he’s fully aware of his surroundings. His voice sounds huskier from all the smoke he had taken in.
I already have our fingers woven together. “Hi baby.” I bring them up and kiss the knuckles of his hand. “You scared me,” I repeat the words he said to me when our positions were reversed. “What happened?”
He looks around. “I’m not sure. There was a loud crashing sound downstairs. I went to see what made the noise and there were flames. Before I knew it, the fire was everywhere.” He pauses to cough. “I ran back to get Beocca. Wait! Where is he?” His eyes fill with panic.
“He’s fine. You saved him. He’s with Fiona right now.” I kiss his knuckles to soothe him, and he calms down at my statement.
“How’s the church?”
“It’s pretty much gone.” It breaks my heart to tell him. Tears well up in his eyes and stream down his face.
I vow to myself that I will find who took the church from him.
“Hey, they’re releasing you today,” I say, trying to change the subject. “So at least you don’t have to stay here too long.”
He squeezes my hand but it feels weak. “That’s good, but I have no home to go back to.”
“You always have my place. My home is yours.”
“I don’t want to impo—”
“No! Don’t you dare finish that thought,” I interrupt. “You wouldn’t be imposing. You have me, always, to love and support you. If that means anything. You can stay with me until they rebuild your church or find you somewhere else.”
He’s staring at me wide eyed. “Y—you love me?”
Fuck, did I just say that out loud? I do love him. I just haven’t said it to him. Until now. “I do.”
He pulls me to him and kisses me. His tears fall on our lips, becoming part of the kiss. After a few I pull back and look at him. “Hey, let’s just get out of here and we can talk.”
Ewen gives me a nod. I’m not sure if my affirmation of love helped or hindered him, but I know I will do whatever he wants. I’ll either hold and love him till my dying breath, or I’ll help him achieve his dreams. Whatever he wants, it’s his.