Chapter 42
forty-two
HARPER
I barely slept last night because I felt anxious about the ultrasound today. While I’m excited to get another peek at our baby, I’m also nervous my aunt will find something wrong. But I’m trying to keep that possibility out of my head as much as possible.
Finn is scheduled to work today, so he said he would meet me. The chief said it was no problem if he ducked out for half an hour as long as he kept a radio on him in case something went down.
I’m just leaving the office to head to my parked car farther down Main Street when some kind of commotion ahead draws my attention. I realize that a few people are gathered around an older woman’s body on the road between two parked cars.
I rush over and see that one of the bystanders is on the phone, presumably calling for an ambulance.
“What happened?” I ask the elderly man crouched by his wife.
He looks up at me with glossy eyes. “I don’t know. She said she felt funny and then she clutched her chest before she fell. Hit her head on the curb. I don’t know if she’s breathing!”
This man is starting to lose it. I glance at her head and realize that her head is bleeding profusely. My legs get weak, and I feel myself list to the side, but I draw in a deep breath and reach out to the car beside me for support.
So much blood.
“Can you help her?” her husband says.
Something in me snaps to attention at his plea, and I spring into action without thinking about it. I toss my purse on the ground and quickly pull off my jacket, holding it out to him. “Here. Take this and apply pressure to her head to stop the bleeding while I check for a pulse.”
I think back to that night at the retirement home and how Finn demonstrated checking for a pulse, and I place my index and middle finger on her neck. When I don’t feel a pulse, I try to find one on the other side just in case and find nothing.
Panic threatens to override my thoughts, but I push it away.
“We’re going to need to do CPR. I need someone to tilt her head back, pinch her nose, and breathe into her mouth when I say.” I look up at the gathering crowd.
A man in his forties steps up. “I’ll do it.” He gets down on the ground beside her head. There’s not a ton of room, but he makes it work as best he can.
The elderly man looks so scared, my heart breaks for him.
“She’s going to be okay. Just keep applying pressure on the side of her head where the cut is.”
I reposition myself so I’m straddling her and count out the chest compressions, telling the man when to breathe. This is hard work. I can fully see now why Finn said as much in his presentation.
Within a couple minutes, the sound of sirens fills Main Street. Then there’re some shouts, and the crowd around us parts. I don’t stop what I’m doing. Not until a pair of hands wraps around my shoulders, and I hear Finn say my name.
“Harper, honey, we’ll take over.”
I turn and look over my shoulder, and the relief I feel when I see his face is staggering.
I let him help me up, then some other firefighters take over until the ambulance arrives.
As soon as Finn has pulled me away, off onto the sidewalk, I burst into tears.
He pulls me into his chest, and his familiar scent helps to settle me.
Finn sets me back by the shoulders and looks me over. “Are you okay? The baby?”
I nod and wipe my face. “Yeah. I don’t know what that was.”
He smooths my hair back from my face. “An adrenaline crash most likely.” Then he leans in and places a kiss on my forehead. “Let me go talk to the captain and tell him I’m taking you to see your aunt. I want to make sure everything is okay with you and the baby.”
I nod. “Okay.”
The ambulance arrives while I’m waiting for Finn to return, and they get the woman on the gurney.
“All right, let’s go. Guess I didn’t have to worry about being late for our appointment when the call came in, did I?” He wraps his arm around my shoulders as we make our way down the sidewalk toward my car.
I don’t say anything, still too in my head, replaying everything that just happened.
When we reach my vehicle, Finn holds out his hand. “Let me drive.” I nod, wordlessly digging for my keys in my purse and dropping them into his waiting palm. “You know you probably saved that woman’s life.”
My gaze flicks up to meet his. “Is she okay?”
“Her heart was beating again when they loaded her into the ambulance, thanks in part to you. One of the bystanders told me you jumped into action.”
“I guess I did do that.” A small smile tilts my lips.
“Remember when you doubted yourself?”
My smile grows a little more as I nod.
“So… this is the part where you tell me I was right.”
I smack him on the arm. “Open the door so I can get in. I’m chilly.” I wrap my arms around myself, laughing.
Finn seems to notice for the first time that I’m not wearing my coat. “Where’s your coat?”
“I gave it to the husband to apply pressure to his wife’s head wound.”
Finn’s smile is blinding as he opens the car door for me.
We make our way to see my aunt, who tells us that everything looks great with the baby. And after getting her to print out a million pictures for us to take with us, Finn takes me home before he returns to the station.
Maven keeps me company all night. I try not to make it obvious that I’m missing Finn, but when he comes in the next morning, and I’m still sleeping, he wakes me up in the best way possible.
* * *
Two weeks later, my entire family cheers from the audience as I walk across the stage to accept Lake Starlight’s Medal for Good as a result of my quick thinking and action.
Turns out I did save that woman’s life, who I now know is Shirley Jackson from neighboring Greywall.
Her husband nominated me after the doctor at the hospital told him that Shirley wouldn’t be alive today if I hadn’t started CPR right away.
At first the idea of accepting an award for it felt silly, but as I stand next to the mayor, smiling and getting my picture taken, I only feel pride.
Not in a smug way, but now I know that even though I’m nervous about becoming a mother, I’m confident I’ll be able to handle whatever is thrown my way.
No more second-guessing myself, no more waiting for me to screw it up.
Mistakes will happen, but not because I’m not capable, just because that’s life.
When the photographer tells me he’s got what he needs, Finn is at the stairs, waiting to help me down the steps because he’s overbearing in the best way.
“You looked good up there. I can’t wait to get you alone later,” he murmurs into my ear.
I don’t have a chance to respond before the rest of my family is upon us, and I move from one set of arms to another until I end up with my brother standing in front of me.
“I’m proud of you, sis.” He pulls me into a hug, squeezing tightly.
When we separate, I give him the once-over. “What’s gotten into you, E?”
“What? I can’t be proud of my sister?”
“Of course you can, but the hug was a little much.” I squeeze his shoulder, so he knows I’m joking.
He pushes a hand through his hair. “I’ve been thinking about what you said about living in my shadow growing up ever since we talked about it. I never really thought about it. About what it might have been like for you.”
“Oh god, are you going to make me have another heart-to-heart? Didn’t we already reach our quota with one this year?”
He chuckles. “I just want to say I’m sorry if I ever did anything to make it more difficult for you.”
I shake my head. “You didn’t. It is what it is, E. You were a good student, and I wasn’t. That’s not your fault. You were an amazing ball player. I’m happy about that, happy for all your success. I’ve come to realize that all my hangups were my own. I just had to get out of my own way.”
He shoves his hands in his pockets. “You sure?”
I nod. “I’m sure. Now give me one last hug before you go back to being my annoying older brother.”
He does as I request, and I have to work to hold in my tears. Happy tears this time.
Lately, I feel as though there’s just so damn much to be happy about.