4. Elijah
CHAPTER 4
Elijah
I wiped the sweat from my brow, grimacing as I finished polishing the last of the firefighter helmets. Nothing like some mindless grunt work to keep the hands busy and the mind quiet.
Jake yelled from across the station, “Your brother would be so proud—if he knew you actually worked once in a while.”
I was filling in for Nathan’s shift at the station today while he sipped some sort of pineapple drink on the beach. And I wasn’t even exaggerating, because the jerk had actually sent me a selfie yesterday to gloat.
I shot him a mock glare. “Hey now, I’ll have you know I’m employee of the month.” I held up the gleaming helmet. “See? Sparkling.”
The shrill ring of the emergency alert cut through our banter. We started moving toward the garage, even as we listened to the signal. The tone indicated it was a medical call. Then the dispatcher announced the address. The world tilted sideways.
I heard myself ask, “What happened?” but it sounded far away, like I was underwater.
That was my parents’ address. The first address I’d ever memorized was just announced over the intercom at the fire station. My feet were moving before my brain caught up.
I sprinted for my locker, yanking on my jacket with shaking hands.
“I’ve got your back,” Jake murmured. The concern in his eyes made my chest tighten further.
We raced for the ambulance and the truck, the usual excited chatter replaced by tense silence. I could feel the crew’s sidelong glances, knew they were all thinking the same thing: poor Eli.
I clenched my jaw, willing the thoughts away. I had to focus on the job. That’s all that mattered.
As we pulled out of the station, sirens wailing, I closed my eyes and sent up a silent prayer. Please let them be okay. Please let me be enough this time. Was it Linc? Or maybe Alex? I’d broken my arm when I was eight. Maybe it had been a mistake to let Mom and Dad take care of the kids. Or what if it was mom? They weren’t ancient, but I’d seen crazier things happen. If one of the boys knocked her down the stairs by accident…
The fire truck’s siren wailed as we tore through the streets of Minden, but it couldn’t drown out the cacophony in my head. My knuckles were white on the seat’s edge, my heart hammering against my ribs.
“The boys,” I muttered, more to myself than anyone else. “God, I hope the boys are okay.”
Jake’s hand clapped my shoulder. “They’re tough kids, Eli. Like their uncle.”
I tried to smile, but it felt more like a grimace. “Yeah, well, being tough isn’t always enough, is it?”
Images flashed through my mind—Alex screaming, Mom writhing in pain. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the thoughts away. A hundred possible scenarios, fueled by the terrible accidents I’d seen as a first responder over the last eight years.
“Two minutes out,” Jake called from the front. As we approached, the dispatcher fed us more information. Sixty-year-old male. Chest pain.
Not the boys, but it wasn’t good. I sucked in a deep breath, steeling myself. As we rounded the corner onto my parents’ street, I caught sight of their house. Nothing unusual. Just Mom’s dried-out flower beds and Dad’s perfectly manicured lawn. It looked so normal, it was surreal.
The truck screeched to a halt, and I was out before it fully stopped, my boots hitting the pavement hard. I sprinted up the familiar path, my heart in my throat.
“Mom!” I yelled, reaching for the door handle. It swung open before I could touch it, revealing my mother’s tear-streaked face.
“Eli,” she choked out, her voice trembling. “Oh, thank God you’re here.” She held one arm around Lincoln and the other around Joey. Alex stood back, his wide, dark eyes taking in the entire scene.
I pulled her into a quick, fierce hug, my eyes scanning the entryway behind her. “Where’s Dad?”
I released her and held her at arm’s length, searching her face. “What happened?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
She drew a shaky breath. “We were just having breakfast, and he... he started clutching his chest.” Her voice cracked. “He said it felt like a horse was sitting on him. I called 911 right away, but—“
“You did the right thing, Mom,” I assured her, my protective instincts kicking in. I wanted to wrap her in my arms again, shield her from all this, but I knew I had to focus. “Where is he now?”
“Living room,” she managed, pointing down the hall.
I nodded, squeezing her shoulder. “Okay, I’m going to check on him. The guys are right behind me with equipment.”
As if on cue, Jake burst through the door, medical bag in hand. “Where to, Eli?”
“Living room,” I replied, all business now. I strode down the hallway, my first responder training kicking in. “Dad?” I called out. “It’s Eli. We’re here to help.”
I heard a weak groan in response, and my heart clenched. Rounding the corner, I saw him: my larger-than-life father, looking small and pale on the couch.
“Alright, Jake, let’s get vitals,” I ordered, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside. I could already tell we were going to transport him. His breathing was shallow and the pain was written across his face. “Matteo, get the stretcher.”
The living room filled with the sounds of ripping Velcro and beeping monitors. I tried to focus on the task at hand, but my mind was working overtime in the background. This was my dad. The man who’d taught me to throw a baseball, who’d grilled me about my grades, who’d looked disappointed when I told him I was failing Physics.
“Eli,” Dad’s voice was barely above a whisper. “The boys...”
“They’re fine, Dad,” I assured him, even though I wasn’t entirely sure. “Just focus on breathing, okay? We’ve got you.”
“Matteo,” I called out, “we’re gonna need that stretcher in here ASAP. Jake, what’s his BP looking like?”
I couldn’t help but notice how fragile he seemed. It was unsettling, seeing him like this. Part of me wanted to crack a joke, lighten the mood somehow, but I knew this wasn’t the time. Instead, I channeled all my energy into being the professional I’d trained to be.
I watched as Nathan’s crew loaded Dad onto the stretcher, my heart pounding in my chest. The guys were being extra careful, treating him like he was made of glass. I wanted to tell them to hurry up, to get him to the hospital already, but I bit my tongue. They knew what they were doing.
“Eli, honey,” Mom’s voice quavered beside me. “What about the boys? I need to go with him.” The indecision about what to do was tormenting her.
In all the chaos, I’d almost forgotten about my nephews. I ran a hand through my hair, my mind racing. “We’ll figure something out, Mom. Don’t worry.”
But as I said it, I realized I had no idea what to do. Nathan and Rebecca were out of town, and most of our extended relatives lived hours away. Mom needed someone local, someone who could handle three rambunctious kids at a moment’s notice.
And then it hit me. Carla.
My pulse skipped, a traitor to my composure. “I’ve got an idea,” I told Mom, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “You go with Dad in the ambulance. I’ll take care of the boys.”
Her grip tightened on my arm. She didn’t want to go without me either. I patted her arm. “I’ll take them back to the station with me for now. When I get off shift, I’ll meet you at the hospital, okay? It’s just a few more hours.” I glanced at my watch. Not even a few hours. The next shift might well be waiting for me when I got back to the station with the truck.
I could stay with the boys, but Mom needed me at the hospital. Thank God it was Saturday and Carla might actually be free.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was about to open a whole new can of worms. But what choice did I have? The boys needed someone, and Carla was the best option. Even if it meant stirring up old feelings and risking my dad’s wrath.
I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what was to come.
I pulled out my phone, my thumb hovering over Carla’s name. How many times had I almost called her, only to chicken out at the last second? I’d almost deleted her number a hundred times, but never had. Did she even still have the same number?
I hit ‘call’ before I could overthink it.
“Eli?” Carla’s voice was a mix of surprise and wariness.
“Hey.” I tried to keep my voice steady, but I could hear the strain in it. “Look, I know this is out of the blue, but I need a favor. It’s... it’s my dad. He’s had a heart attack.”
There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end. “Oh, Eli. I’m so sorry.”
“Thanks. He’s on his way to the hospital now, but...” I swallowed hard. “I need someone to watch the boys. I hate to ask, but—“
“Say no more,” Carla interrupted. “I’ll be right there.”
Relief washed over me. “You’re a lifesaver, Carla. Truly. Meet me at the station?”
Now I would just have to explain to Dad why the daughter of his sworn enemy was watching his grandkids. That’d go over well. One battle at a time, though.
I turned to see my crew loading up the truck. Mom was already in the ambulance with Dad, looking small and scared. I jogged over, squeezing her hand through the open door.
“It’s going to be okay, Mom,” I said, hoping I sounded more confident than I felt. “Someone’s coming to watch the boys. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Mom nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Thank you, sweetie. Your father... he’d be proud of how you’re handling this.”
I wanted to believe her, but doubt gnawed at me. Would Dad really be proud? Or would he be disappointed that I’d called Carla, of all people?
As the ambulance pulled away, its sirens piercing the quiet morning, I felt torn in a million directions. Part of me wanted to jump in my car and follow them to the hospital. Another part knew I had to go back to the station with the truck. And a tiny, traitorous part of me was actually looking forward to seeing Carla again.
Dad always did say I had my priorities mixed up.
“Is Papa gonna be alright?” Lincoln’s curious voice made me turn.
I knelt down and opened my arms to the boys who’d stood silently by and watched us load their grandfather into the ambulance.
“The doctors are going to take a look at him and help him get better, okay?”
Three sets of trusting eyes looked back at me. Then three small nods of cautious acceptance.
“Why did Mimi leave? Is she sick too?”
I shook my head. “Mimi is just going to make sure Papa isn’t scared. You guys are already so brave, she thought you’d be okay with it if she went with Papa instead. Is that alright with you? Are you my super brave boys?”
More emphatic nods this time.
“Since Mimi went with grandpa, you guys get to ride in the truck with me, okay? And then, Miss Carla is coming to hang out for a bit.”
Smiles met the announcement, the first I’d seen from them since I arrived.
I strapped them in the best I could and climbed into the fire truck, my mind racing. Please, God , I prayed silently, let Dad be okay. And maybe, while you’re at it, don’t let this whole Carla situation blow up in my face.
Alex caught my eye in the rearview mirror. “I’m hungry. Can we get donuts?”
I chuckled. “Yeah, little man. We can definitely get donuts.”