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His thoughts drifted to Olivia's mother, Charlotte, and the memory of her husband's and his father’s tragic death in a fire came flooding back. Jackson couldn't imagine the pain Charlotte must have still carried from losing her husband, and now seeing her daughter fighting for her life due to smoke inhalation must have reopened old wounds. He admired Charlotte's unwavering strength.
Turning his attention to Olivia's sister, Molly, Jackson's heart ached with sorrow. He knew how deeply Olivia had been affected by their father's death in the fire, and the thought of Molly, now older and able to understand losing a loved one, was horrible.
But it was Olivia herself who occupied Jackson's thoughts the most. She was the one lying in the hospital bed, battling the effects of smoke inhalation, and it tore at Jackson to see her like this. He felt a profound sense of guilt for not being in charge of the fire scene where Olivia was stricken, wondering if things would have turned out differently if he had been there to protect her.
In that moment, Jackson made a silent vow to be there for Olivia, to offer her his support and comfort as she fought to recover. He may not have had all the answers or be able to take away her pain, but he would do whatever it took to ensure Olivia knew she wasn't alone in this battle. He sat by her bedside, holding her hand and offering words of encouragement, praying silently for her swift recovery.
As Charlotte sat beside Olivia's hospital bed, she reached out to gently caress her daughter's hand. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Olivia, sweetheart," she began, her voice trembling with emotion. "I'm so sorry you're going through this. It breaks my heart to see you like this."
Charlotte's mixture of sorrow and tenderness echoed against the walls of the small ICU room as she spoke to her daughter. She brushed a stray lock of hair away from Olivia's forehead, her touch gentle and soothing as she leaned in closer. "You're so strong, Olivia," she continued, her voice wavering slightly. "But it's okay to be scared. It's okay to feel overwhelmed. Just know that I'm here for you, every step of the way. Stay strong, my darling. We'll get through this together. I promise."
As Charlotte spoke, her worry and concern for Olivia were palpable, her maternal instincts taking over as she poured her heart out to her daughter. She lifted her daughter’s hand to her lips and kissed it before announcing, “I’m heading home to take care of the dog. I’ll be back later.” She kissed her cheek.
“Bye, Mom.” Liv kissed her back.
Out of Olivia’s sightline, Jackson watched Charlotte wrap her arms around herself and tears flood down her cheeks. His heart could only ache more.
“Behave yourself, Liv. I’ve got work to do.” Molly kissed her and left.
He watched Molly shudder. Olivia was the big sister, family leader, rock.
Liv jumped as the door closed. Then she looked at Jackson. “What happened? Why do I feel like I'm missing something important?”
Jackson cocked his head. “You went to question one of the boys involved in the dumpster fire. He had an e-bike, and its lithium-ion battery lit up the apartment. You managed to pull the boy out but almost got yourself killed in the process.”
Her smile skewed the oxygen mask before she started to cough some more. “Does this ruin my chance at fire school?”
Jackson burst out laughing and excused himself, then he returned from the bathroom with a warm, damp washcloth and a basin. “Here you go,” he said gently, offering her the cloth. “Let's get that soot off your face.”
Liv took the washcloth from him, leaning back slightly and pulling the mask free. She closed her eyes as she wiped away the grime. “Thanks, Jackson,” she murmured, opening her eyes to meet his.
He sat down beside her, watching as she cleaned her face. “Rough day, huh?”
“Yeah, you could say that,” she sputtered, folding the used cloth and placing it in the basin sitting on the table.
Jackson reached for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I’m glad you’re going to be okay. You scared me.”
She held on to his fingers. “Thank you for being here.”
They stayed there for a moment, until she started to cough hard.
“I better get going. You need to rest.” Jackson replaced her oxygen mask. “You need this.”
Jackson turned to leave Olivia's hospital room, a sense of relief washing over him as he saw her resting peacefully. But he was startled when her partner, Michael, came racing into the room with concern etched on his face.
“Olivia!” he exclaimed, his voice filled with worry as he approached her bedside. “I came as soon as I heard. Are you alright?”
Jackson stepped back to give them some space, recognizing the urgency in Michael's tone. Olivia's eyes fluttered open, her expression softening as she took in his presence.
“I'm okay,” she reassured her partner. “Just a little shaken up.”
Michael's shoulders sagged with relief at her words, but the worry in his eyes remained. “I'm so glad to hear that,” he said, his voice tinged with emotion. “I was so worried about you. Why did you go interview that kid without me?”
“Thank you for coming,” she murmured. “It means a lot to me.”
“Rest, Livvy.” Jackson quietly slipped out of the room, giving them some privacy. He left her with Michael, who took a seat beside her bed.
Six
