Page 22 of Royal Desire

When I heard the location, I jumped out of bed like the house was on fire. I know that address. I was on my way by the time I got word which Sinclair was in trouble. At the time of the call, Alice was reported in and out of consciousness.

Alice Sinclair is the salt of the earth. She’s proof that when life dishes out a pile of shit, you can still be a good, decent person and live life without making yourself and everyone around you miserable in the process.

The world needs more people like Alice.

I park on the street two doors down to make room for the ambulance and engine. Reporting straight to the call isn’t procedure. Then again, this is the Sinclair house. I know it as intimately as other things I’m trying not to think about in recent days.

I haven’t been here for over a decade, but not one thing has changed. I don’t bother knocking since the front door is unlocked and push my way into the house since every light is on. “Blake, Ruby! Where’s Alice?”

Blake rushes from the back hall. His face is panicked as he runs his hands through his moppy hair that’s nothing like his sisters. “She’s in the bathroom. Ruby is with her. I don’t know if she slipped or fainted, but she hit her head.”

I move past him and pause when I get to the threshold of the only bathroom in the house. Alice is on the floor prone with Ruby on her knees hovering over her. Blood soaks a washcloth that Ruby has pressed to her temple. When her normally bright blues connect with me, there’s nothing bright about them. And there’s definitely no shock or hate like there has been every time I’ve seen her in the last few days.

Tears stream down Ruby’s face as her eyes widen with surprise when she sees me. “What are you doing here?”

“Hate me all you want, but I’m your EMT for the night.” I step over Alice, drop my medic bag to the floor, and press my fingers to her neck. “Has she been unconscious since you found her?”

Ruby proves she cares about her grandmother more than my presence. “In and out. She’s only mumbled a few words. I don’t know what to do. I tried not to move her, but she was wedged behind the door. Where is the ambulance?”

“They’ll be here any minute. I was closer, so I came straight here.” I dig through my bag and get to work. “Ms. Sinclair, can you hear me?”

Alice tries to swat Ruby’s hand away and mumbles something I can’t understand.

Ruby shakes her head. “She’s been like this since we found her.”

I snap my gloves on before I check her airway. “Her pulse is weak. Is she on any medications?”

“Not that I know of.” Ruby shakes her head and looks up at Blake. “Is there anything I don’t know about?”

Blake shrugs. “Not that she’s told me. Just old people stuff. Aches and pains ... I don’t know.”

I pull Ruby’s hand away holding the soaked cloth to her head. “I need room to work so I can stabilize her neck.”

Ruby scoots back on her ass in a dress that’s as fiery as her name. Alice’s eyes flutter open and she mumbles a complaint when I place a neck brace on her. I look down at the old woman and smile. “Thanks for joining us. You took a fall. Do you remember what happened?”

Alice’s voice is weak, but her words are not. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Ruby lets out a relieved exhale. “Thank God, she’s awake.”

I smile down at the old woman. “It’s good to see you too.”

“Where’s Blake? Is he home yet?”

“I’m right here, Grandma,” Blake calls.

Alice can’t see him. It doesn’t matter how weak she is, she tries to pull at the brace I just put on her. “Get this thing off me.”

I go through every step to assess her and check her vitals as Ruby takes her grandmother’s hand in hers. “You fell and hit your head. You’re bleeding. You need to cooperate.”

I tear open an alcohol wipe and run it over her middle finger.

“Ouch!” Alice bites out when I prick her finger and squeeze. I wipe the first drop of blood away and squeeze again. “Get your hands off me, Payne Deacon.”

I squeeze a drop of blood into a glucometer. It takes a few seconds until a number pops up on the screen. “Well, that explains a lot. Your glucose is running low, Ms. Sinclair.”

Alice is having none of it. “It’s not either. I just tripped over my own feet. Happens all the time.”

“It does not happen all the time,” Blake argues. “I’d know if you were falling every other day.”