Page 93 of Afterglow

“What about Sam?” I plead. I know it’s early, probably too early, but maybe…

“Sam?” He tests the word and then shakes his head, putting it together with the only other being who was in the car with her, inside her body. “We tried. That’s why they pulled me in—I’m a trauma surgeon. But he was too small, it was too much for him. I’m very sorry.”

A grief-choked scream issues from somewhere in the room, loud and abrasive, and it’s not until Dr. Drayven props me up from where I began to sink to the floor that I realize the sound is coming from me.

“We’re here, Bryce,” Alex says from the front seat, and everything snaps into focus like a rubber band releasing after being stretched too tight.

I look out the window and the large red letters reading EMERGENCY ROOM are splashed across my retinas, burning into my brain. I throw open the door before Alex or Delia can say anything else and run for the sliding glass entrance.

Familiar. Too familiar. My stomach pulls and I stuff down the desire to vomit.

“Kole. Leanne Kole,” I say to the nurse in the blue scrubs.

It’s not the same nurse.

It’s not the same… This is not the same.

“Yes, of course. And you are…”

“Her husband,” I reply without thinking. I know well enough they won’t let me see her if I say otherwise. I’ll take whatever consequences there are for lying later. Right now, I just need to see her.

“Okay. Do you know the way to labor and delivery?” My eyes go wide and my breath catches in my chest. She registers the look and quickly says, “They took her up for monitoring.”

“She’s… she’s okay?” I ask, the adrenaline pumping through my body making it shake.

“The doctor will be able to tell you everything. I was only informed she’s up there for monitoring. You know the way?”

Her head tilts and she watches me cautiously, like she’s trying to decide if I’m about to pass out and she needs to call for someone to catch me.

“We know the way,” Delia says, her hand finding my arm. Alex is beside her. They either found a spot very quickly or parked illegally.

“And you are?” the nurse asks.

“His parents. We won’t go in. We’ll just get him there,” Alex says, steering me toward the hallway where the elevators are. Their calming presence is the only thing keeping me together right now.

“She’ll be okay, Bryce,” Delia whispers, wrapping her arms around me in the elevator and squeezing me tight. She used to do this when I was young and my anxiety got the better of me. It’s been a long time since I needed one of her hugs this badly.

The elevator moves too slow, and when the doors open, I slip between them, practically dragging Delia behind me by her hand. The nurses’ station is abuzz with activity, and in the middle is Becca.

“Bryce.” She exhales my name and pulls me into her, wrapping her arms around my neck and whispering, “She’s okay.”

I nearly take her to the floor with me when my legs collapse. I can’t register the words around me, the movement, the controlled chaos as they attempt to get me upright again and into a chair.

A bottle of water is thrust into my hands and Becca squats low, her eyes bouncing between mine as she tells me to breathe. Counts my breaths until they match hers.

I look up and her beautiful brown eyes are so full of love. “She’s okay. They’re both okay.”

“Both of them—” My voice breaks.

“Both of them,” she assures me, clasping my hands between hers. “Want to see her?”

I nod. Everything is still shaking as I come down from the rush of adrenaline and pure panic. She takes my hand and leads me past where Alex and Delia are standing with relieved smiles on their faces. Before we walk into the room, I pause and pull them both in.

“Thank you.”

I know this couldn’t have been easy on them either, but they did it. And they did it without freaking out so I could fall apart. I don’t know what I did to deserve these people, this family, but I will never take them for granted.

“We love you.” Delia presses a kiss onto my cheek and Becca takes my hand again, pulling me toward the door two down from where I was sitting.