Page 42 of Dark Truth

“Emily!” I ran to her, knocked Trent out of my way, which I’d admit later was childish, but I didn’t care at that moment. I saw her face, covered in an oxygen mask with blood all over her.

“What’s wrong with her?” I gasped out as a paramedic looked her over.

“Laceration to the scalp, multiple contusions, injuries spread along her body, smoke inhalation, and I suspect she might have more injuries that we can’t see.” The woman, dressed in combat pants and a button up shirt, with her last name, “Moore”, stitched across the left breast, said to me, “Are you the next of kin? We’re going to need them, more than likely.”

“I’m her boyfriend…” I stopped when she began to shake her head no.

“We need next of kin, honey. That isn’t enough.”

I wanted to tell her to fuck off, but Trent stepped up and took over. He gave the information needed and promised to get the rest. Emily hadn’t taken her bag in, so I knew all of her information was still in the car. I’d get that later.

“Give me your keys; I’ll get her purse,” Trent said when I explained where her bag was. The paramedic wanted Emily’s insurance information.

I handed the keys to Emily’s brother and looked down at the mother of my child.

“The baby? How’s the baby?”

“The what?” Trent was suddenly back and glaring at me fiercely.

“She’s pregnant. With my baby. Your niece or nephew.”

“Fuck. I hope she’s okay then.” His face blanched, and fear crept across his face. “Well, I mean, I want her to be okay anyway, but if she’s pregnant too, fuck, this is bad.”

That didn’t help my situation, but I didn’t say anything else. I just stood there, looking down at the beautiful woman I wanted to wake up. She wouldn’t, though, no matter how I stroked blood and soot away from her face. She was still, almost lifeless.

Another ambulance arrived then, and she was rushed into the back of the vehicle. Trent had made it back in time to hand over her insurance card and gave me back the keys.

“Which hospital is she going to?” I called into the back of the ambulance, and when the paramedic called back, I looked over at Trent.

“Meet you there?”

“You know it, brother.” In an instant, the enmity fell away, and I was part of the family. “You want me to drive you?”

“That might be best. My hands are shaking.”

I didn’t want to admit it, but I was terrified.

“No problem. I’ll have Jessi drive your car over. That shaking from stress or the other?”

Trent didn’t have to say what the other was. We both knew what he meant.

“Stress, man. Look, I’ll ask your dad later, but you’re the de facto head of this family since your dad retired, so I’ll ask you. May I marry your sister?”

He nearly drove us off the road, but he soon corrected and had us right behind the ambulance Emily was in again. “Of course. If that’s what she wants.”

“I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it. But, this?” I held my hands out in the direction of the ambulance. “If she survives this, then that’s what I hope to do. Make her my wife and build a life with her.”

“It’s a tough decision to reach for men like us.” Trent nodded, and I could hear him sigh. “I fought against my feelings for Jessi for decades, man. I know what it’s like. But if you love my sister, then I’m happy to give me blessing. You should still ask my dad, though.”

He winked over at me and refocused on the road.

The hospital was just as chaotic as the place we’d just left. People in medical uniforms rushed around, while people waited in the waiting area. Gurneys were pushed into an open waiting area, and I saw nothing but madness. After a minute, I started to see some direction in that chaos, and a doctor soon came to check Emily over.

“Right, get her down to radiology. Get a line running, what are her vitals?” The doctor paused while a nurse called the numbers out. “Alright. Radiology, now.”

He stopped and looked up at Trent and I, a short elderly man with a shock of white hair, dressed in blue scrubs. His green eyes were bright, observant, and capable looking as he started to ask questions.

“What happened to her? I heard there was a stampede at that place. Was she involved in that? From the multiple contusions and the injuries along her body, I’d guess that’s what happened.”