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“He climbed a tree to get a better shot of the lightning.” Her father would be rolling his eyes about now, but in the darkness it was difficult to tell. “He says he doesn’t remember what happened, but it looks as if he fell and a branch came down on top of him. We haven’t moved him as you were so close.”
“But we’ll need to as soon as we can.” Rick reached into the SUV, taking out another long bag and slinging the strap over his shoulder. He might not be used to these conditions, but he understood well enough that Simon could freeze to death if he was outside for any length of time.
Her father nodded, picking up Rick’s medical bag. “Yep. Storm’s getting worse.”
Rick took her arm, gripping it tight as they trudged through the snow toward the huddled figures up ahead. When they reached them, the circle of people parted to let them through and the men kneeling next to Simon scooted to one side. Rick took his gloves off, bending down to examine Simon.
The boy’s heavy coat and the snow on the ground must have broken his fall. Simon was cradling his arm, but he was sitting up and seemed able to reply to Rick’s questions. All the same, Rick seemed to be concerned about him.
“Our house is closest, if you want to take him back there...” Phoenix Flame Jones, from Sunbeam Victuals, spoke up. He and his wife, Sage Blossom, were amongst the search party, standing out from the others in their matching Tibetan-style knitted hats and bright scarves.
“Thanks, that’s good of you.” Rick turned, smiling. “But I’d like to take him straight back to the clinic, if possible.”
“Right you are, Doc Fleming. You know best.” Any awkwardness over the incident at Sunbeam Victuals had been forgotten, as Fleur had known it would be. The islanders all pulled together at times like these.
“The roads will be all right...?” Rick glanced up at Fleur’s father.
The clinic’s big, all-weather SUV could handle this amount of snow easily. Her father nodded. “Shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll follow you, in case you run into anything.”
“Thanks.” Rick unzipped the long bag he’d brought with him, unfolding a stretcher. Simon was lifted carefully onto it, and a couple of the younger men were enlisted to help carry him to the car.
“Sage Blossom’s left some soup on the stove. It won’t take long to warm up and everyone’s welcome back at ours.” Phoenix Flame raised his voice, receiving a general murmur of approval in response.
“As long as it’s not leftovers.” Her father nudged her, breathing the words quietly. Fleur had heard all about the incident when Sage Blossom had taken her Waste Not, Want Not campaign a little too far during the Sunbeam Victuals’ Freeganuary event, and given herself food poisoning.
“Shush, Dad. You know she’s learned her lesson.” Everyone knew that Sage Blossom had vowed by everything she held dear that she would never keep leftovers beyond their use-by date again.
Hot soup was tempting, but nothing could have persuaded Fleur to leave Rick at the moment. If he didn’t need her help, that was okay. She’d just be there for as long as he allowed it. Her father was deep in conversation with Jim Brady, and it seemed that the sheriff intended to escort them back to the clinic.
Sage Blossom caught her arm. “You’re going with them?”
“Yes.” Fleur couldn’t think of a good reason why, so she decided not to explain.
“Take this.” Sage Blossom took something out of her pocket, pressing it into Fleur’s hand. “Please put it close to Simon, it’ll help him.”
“Thank you. What is it?” Sage Blossom shot her a smile and then hurried away and Fleur peered at the object in her hand. She could see now that it was a crystal, but in the darkness she couldn’t tell what kind. She put the crystal into her pocket and followed Rick over to the SUV.
* * *
The right-hand side of the SUV’s back seat folded down to accommodate the stretcher, and Rick settled Simon in, taking off his wet coat and covering him with a blanket to keep him warm.
“You’re coming?”
“Yes?” Fleur couldn’t keep the question from her voice.
“Great. Perhaps you’ll sit with Simon, then. Keep an eye on him.”
She could do that. Before Rick had a chance to change his mind, Fleur climbed into the back seat of the SUV next to Simon. Rick signaled to her father, who got into Jim Brady’s SUV.
“Hey, Simon. How are you doing?” He was lying still, his gaze fixed straight ahead of him. She took his hand and felt his fingers curl around hers. Being injured and a long way from home wasn’t easy. Fleur remembered only bits and pieces from her own journey to the hospital when she’d been hurt, but they were imprinted on her brain. She gave Simon’s hand a squeeze, needing the comfort of knowing he was all right.
Simon’s eyes fluttered closed and then shot open again, a look of panic on his face when the SUV started to move slowly. “I...fell...?”
Fleur knew that feeling too. The awful sensation of falling every time she closed her eyes. It had been the same whenever the nurses had moved her bed. “Yes, you fell. But that’s over, Simon, and you’re not falling now. Just hold onto me.”
She held onto his hand with both of hers, and Simon gazed up into her face. “Yeah... Thanks. Where are we going?”
“To the clinic. The doctor will be able to make sure that you’re okay there.” Fleur decided to be positive and Simon rewarded her with a smile, his eyes focusing on her face.
