AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Kyle tries calling his dad while Matt's frantically dialing Audra's number.
No one answers.
When we finally pull up to the house and I kill the engine, we all jump out and race towards the front door just as the paramedics are bringing someone out on a gurney. Kyle's fingers lace with mine and I chance a glance at him. His face is white, and he looks like he's going to puke.
But it's Matt's cry that tears my eyes from Kyle's face.
Audra's on the gurney, an oxygen mask strapped to her face.
Shocked and worried and terrified, I don't even notice the snowflakes that have started falling from the inky black sky, landing on my face and eyelashes and arms.
It snows every Halloween on the mountain without fail.
Chapter 48
My neck hurts as the faintest glow of rose-colored morning light trickles into the bedroom, rousing me from a restless sleep. I roll my shoulders, try to loosen the tightness settled at the base of my head.
Everything aches.
I sit up straight in the white chair beside Diane, who's still sleeping, raise my arms over my head, yawn.
I'm assuming everyone is still at the hospital. I stayed with Diane last night after the ambulance drove off with Audra. She had passed out while handing out candy to trick-or-treaters. Randy was the one who called 911. Diane wouldn't stop crying, terrified for Audra and the baby. By the time she drifted off to sleep around two in the morning, we still hadn’t heard anything.
At some point, I fell asleep in the chair beside her while I waited and hoped and prayed that both Audra and the baby were safe.
I don’t think I’ve ever prayed before.
But I did last night.
Quietly, I sneak out of the room and head down the stairs in search of a glass of water. My throat is dry, my head is pounding and I’m tired. So tired. Too much happened last night.
I'm not sure how much more I can take before I break.
I just want to crawl into a ball and cry. With Kyle’s arms wrapped around me.
Ugh.
The thought of him makes my heart ache and throb and beat restlessly.
He misunderstood everything that happened last night. I didn’t ask Matt not to propose to Audra because I’m still in love with him. I did it because I want what’s best for him as someone who’s watched him pay the price for all the iffy decisions he’s made over the last seven months. I don't think he should rush into anything. Especially with how emotionally charged everything feels right now.
But maybe Kyle’s sobering ultimatum made me realize a few things.
It’s not my place to interfere.
It’s not my place to ask Matt not to do something.
It’s not my place to dole out any type of advice or opinions on what he does with his life.
It’s not my place anymore.
I don’t even live here.
My life is 141 miles away.
I check my phone as I climb down the stairs and see a text from Matt. According to her doctor, Audra's blood pressure is elevated, and she has protein in her urine. The message says it's preeclampsia. I don't know what that means, but Matt says it's super serious and she could stroke out and die, possibly the baby, too. They're keeping her for a few days to get her blood pressure under control. Matt says they may have to take the baby early if medicine doesn't help.
I'm partially relieved, but still mostly worried.
