Caught in the Flames (41 page)

“—we need to make this decision. It’s what she’d—” Tiff’s eyes snap up to meet mine.

“Where’s Ash? Is he all right?” My words earn all three of their gazes.

“Callie.” Chase stands. It’s then I realize how filthy he is. Dirt and grime smear his features and his voice scrapes rough. He reaches for me but I hold my hands in front to stop him from coming close.

“Don’t. I need to see him. Where is he?”

“Callie, it’s not—”

Shouts and curse words float down the opposite hallway and I know exactly who they belong to. I run toward the sound. My pulse beats with joy. If he can cuss out the nurses, he’s doing fine!

“God damn it, get me off the fucking line. I’m going to her. If you don’t get me a pair of fucking crutches and unhook me I’m pulling the IV out myself!” His shouts carry down the hall.

A woman’s voice answers, except it is hard, stern, and full of irritation. “Sir. Calm down. You’re not going anywhere. You have a broken fibula and until we get your results from the MRI you’re staying in this bed. Now, I paged the doctor. They’re a little busy right—”

Finding the door open I rush inside to where Ash sits up in his bed. His eyes lift to my face and my lips pull slowly into a wide smile. His eyes widen and he stops struggling with the poor nurse. She steps around me and slinks from the room. Tears prick my eyes as I take him in. His face is scraped and his dry lips cracked. His left leg is propped on several pillows and wrapped in some sort of splint. Step by steady step I walk to the edge of his bed and his gaze never leaves mine, the amber swirls amongst the green like a raging storm.

“You’re okay,” I whisper. So much relief fills my mind that I’m afraid if I say the words too loudly they won’t be true.

“How—”

“Chase called me.” His eyes narrow.

“Chase,” he grits out.

I reach out and touch his arm with the tips of my fingers. I need to feel him, to know he’s safe. “Doesn’t matter who called, I’m here.” I say and his gaze follows my tongue as I trace it across my parched lips.

His eyes drop to his leg and his mouth twists with a wince. “I’m sorry, Callie. I tried.” He’s so distraught. I rest my hip on the edge of his bed and reach my hand to run along his jaw. His eyes shut tight and he leans into my touch. “I’m sorry.” He says again, this time his voice breaks.

“You’re fine. You’re okay. That’s all that matters. Don’t apologize.” His chin lifts out of my touch and I drop my hand to my lap.

Ash shakes his head. “They didn’t tell you?” His eyes catch the light as they fill with unshed tears. His brow pulls into a scowl and he winces again.

“What? Tell me what?” The fear is back, stealing my breath and sending a shiver up my spine.

The nurse knocks on the door and steps inside. “Dr. Erickson says he’ll be by to check on you within the hour.
If
you’re a good patient, he may get you a wheelchair.” Her lips pull in a tight line and she raises her brow.

“At least tell me if she’s okay,” he practically growls.

“Sir, you know we can only release that information to immediate family.”
Wait, I’m lost. Who—?

“Callie.” Ash’s rough voice, deep with untethered emotion pulls my gaze back to his face. “Callie, please go to her. Find out if Kiki will be all right. I’m sorry. I tried. I fucking tried. You have to know that.”

I can’t breathe.

Time stops.

Ash’s touch on my hand jolts me back to reality.

“What happened?” I say as I pull myself from the bed’s edge and stumble to my feet.

“There was a fire. At the library. I tried, Callie. I fucking tried. I swear it.” Wetness trails down his cheeks and his eyes swim with sorrow. “Go to her. She needs you.” His pain prevents my feet from moving out the door. I want to do as he asks but his sadness . . . he’s drowning and I can’t leave him alone.

“Go!” His voice grows hard as he glares over my shoulder. “I’ll come find you as soon as they fucking let me move!”

I nod. I’m torn between staying with him and finding Kiki. I stumble down the hall, my muscles tight and rigid as I push them to move quicker.

“What do you think, Cam?” Chase says as I near the waiting room again. They’ve all moved; they’re now huddled in a loose circle with one of the hospital staff.

Cam rubs his hands over his face, smudging some of the grime away. I wonder if they were all at the fire together. How many people were there? Injured? With such a large community event in that old building . . . my heart aches with loss. “I don’t know. When do we need a decision?”

The person wearing scrubs bristles officiously. “It’s important Mary Katherine’s next of kin come to a unified choice on the matter. That or produce a living will.”

Tiff’s face pinches into an ugly scowl. “Why should we wait? Take her off the machines. She’s an old woman and done enough in this life.”

I step into the room from the hallway. “What’s going on?”

“I’ll check back soon.” The staff member excuses himself and walks away. Tiff glares my way and then turns on her heel before taking a seat at the other end of the room.

Chase’s chocolate eyes seem to plead . . . but for what? “Callie, Kiki sustained extensive injuries before Ash pulled her from the fire.”

“It was dangerous on his part disobeying orders to evacuate.” Cam interrupts in a near yell. “The idiot not only endangered his own life, but put half the goddamn department at risk! I get he wanted to save her, but at what cost?”

“Cam,” Chase warns, and Cam gives his head a shake.

“Fuck it. I’m going for a walk. I need some air.” Cam stomps away, leaving me alone with Chase, while Tiff glares from across the room. If her gaze contained the power to take me out right now, it would.

“Where’s Kiki? And what was that doctor talking about?” I’m almost certain I already know, but I can’t believe what’s happening.

“She’s on life support. There’s swelling in her brain. Shattered bones. We—her next of kin—have to make decisions about her care.” Chase remains clear, pointed, calm, but the walls in the room start to close in on me as if this were a nightmare.

“What are you talking about? Kiki doesn’t have any children. She told me so.” Chase nods once.

“Her late husband married my step-mother. Legally, Cam and Tiff are responsible for the decisions in her medical care.”

“What? No! There’s got to be someone else.”

“No one else. Her parents passed years ago. Same as her husband. She has no siblings.”

“No.” It can’t be true.

“No?” His left brow rises.

“There’s no way Cam and Tiff can be responsible for Kiki’s care. She doesn’t have a relationship with them. They don’t love her. They don’t care about her well-being! You heard Tiff!”

“Calm down, Callie,” Chase chastises. “It’s the law. There’s nothing you can do.”

“Take me to her,” I demand and Chase blows out an exaggerated breath.

“I can’t do that. Family only. Hospital rules.” He glances around.

“You owe me. Take me to her. Please.” My voice is steadier and stronger than I feel right now. He glances over my shoulder and then touches my arm, just above my elbow with a soft nudge. I let him lead me down a long hallway to an area I’ve never been. The rooms here are larger with glass walls so patients can be viewed from the hall. They contain even more medical equipment and there aren’t visitors milling around. I keep my gaze trained at the floor, not willing or wanting to look inside the patients’ rooms. Chase stops short and grips my elbow. I stop beside him. He pulls open a door and what’s inside almost stops my heart.

Oh, Kiki.

I inhale sharply to cut the sob before it escapes my lips.

“You gonna be able to handle this? If not, we leave now. She’s under enough stress. You need to be strong for her.” His fingers haven’t yet released my arm. He’s right and I hate him a little for that. But I need to be strong for my friend right now. I nod, unable to speak, and he leads me to the side of her bed, pulls over a chair so I can sit beside her.

“Is it okay if I hold her hand?” I ask because honestly I don’t know. Her chest rises and falls with the help of the machine. Tubes come out of her mouth and nose. IVs down her arms. I don’t want to hurt her.

He nods. “Yeah, just be gentle. I’ll give you some time with her.” Chase steps outside the glass door and leans against the wall, folding his arms over his chest.

I hold Kiki’s hand. The rhythmic whoosh and beeps of the machines settle my racing heart to the point where I find my voice again. “What happened? Huh?” I clear my throat. “You were only supposed to be selling erotic flowers, not burning down the library.”

Her eye lids, closed, don’t move, not even a little. Her face looks so strange. The skin hangs limp and loose from her cheekbones. She’s always smiling or talking. This body, this person here, is nothing like the Kiki I know.

“Hey, I know this is hard. I know you’re tired, and you’ve been through a lot today. But, please, if you can hear me, Kiki, I need you to stay a little longer. How can I do life without our chats? Who else will tell it to me straight when I’m in a funk?”

I sniffle to hold back any tears from falling. I run my fingers along the latest tattoo on her forearm and trace the lines of the ink. “And I worked really hard on the yard. You have to be there when spring comes to see the butterflies return.” I swallow against the parched taste in my mouth.

I don’t expect a response from her but I hope for one all the same. But if there’s any possibility that she knows I’m here with her, I’ll stay all night. Muffled voices grow in volume from outside the door but my focus stays with Kiki and the even rise and fall of her chest.

The door pushes open and several doctors step inside with Chase. “Callie, they need to run an evaluation. You can sit with her as soon as they’re done,” he says kindly and I nod.

“I’ll go get some coffee and come back in a few.”

“Should only take us about fifteen minutes. There’s a complimentary coffee station at the end of the hall. Just make a left outside the door,” one of the men dressed in blue scrubs offers.

“Thank you,” I say and although I’m reluctant to let go of her hand, I’m happy to see the staff working to help her heal. I step outside the room and turn left. Cam marches my way with a deep frown in place of his normally carefree grin.

“Cam,” I say when he stops walking to block my path.

“What’s with Jill? You both belong in some “fucking over your men” club. ’Cause I’m getting real tired of being on the receiving end of the shit you two pull.” His words are full of venom and it takes me aback.

“What are you talking about?”

“First, you act like you’re head over heels for my brother, yet when he tells you how sorry he is, how much of a mistake he made, you won’t even give him another chance. Why? Because you’re too busy fucking Ashley and God knows who else.” He punctuates his words by pointing his index finger and my body thrums with irritation.
How dare he?
He knows nothing about what happened.

“I’m not with Ash.” I practically spit the words out. “And your brother was a horrible boyfriend. I’ve only ever been honest with him. Something I never got in return.”

“Yeah. Whatever. Tell your friend to call me when she feels like it. Or not.” He tries to brush by but I block his way.

“Why don’t you call her yourself?”

“I did. She said she couldn’t come by. Whatever the fuck that means. You need to move. I need to speak with the doctors.” He blows out a breath and rubs his hands over his shaved head. For once I sort of feel bad for him. Jill doesn’t make a good girlfriend, and she hates hospitals, so it doesn’t surprise me she opted out of a visit.

“Hey,” I say and reach out my hand to touch his forearm. “I know this can’t be easy, but despite the past, the strained relationship you had with your father . . . Kiki is a good person. Please do everything you can to give her a chance to survive this? Please.”

Cam’s gaze hardens and he pulls out of my reach. Ignoring my pleas, he stomps the rest of the way to Kiki’s room. I’m trying to be compassionate, understanding even, but it’s infuriating that Cam and Tiff are the ones in charge of Kiki’s medical decisions. My anger simmers, steadily heating to a boil. Sadness and hurt repurpose and add fuel to my rage.

Dammit, Kiki. Why didn’t you ever tell me about your family?

The hallway feels too small a space. I need something, anything to make this day feel real again. My legs move and I take long strides in search of the one thing I know will calm my shaking nerves.

I hate Chase’s fucked up family.

After my run in with Cam, I’m relieved to pass the waiting room and not find any trace of Tiff and her permanent bitch face. I’m desperate for some space—and coffee. I find the little self-serve barista set-up near the larger waiting room. I don’t know why but I brew two cups. One is for me and the other . . . ? Part of me hopes Kiki will wake up any second. She’s as much an addict as I am and she’ll surely be jonesing for a cup after the day she’s had. I want to take care of her.

And I will. I don’t care that Cam and Tiff are legally her next of kin. There’s no way in hell I’ll let them near Kiki after she’s released from the hospital. I’m lucky to have a job where I can work from home. I’m thankful I only moved one load of personal items over to my house because I spent most of my day cleaning and not unpacking. It’ll be easier to move back to Kiki’s. We’ll go back to being roommates. At least get her through the winter months.