Chapter 27
My cell phone screams in my pocket. I’m instantly at ease when I see her number. Our fight was so stupid and I want to see her. I step into the house to cut down on the noise.
“Baby.”
“Sir, this is Brandon Walters. I’m a first responder and we just left the scene to an accident on Riverside Drive. We have two passengers in route to Good Samaritan Hospital.”
The world spins and I grab the counter to steady myself. Joshua comes down the stairs and sees me. He’s at my side before I even have to ask. He stands inches from me with his hand on my shoulder.
“You’re the last number called on this phone. We were hoping you could come down here. The male has been identified as Lorenzo DeGatti but we are unable to get an id on the female and a purse was not found on the scene.”
“Identified? Are they alive?” Is that my voice? I’m not sure Brandon will even hear me. I can’t breathe.
“Yes, sir. Both are alive and likely heading to emergency surgery. Do you have any information on next of kin for either of them?”
“Next of kin?” My hands shake and I sit on the floor. This can’t be happening.
“This is Joshua Seymour, who is this?” Joshua takes the phone from my hand and puts it on speaker.
“Mr. Seymour, this Brandon Walters. We are in route to Good Sam with two passengers from a front end collision. This number was the last one called and I’m trying to get some information. I need the female’s name and I need to know how to get in touch with her family and the family of Lorenzo DeGatti. This is an emergency, sir.”
“Her name is Katrina King. We’re her family. I don’t know how to get in touch with Lorenzo’s family. His father is Angelo Lorenzo.” Joshua pulls me from the ground and pushes me toward the driveway. “We’re on our way.”
“Sir, it’s imperative I notify next of kin. They are both going to require emergency surgery and we’re five minutes out.”
“I have her next of kin and we’re getting in the car. We’re ten minutes away.” Joshua opens my door and shoves me inside his car. He throws my cell phone into my lap and runs around the front of the car. “Get that seatbelt on.”
Joshua puts the car in drive and we’re screaming out of the driveway. I try to control my breathing. He said they were alive. I fumble with my cell phone and Ray picks up in the second ring. I explain the little I know and she promises to meet us there and contact Lorenzo’s dad. I’m out of breath when I hang up.
“You need to take some deep breaths. Panicking isn’t going to help her, or you. You need to have a clear head when we go into the hospital. They aren’t going to talk to you if you’re yelling or panicking. She’s the toughest person I’ve ever met. She’s not going to give up. You can’t either.” Joshua’s words hit my ears but I’m not able to process them.
When he pulls up to the front of the emergency room, I don’t even wait for him to stop the car completely. I’m at a full sprint when I get to the information desk. The nurse looks up at me and I try to speak. “Katrina King. Came in by ambulance.”
“Sir, I need you to calm down. What is the patient’s name?” How does this woman not understand it’s an emergency?
“Katrina King. She was in a car accident.” I start to pace as she types into her computer. What the fuck is taking so long?
“She’s being triaged now, Sir. Let me get someone to come out to speak to you.” She gets up and leaves me alone at the desk.
The waiting room is packed with people needing help. I try to keep my head down so that no one sees who I am. The last thing we need are reporters showing up. A paramedic is at the vending machine getting a bottle of water and I run over to him. “Are you Brandon?”
He takes a sip and nods his head. “I am.” The minute he recognizes me, I see it on his face.
“I just talked to you on the phone. Katrina King is mine.” Am I making any sense?
“Come with me,” he opens the door with his keycard and jogs back to the ambulance bay.
I see Lorenzo first. His stretcher is being unloaded from the ambulance. A doctor and two nurses are yelling commands to each other. His eyes meet mine but I don’t know that he’s aware I’m there.
“He goes first,” a doctor barks. “I’m not waiting for release forms to be signed. Get him into surgery now.”
“She’s over here,” Brandon pulls me into the exam room right next to the bay. One nurse is starting an IV and the other is setting up a portable x-ray machine.
“Push two milligrams morphine and prep the OR for me, please.” A doctor pushes past me and moves to the side of her bed. “Ms. King, can you hear me?”
I hear her answer and I want to drop to my knees and thank God. Her voice is weak but it’s clear. Her eyes flutter open when I step through the door and her fingers reach for me. She’s covered in blood and bruised but she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
“Can you tell me what happened?” The doctor doesn’t acknowledge I’m there.
“I’m not sure. We were hit by a car.” Her voice is a whisper as the morphine begins to kick in. “Chance?”
“I’m here, baby.” I take her hand and notice the way her shoulder is hanging.
“Lorenzo?” A tear rolls down her cheek.
“He’s ok. They’re taking him to surgery. I just saw him. He’s got some great doctors. He’ll be fine.”
“Next of kin for Ms. King?” The doctor looks at me for the first time.
“Yes, Lennon Chancellor. What’s going on?” I shake his hand.
“Ms. King has a complex clavicle fracture. The blood is from the bone piercing through the skin. There is very little tissue that covers the collarbone and we see this after the more severe car accidents. It’s imperative we fix this immediately. I’d like to take her into surgery.”
“Of course, yes.” I shake my head. I want him to take her now to help her with the pain. Her face is pale and I can tell she’s suffering. “And Lorenzo?”
“From what I understand, he put his arm across Ms. King to brace her before impact. The force of the airbag deploying caused fractures of the radius and ulna. Those are the bones in the forearm. My colleague has taken him into surgery. You’ll be able to see him once he’s out of recovery.”
“Chance,” Katrina’s voice draws my attention. I turn to her and sit on the edge of the bed.
“Hi, Princess. You scared me to death. You have to promise me you won’t do that again.” I push some hair off her forehead.
“I love you,” she whispers as she falls asleep.
“I love you, too. More than you even know.”