Chapter Six
Ben stared at the sight in front of him and immediately knew it was bad. He and his crew had just arrived on the scene of a tractor trailer and car collision on the single-lane road leading out of Shadow Creek. His father had warned him and Finn that they would see gruesome things that would haunt them forever. He’d warned them they wouldn’t be able to save everyone. And he warned them that if they couldn’t handle it, when the night was over, they shouldn’t be ashamed to seek help.
Ben took in a deep breath and focused on the overturned sedan and truck. As captain, he knew he had less than a minute to evaluate and begin giving direction. The SCFD was first on the scene, and police and ambulances would be arriving next.
“Johnson and Merritt, position the trucks, establish our traffic barriers,” he said, knowing the importance of keeping his crew safe and keeping the other cars away from the collision. There was always some moron who would barrel through an accident and put the lives of the first responders in jeopardy. That wouldn’t happen on his watch. The trucks needed to be positioned on either side of the collision. “Ley, you see to the driver,” he said, pointing to the man who was leaning against the truck.
Ben took in the sight, fuel pooling around the truck. “Matthews, Dawson, Garrison, you’re on that semi. Full gear, use foam,” he yelled as they started running. He didn’t like how close the truck was to the car. He knew those saddle tanks were going to burst, and they’d be dealing with 150-plus gallons of diesel fuel on fire, and they’d be on a downhill position, which wasn’t ideal. It was a Class B fire, and foam would be the safest way to deal with a fuel fire, suppressing the vapors and keeping it from relighting and then engulfing the car.
Ben focused on the overturned vehicle, noting the way the tree had fallen over the roof of the car, removing the possibility of being able to take off the roof for extrication. They had to move now. He quickly barked out the rest of his orders, ordering three of his crew to get out their equipment to begin vehicle stabilization while he ran over to the overturned sedan so he could size up the incident and formulate a plan for safe and effective extrication. The engine was still running and he identified himself, speaking loudly over the noise of the trucks and hoses and yelling crew.
He braced himself as he looked inside the vehicle. This was one of his most dreaded parts of his job, not knowing what he’d find. It was the stuff the public never really saw, the gruesome truth they hid as they placed blankets over the dead before news crews arrived. It was the stuff that caused nightmares, insomnia, PTSD. Every time he approached a wreck like this one, he remembered he was a guy who knew how to pray.
He crouched down and spoke again, seeing the bloody face of a young woman. “Miss, can you hear me?” he repeated. “My name is Ben Matthews. I’m a firefighter with the Shadow Creek Fire Department.” Relief flooded him as her mouth opened.
“Yes,” she said, her voice sounding like a cry. “My baby. I’m pregnant.”
His stomach dropped, and he used the best of his abilities to keep his voice neutral. “Okay, it’s okay. How far along are you?”
“Thirty-two weeks,” she said, her voice choking on a sob.
“I’m going to reach in and take your pulse. Are you in any pain?”
“No,” she said, crying. He knew she was probably in shock. Sometimes people were in shock and the pain didn’t come until later. She was pregnant and alone, and he knew she’d be close to losing it if they didn’t get her out of there fast. Pregnant women were in an entirely different category, and the collision could induce early labor.
“We’re going to get you out of here as quickly as possible, okay? I’m going to assess the damage and find the best, and safest, way to get you out. You tell me if anything changes.” While he was speaking to her he was noting her position, the angle of the fallen tree, and taking her pulse. When his crew approached with extraction gear, he knew it was time to execute his plan. “I’m going to step away from the car for a minute and talk to my guys, okay?”
“No,” she cried. “Don’t leave!”
He leaned in through the broken window, making sure she saw his eyes, that he was telling the truth. “I’m going to be right here. I’ll be able to see you the entire time. No one is going to leave you here, but we need to talk about the best way to get you out safely, okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut, tears spilling from them. God, they needed to get her out of here.
“I’ll be right here,” he said, walking a few steps away. He wanted her to see him, but not hear what he was saying.
“We’ve got one young woman trapped in the driver’s side. She’s thirty-two weeks pregnant. Conscious. I shut off the vehicle, air bags are deployed. Still buckled in.” He continued the quick pre-extrication briefing, making sure they knew what each of their roles were. He was experienced enough to know to make this quick and clear, because he knew it was Harris’s first year on their team and possibly the worst collision he’d seen yet. They had no time for mistakes or confusion once they started.
Vehicle stabilization was first because the last thing they wanted was to have the vehicle move or shift during the extrication operations, which could be hazardous or fatal for his crew and the woman inside the car. They worked steadily, positioning the expandable jack on the A post, while he went to speak to the young woman.
“How are you doing, miss?”
“Amy. My name is Amy,” she said, and he could tell she was barely holding it together. She screamed as flames burst from the semi across the roadway. He cringed as he took a moment to look at the fire, but he knew Finn and the crew would be able to keep it controlled.
“It’s okay, Amy. We’ve got a crew on that fire.”
“It’s so hot. I’m so hot,” she whispered.
“I know,” he said, taking her pulse again, not liking how long all of this was taking. He wanted to be able to take C-spine control to stabilize her, but there was no way into the car yet. He went through another round of questions, asking about feeling in her limbs and was satisfied with her answers, but frustrated he couldn’t do anything for her yet.
“How’s the driver? It was his fault. He was driving too close to the center line. He nipped me and I tried to get control.”
“It looks like he’s okay. Don’t worry about that now. Who can I call for you?”
She stopped talking and started crying. “I want my husband,” she said, staring straight ahead and crying.
“Okay, we can call him.”
“You can’t, he’s on a flight… Ben, I can’t lose this baby.”
He nodded, trying to check his emotions and not attempt anything rash to get her out. “I know, Amy. We’re going to get you out of here. We’ll get you to the hospital. It’s not far.”
“We tried for so long to get pregnant. I can’t lose her,” she sobbed, turning her head to look at him. The fear in her eyes gutted him.
“Amy, you can’t think like that,” he said, standing once Harris gave him the thumbs up that the vehicle had been stabilized. He needed to be there for Amy, and he needed to remain calm. “I’m going to disconnect the battery on your car, okay? You’re going to be able to see me. I’ll be right here. You can keep talking to us. No one is leaving.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
He prayed he’d be able to access the battery quickly and easily. He needed to make sure that possible fuel and fuel fumes wouldn’t ignite from a potential battery spark and to make sure that the power source to the safety restraint systems was no longer supplying a charge.
“Ben!” she yelled as he finished. He ran over to her side of the car and looked inside. Sweat was running down her temples and forehead, and he hated that they hadn’t been able to get her out yet.
“You okay, Amy?”
“I feel hot and I think I’m having contractions.”
Oh, Jesus. “Have you had contractions before?”
“Braxton Hicks. These feel similar. But worse. I can’t have my baby here, Ben,” she sobbed.
“Amy, let’s not go there yet. We’re going to get you out of here. You’re not going to have your baby here,” he said, looking up to see where they were at with the equipment. Martin passed him a tarp. They were going to have to time the contractions. There was no way he’d be able to deliver a baby with her lodged in the car. “We’ll get you out. You’re not having your baby in this car.”
“Have you ever delivered a baby?”
“Lots,” he said, exaggerating slightly. “I’m fully trained as an EMT, and I’ve delivered babies in all sorts of places.”
“Okay, that’s good,” she said, not sounding like it was good at all.
Sirens could be heard, he knew that the police department was on its way, and he knew ambulances were soon to follow as well. They needed backup, and they needed this woman in an ambulance.
Half an hour later, they were ready to stabilize and move Amy from the car. She was between contractions, and they needed to move now. “Amy, I’m going to be right here with you. We’re going to take C-spine control. I’m going to hold your head still, and my partner Harris is going to place a collar around it from behind, okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered, exhaustion and fear taking its toll on her strength, her voice not sounding as strong anymore.
“You’re doing great, Amy. We’re going to have you out of here really soon, now, okay? You can squeeze my hand as hard as you want whenever you feel a contraction coming on.”
“Okay, Ben,” she whispered through her tears.
He kept talking her through everything they were doing. “Paramedics are standing right here, ready to get you to the hospital as soon as you’re out.”
Minutes went by, but it felt like hours. He was covered in sweat under his heavy uniform, but he knew the immediate danger from the tanker was over, the fire having been put out. This woman was someone’s wife, someone’s daughter, sister… He stared at her face and imagined the panic her husband was going to feel when he called him. This could have happened to anyone. It could have been Molly. What if she’d been trapped in that car, with their baby? He looked down for a moment, controlling his thoughts; he couldn’t think about her now. He couldn’t deal with that.
He compartmentalized and looked back up at Amy who was trying so damn hard to keep it together. She needed her husband. He checked in with his crew, updating everyone, knowing Finn was now in charge. Amy squeezed his hand every few minutes, and he knew Chris was timing the contractions. He kept his eyes on her, praying that baby was going to be okay.
…
“I think you’re in for a hectic night,” Molly said as she and Luke Thomson stood at the ER bay doors. Molly was ready to go home for the night, but Luke was starting his night shift. The ER was fairly quiet, but Molly was on edge because she’d heard the call come in about the collision and tractor trailer fire; she knew Ben was working tonight.
Luke smiled, but his gaze was focused outside. Molly knew his thoughts were on the pregnant woman that was en route to the hospital. She knew there was also an injured firefighter, and she was trying not to be irrationally worried, but the thought that Ben was injured and that he didn’t know the truth was ripping through her. “Yeah. Let’s hope that baby is okay.”
The lights from the ambulance flashed in front of them, and Molly’s heart started racing as she hoped Ben wasn’t riding in one of those ambulances. “I’m going to meet them,” Luke said. Molly watched Luke jog out the doors.
Minutes later, Luke was walking alongside the stretcher. Molly’s heart dropped as she saw Ben walking on the other side, the very pregnant woman clutching his hand. He was still in full uniform, his dark hair sweaty and matted to his head, his face haggard. The second he made eye contact with her, she realized she couldn’t let this go on; she needed to tell him the truth. They burst through the doors and whisked by her, Luke’s voice filling the area as she asked for details about the woman.
Molly watched as Ben walked with them. She couldn’t leave like this. She knew he’d be out a minute later; he wouldn’t be allowed in the bay as the woman was being treated.
A few minutes later, Ben came walking out, looking beaten down and tired…and more amazing than she ever remembered. But before she could even think of going over there, Chase Donovan, police chief, walked in. Ben nudged his chin in his direction and walked over to meet him. The two men walked over to a grouping of chairs near the windows, speaking in low voices. Molly took out her phone to make it look like she was busy instead of just waiting around, stalking her fake fiancé. The sounds of their deep voices hushed in conversation filled her ears. They stood there face-to-face, and it struck her how hard their jobs were. Chase was married to her once close friend, Julia. She’d heard through her sisters that Julia’s little boy and first husband had died in a car collision, and that Chase had been on the scene. They did this, day in and day out and then just went on with their normal lives as though they were like everyone else, but they weren’t. She blinked back tears as she stared at Ben’s tired face and wanted nothing more than hug him, to feel his strong body against hers.
She wanted to be his soft place to fall, even though she hadn’t earned that right.
A minute later, Chase was leaving. He gave her a wave and then exited the building.
She turned to Ben. His gaze was on hers, and she didn’t know if she was imagining it or wishing it, but she saw the vulnerability in that strong face and she didn’t think twice. She didn’t think of how it would look, or if he’d reject her, she ran to him because he had been through hell. She ran to him because she wanted to offer the comfort he so freely gave to whoever was in need. She ran to him, and just as he’d done in all her dreams about him, he hugged her close to his body. She felt the tremor that ran through his hard body, and she held on tighter.
She pulled back slightly and looked up into his eyes. “Ready to go home?”
He ran his hand through his hair. “I have to stay and wait for Amy. I need to get ahold of her husband. I promised I wouldn’t leave her alone. Then I gotta go back to the station and fill out paperwork, shower…”
Her smile dipped slightly, but she squeezed his hand. “Okay. How about I get you something? Water? Coffee?”
He took a step back, physically distancing himself. “I’m fine, thanks.”
“I can wait with you,” she said, realizing she was starting to sound pathetic.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “You’ve been in this place long enough. Go home, get some rest. I’ll be fine.”
She nodded, trying to look as though she hadn’t been shut down. “Take care. I’m sure she’ll be fine. You know, Luke’s the best around.”
He gave a nod. “Good night.”
She watched him leave; he was fearless and compassionate. But he was used to being alone. He didn’t need her. Ben had a life that didn’t include her.
She was just his fake fiancée.