Chapter Thirty-One

 

 

 

 

Megan

 

 

 

 

 

“No,” I said with a groan as I let my head fall back against the seat. “I can’t eat there. The only options are soup or salad and I’m too hungry for salad and it’s too hot for soup.”

“Fine,” Kelly huffed as she looked away from the road to glance at me. “What do you want to eat, then?”

I chewed on my lip as I tried to think of someplace delicious that had a good vegetarian spread, too. I was so hungry that it was hard to think, though.

“Oh!” I turned to her with a grin. “What about Garden Grove? They have those amazing sandwiches and half of their menu is for rabbits.”

My sister laughed and turned on her blinker to take the immediate left. “I’m down. That sounds fantastic.”

Kelly’s phone rang through the Bluetooth and she answered it easily with the steering wheel controls. “Hey, Daddy.”

“Kelly.” My father’s voice came through the speakers loudly but he sounded tense. “Are you with your sister?”

“Yup,” Kelly said as she glanced over at me before looking back to the cars in front of us. “She’s in the seat next to me.”

“Hi, Dad,” I replied cheerfully, knowing he could hear me through the microphone above Kelly’s head.

“Hi, Meggy.” My dad cleared his throat. “I really need to talk to Kelly privately, girls. I’m sorry. Kelly, can you pull over and take me off Bluetooth?”

Worry immediately spread through me as Kelly and I exchanged a look. Her expression was panicked and she immediately pulled into the parking lot of a gas station. Once her car was in park, she grabbed her phone and turned off the Bluetooth as she brought it to her ear.

“Daddy? What’s wrong?” She gave me another look before pushing out of the car and closing the door behind her. I watched her body as she sagged against the window and I tried to think of everything that could be wrong. I didn’t understand why he couldn’t tell me, too, whatever it was.

I stared my sister down, needing to know what they were talking about. After a moment of waiting, I pulled my phone out of my pocket to occupy myself and sent off a quick text to Simon. I opened the Facebook app on my phone for some mindless reading, and I’d scrolled a few posts down when a video posted by channel seven caught my attention.

It was a house fire that was out of control. The house looked like it had collapsed and firefighters were running around frantically, trying to get it out. I was just pressing the unmute button so I could listen to the coverage when Kelly opened my door and snatched the phone from my hands.

“Don’t watch that.”

I looked at her, confused for a moment, when ice suddenly flooded my veins. “No. What happened? Is he okay?”

Kelly crouched so she was eye level with me and shook her head. “We don’t know. Dad’s been watching the coverage. All we know is that he was hurt. I’m going to take you to the hospital, okay?”

“He was hurt?” I repeated, my voice a whisper. “He’s hurt?”

Kelly engulfed me in a tight hug but I couldn’t return it as I shook my head again. “What happened?”

She let me go and came around the driver’s side, immediately putting the car into drive once her belt was buckled. “All he knows is that four firefighters and two civilians have been transported to the hospital with unknown injuries. Dad only knows it was Simon because they mentioned the company name and that the company lieutenant was among the injured.”

My phone rang from the cup holder where Kelly had put it and I picked it up immediately, hoping to see Simon’s name. Instead I saw Alex’s.

“Alex?” I said quietly as I brought it to my ear. “Is he okay?”

“I don’t know, Megan. I’m on my way to the hospital now. I just dropped the kids off at their mom’s. Are you alone?”

I shook my head and glanced at my sister. “Kelly’s driving me to the hospital.”

“Good,” he replied, his voice strained. “I’ll meet you there, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Megan.” Alex’s voice was firmer when he said my name. “My brother is a stubborn pain in my ass. He’s fine.”

“Okay,” I repeated with a nod of my head. “See you in a minute.”

As we got closer to the hospital, the traffic was chaotic. There were four ambulances and a fire engine in the loading area and people were running back and forth. Kelly dropped her car with the valet and we ran inside, searching for anyone we knew.

It was chaos inside, too. So many people were everywhere and voices rang out as they yelled to one another for different things they needed. I felt dizzy as I watched the scene in front of me and I leaned into Kelly without thinking.

“Whoa, hey,” she said as she shifted so she could hold me up. “We need to sit. Alex, grab her other arm.”

Alex suddenly appeared on my other side and his arm slipped under mine. “I’ve got her.”

A bed was rolled by us and I saw someone familiar fighting with the nurses and doctors as they tried to work on her.

“I’m fine. I don’t need any tests done.” Tori ripped the oxygen mask from her face and shot the doctor a lethal glare.

“God damn it, Jones,” Captain Stevenson growled as he walked up to her bed, looking dirty and tired. “Sit your ass down and let them do what they need to do.”

Tori stopped struggling immediately and turned her glare on her boss while she put the mask back over her face. She looked away from him and her gaze collided with mine as she pulled her mask off again. “Megan.”

“Ms. Gold.” The Captain had seen me, too, and he walked to where the three of us were standing, his eyes locked on me and my frantic expression. “He’s okay.”

A rush of air left my lungs and my eyes closed as I absorbed his words. Alex’s grip tightened on my arm and I heard him release a relieved sigh, too.

“Come on, I’ll take you to him.”

We followed the Captain across the emergency room and I saw the driver, Rowen Barthe, on a hospital bed being looked over. In the bed next to him was Nick Christos and he was grinning tiredly from under his own oxygen mask as he spoke to a nurse. Three beds down, a man was arguing with the people around him, similar to the way Tori had been, and I wanted to cry as I took him all in.

He was dirty. Black soot covered his face and mingled with small amounts of blood. His bare chest was dirty, too, and they had connected him to several monitors. His left leg was wrapped in some gauze but he looked otherwise unharmed.

“Give me a goddamn phone so I can call my family first and then I’ll do whatever you want.” Simon shook his head at whatever the answer was. “I’m not going to die in the next five minutes, am I? My girlfriend, my brother, or my parents, however, are going to freak out in the next five minutes so just let me call someone first.”

I said his name softly as he opened his mouth to argue again. He stopped immediately and swiveled his head in my direction.

“Megan.”

I rushed forward, leaving Kelly and Alex behind, and Simon opened his arms automatically. I pressed my face to his dirty shoulder and his arms wrapped around my back as he held me close to him. We didn’t move for several long minutes as I breathed him in and he eventually pressed a kiss to my temple before pulling back slightly.

“I didn’t mean to worry you.”

I wiped a tear that had trickled down my cheek and shook my head. “What happened?”

“An unexpected backdraft hit us as Jones and I were trying to get out. Luckily it happened upstairs and we were downstairs so it only tossed us around a little. The blast got Barthe from where he was ventilating the roof and Christos as he unrolling a hose. Jones was able to shove the little boy out the front door so he wasn’t hurt.”

“Mr. Owens, you need to put the oxygen mask back on and let us take you up to x-ray your lungs and leg.” The doctor looked exasperated and Simon just grinned.

“My family knows I’m okay, so I’m ready now.” He looked at me and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I’ll be back, okay?”

“Okay,” I whispered with a small smile. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Megs.”

I stepped back so they could wheel his bed out of the area but he forced them to stop when they passed Alex. He tugged his brother in for a long hug and they pulled back to speak quietly. As Simon spoke, Alex nodded several times, and finally they hugged again before Alex stepped back. Simon also reached a hand out to Kelly, hauling her in for a hug, too. Finally, he put his oxygen mask over his mouth and nose as they took him for x-rays.

I spent an hour talking to his co-workers and helping out anyway I could. Nick was soaking up the attention while Rowen was just quiet, his girlfriend by his side. Tori was a force to be reckoned with and hated having people fawning over here. Kelly sat with her the most in an attempt to keep her mind off of everything that was going on around them.

When they finally wheeled Simon back, he looked to be in good spirits as they parked his bed in its spot. I sat down in the chair next to him and he took my hand in his automatically as the doctor stopped in front of us.

“Okay, Mr. Owens. Your lungs are clear thanks to your breathing apparatus, so you can take that oxygen mask off now. The x-rays have confirmed that nothing is broken but you need to take it easy on the left leg and shoulder. They’re both pretty tender and bruised. I’m going to restrict you for the first forty-eight hours. I want you on that leg for no more than an hour a day. Ice it for twenty minutes at a time and I’m going to prescribe you some anti-inflammatories and something for the pain. Do you have someone who can take care of you?”

Simon turned to smile at me and squeezed my hand. “This gorgeous RN here has been listening to everything you’ve said so I’m sure we’ll be following your instructions to the letter.”

“Yes, we will,” I added quickly and Simon just laughed.

“Okay, then. I’ll send someone by to discharge you soon.”

Kelly watched the doctor leave before coming and sitting at the foot of Simon’s bed. “Are you going to make it?”

“Yeah,” he said with a chuckle. “I think I will. How’s everyone else?”

“Rowen has two broken ribs, Tori sprained her ankle, and Nicky bruised his tailbone. Otherwise, they’re all in good shape. I heard your Captain talking and the mom and little boy have to stay overnight because of smoke inhalation but they’re going to be fine.”

Simon let out a sigh and his head hit the pillow behind him. “That’s awesome.”

“Okay, clean shirt and a pair of shorts,” Alex said as he walked up to the bed. He tossed the clothing to his brother and I didn’t miss how Simon winced when he used his left arm to grab them. Neither did Kelly.

“We should sling your left arm for a couple of days, Simon.” She ran her fingers over his shoulder gently. “Just to remind you not to use it.”

“Jesus,” Simon mumbled as he rubbed his eyes. “You can’t get away with shit in this family.”

Alex laughed and clapped his brother on the back. “Kelly’s probably right, though. I’ve been updated Mom and Phil. They both wanted to come but I told them it was a full house. Don’t be surprised if she calls you, though.”

He looked behind him and a huge grin hit his face. I followed Alex’s gaze and watched a woman walk up over to where he was, a matching smile stretching her lips. She looked like she was a bit younger than me and her bright blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail. She obviously worked in the hospital because she was wearing the same green scrubs everyone else was. She linked her arm through Alex’s immediately.

Alex dropped a quick kiss to the top of her head before looking at the rest of us. “Guys, this is Stacey. Stacey, that’s my brother, Simon, his girlfriend, Megan, and her sister, Kelly.”

“Hi, everyone. It’s nice to meet you all.” She gave us a wide smile that I couldn’t help return.

Simon stuck out his hand before pulling it back with a shake of his head. “I didn’t realize how dirty my hands were. Sorry, but hi. It’s really good to meet you.”

Kelly and I echoed his sentiments and I nodded towards her. “Alex says you’re a nurse. Which department do you work in?”

“I work in the ICU. It’s a bit less hectic but more concentrated, if that makes sense.”

“I bet,” I replied with a chuckle.

Stacey tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Alex says you’re a nurse, too?”

“Yeah. I’m working in a family practice right now. Not nearly as exciting as what you’re doing but I love it.” I looked to Alex briefly and he was just watching our exchange with a smile.

“Okay, let’s get you discharged, Mr. Owens,” a new person in green scrubs said as they walked over to where we were.

“Let’s do it,” Simon said enthusiastically. “Stacey, it was great to meet you. I’m sure we’ll see you soon.”

Alex nodded to his brother. “You good to go here? With that leg, you’re staying at Megan’s tonight, right?”

“Yeah, get out of here. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Alex and Stacey said goodbye as they disappeared and Kelly mentioned wanting to talk to Nick before we left. I watched as the nurse slowly removed the IV they’d placed in Simon’s arm.

“Transport will be over soon to wheel you out to the car. Here are your discharge instructions along with your prescriptions. Do you need anything else?”

“Actually, can we get a sling for his arm, please?” I answered as I moved to my feet. “Just in case he can’t stop favoring it.”

“Of course. I’ll be right back.”

While we waited for transport and the sling, I used a basin of water to wipe down some of the soot from Simon’s body. We managed to get the t-shirt Alex had brought over his head and I pulled the curtains closed so we could get the shorts on, too.

“Seems like you’re always taking care of me,” Simon mused quietly and I shrugged as I sat on the bed next to him.

“You’ll take care of me when the time comes.”

Simon nodded and pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth. “I’d do anything for you.”

We sat in silence until someone came over with a wheelchair. It took us fifteen minutes to get to Kelly’s car because Simon’s co-workers kept stopping him to express their happiness that he was okay. When we made it to the valet booth, Kelly and I both helped Simon into the backseat of her car and she steered us towards home.

“I was starving five hours ago,” Kelly said as she glanced at me from the road. “Now I’m basically dying. Can we stop for food on the way?”

Simon and I both agreed immediately and we stopped to get some take-out along the way.

The day after the fire, I stayed home with Simon since our office was closed due to the Labor Day holiday but I left him to fend for himself on Tuesday. Kelly had been keeping a dutiful eye on both of his limbs, declaring her his unofficial physical therapist, and she cleared him to go back to work Wednesday.

Things went back to normal, except our new normal included spending more time with the kids. Simon and I went to his place more often and I got to know Stacey a bit better. I really liked her and I could tell that she and Alex had far more chemistry that he and I had. There were moments where things would get awkward with the two couples every now and then but we’d all laugh and let it pass quickly.

“It’s ironic,” Kelly said one night as she and I sat on the couch watching a new episode of Scandal. I turned to look at her and raised my eyebrows.

“What is?”

She smiled at me. “You didn’t even want to go to that speed dating thing and you ended up with the stable relationship.”

“To be fair, Simon wasn’t at the speed dating thing,” I pointed out with a shake of my head.

“But Alex was and Alex was your direct path to Simon. I mean, who knows if you two would have run into each other again.”

I’d noticed that my sister seemed to have taken Simon’s drunken advice to heart and I was happy to see that. She’d stopped seeking as much and recognized that she was a prize. Despite her new attitude, however, I could still see the look of longing every now and then when Simon and I were together. I knew she’d find what she was looking for but she just needed to be patient.

“Well, thank you,” I said quietly as I pressed a kiss to the side of her head. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you and your stupid ideas.”

Kelly just laughed and shook her head. “I’m refusing to acknowledge the sarcasm and just accepting your words, asshole.”