Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 105398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 527(@200wpm)___ 422(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 527(@200wpm)___ 422(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
“If that one lives.” Jack gestured to the girl writhing on the floor under the care of the medics. “She’ll know more.”
Ember’s boss, Mr. Dean, chose that minute to come up to Ember and see how she was feeling.
“Ember, are you all right?”
“Yes. It’s only a knife wound. I’m sure it’s not that bad. I think it only went in three or four inches.” Ember said with sarcasm dripping from every word.
Mr. Dean was oblivious though. He gave Ember another once over and then said what he needed to say.
“I hate to be the one to do this, but you are a liability at this moment in time. Until this is no longer a problem, you’ll be on unpaid administrative leave effective immediately. Your job will be held open for six months. Please get this figured out and come back as soon as you can, I really don’t want to lose you.”
“I understand, Mr. Dean.” Ember whispered pain clear in her voice.
Tightening my arms around her, I let the day’s events start to seep through, the ones that I have been holding in check since I’d first gotten Ember’s call.
I felt tired. Tired of my soon to be wife and mother of my child being in danger. Tired of all the drama. Tired of the shittiness in the world as a whole. Just plain tired. I needed a break.
Sadly, that was not in the cards for me right now. I needed to grow a pair and get my shit together. It was going to stop soon. I would make sure of it.
Ω
Ember
“He hasn’t said a word to me, Chey Chey.” I said nearly crying.
“Honey, just give him a few minutes. Being held at knifepoint by a psycho bitch all the while he watched is a little nerve wracking. I think he’s allowed to be a little scared.” Cheyenne said comfortingly.
“What the fuck do they do around here, grow them virile?” Payton asked.
Payton was a friend of Cheyenne’s she met during clinicals nearly three years ago. She was a little ball of spunk. She had a larger than life personality, which made up for her four foot and eleven inch frame. Her brown hair was a riot of jagged edges that hung to just below her shoulders in the longest spots. Every few pieces she had highlighted it with neon pink and jet blue. She was solid muscle despite her midgetness.
Payton and Cheyenne still ended up being in the same graduating class, even though both of them took a year off. Cheyenne’s excuse was because of the twins. Payton’s was a lot more in depth.
Payton was on a date with her boyfriend when a couple of men attacked them. Said boyfriend took off leaving the attacker there to do what he wished with Payton. It took her nearly a year to come back from the attack physical attack. Mentally was a different story.
“Must be something in the air.” I said blandly.
“Yeah, y’alls legs.” Payton quipped.
I burst out laughing, and then sobered when I started thinking about why I was here again.
Both Payton and Cheyenne were on shift on the OB floor, which was where I was. Once in the ER a doctor removed the knife that was luckily only through the fat of my back, just as Gabe predicted. They transferred me to the OB floor for monitoring since learning I was pregnant.
This is where I met Cheyenne and Payton. Cheyenne was furious that I hadn’t called her, but really what did she expect? Me to say “Oh hey Cheyenne, I’m on my way to the hospital with a knife wound, I was held hostage, shooters shot up the college, and oh by the way I got put on administrative leave until I got my ‘Situation’ sorted out?”
“I can’t believe I’m pregnant again.” Cheyenne said miserably.
Fortunately, Cheyenne got over it quickly, and then we went about monitoring the baby. Gabe followed me up here but left soon after without a word. This was the point we were at now. Two hours later and still no Gabe.
“He’s going to fucking kill me. I did everything right, Cheyenne!” I wailed.
I really was wailing. My emotions were all over the place, and without Gabe here with me I felt oddly empty and alone. Cheyenne and Payton were doing their best to be here with me, but they did have work to do and couldn’t stay here with me every minute.
“Alright, chick. Got a few more rounds to do. See you in a few.” Payton said as she flounced out of the room ponytail bobbing behind her.
“You have the weirdest friends.” I hiccoughed.
“Yes, I do. Gotta go too. I’ll be back in thirty. I’m gonna ask if they’ll do an ultrasound on you.” Cheyenne said.
She gave me a slobbery kiss on the forehead, patted my ass, turned the lights out, and left the room.
I was plunged into darkness, and then my head started spinning. I’d gone through a lot in the past four months. My mind was whirling. How would I pay for an apartment if I didn’t have a job? How would I pay for a baby? Would Gabe even be there? I knew he loved me, but he had a lot going on too. He already had one kid that he was worrying about, and I’d just added another in the span of a week! The rhythmic ‘lubb dubb’ of the baby’s heartbeat calmed me enough for a fitful doze. I was still crying, and would wake myself up choking on snot and the likes, but still managed somehow.
“Are you in pain, baby?” Gabe whispered into my ear.
I came out of my doze to find myself on my side, my back to the door. Gabe was at my back leaning over my body wiping my tears with the back of his hand. I could smell him. It was a mixture of Irish Springs soap and a faint hint of burnt oil. Didn’t matter how many times he washed his hands or his clothes, he always smelled like he came from a garage. Which he did.