Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
The ambulance stops, and the back door flies open, and I see two nurses and a doctor waiting for us. “We have a female,” the paramedic who was with me says to them as they pull the gurney out of the back and then walks quickly inside the hospital. “Multiple stab wounds.” I hear the words, but the only thing I can do is run to meet her.
They take her behind two doors that shut by the time I get there, and a nurse steps in front of me. “You need to wait here.”
“I need to be with her,” I say.
“You are going to get in the way,” she replies sternly. “Now, I promise you I will come out and let you know what is going on.” She turns. “You have my word.”
I watch her walk into the doors, and they close behind her, and all I can do is stay here waiting. Charlie comes in with something white in his hand. “I think you should change.” He motions to my shirt, and I look down, and it has blood on it. “Her parents are on their way, and so is everyone else, including Lucy.” I grab the shirt from him. “Maybe go wash your hands and shit.” He motions toward the hallway where the bathroom is. I walk to the bathroom, pull open the door, and step inside.
The light is already on, but flickers every couple of seconds. I walk to the sink, putting the shirt on top of the paper towel dispenser before turning the water on and washing my hands. My eyes watch the water turn pink from his blood. I feel the rage come up in me again. “Push it down,” I tell myself, quickly washing my hands and then drying them before replacing my bloody T-shirt with the new one, tossing the bloody one in the trash. I walk out, heading straight to Charlie, and then stopping when two people run into the hospital, looking around to see Lilah’s parents.
They’ve visited a couple of times over the years, but I’ve never met them. “Hi,” I say when I get close to them.
“Hi,” her father says. “Who are you?”
“I’m the man who is going to marry your daughter.” I hold out my hand, a shocked gasp coming from the woman who has tears running down her face. “I’m Emmett.”
“I’m Patrick,” her father says, shaking my hand, “and this is my wife, Carole.”
“How is she?” her mother asks, not bothering to shake my hand.
“They just took her in,” I share, and I’m about to say something else when the door opens, and I look to see Lucy running in with Brock behind her.
Her face is streaked with tears as she looks around, her eyes finding mine. “Daddy,” she cries, and my knees give out as she crashes into me, almost knocking me back. She wraps her arms around my neck. “Where is Lilah?”
“I’m sorry,” Brock says, “she wanted to come.” I just nod at him.
“She’s going to be fine,” I assure Lucy. I'm not even sure, but I'm not willing to think of the other option.
“Can I see her?” she asks, and I look at her.
“Not yet, sweetheart,” I say, wiping her tears away. “As soon as we can, we’ll make it happen.” I stand, looking at her parents, who smile at Lucy.
“You must be the famous Lucy,” Carole says. “She told me all about you and Rosy.”
“That’s my horse,” Lucy says, using the back of her hand to wipe the tears away. “I want to ride horses as good as Lilah.”
“She said you are way better than she was.” Her mother smiles through tears when Lucy gasps. “Let’s go sit and wait for news.”
She takes her hand, but Lucy grabs mine instead. “I’m going to stay with my dad.”
“That’s a good idea,” she agrees, and I look up when the door opens and another gurney comes in, this time followed by two police officers. Pops and Casey following them.
“Let’s wait over there.” I point at the waiting room in the corner. Patrick sees my face and then looks at the gurney. His hands ball into fists beside him as I walk into the waiting room, and Lucy goes to sit down next to Carole.
“You did that?” he asks when he walks into the room, pointing over his shoulder.
“Yeah,” I say, folding my arms over my chest.
“Welcome to the family,” he declares, slapping my shoulder and going to sit by his wife.
Charlie comes into the room with Brock and Pops. “All good?” I ask them, and Brock tries to hide his smirk.
“He’s alive, so I would say we are all good,” Charlie reports.
“From what they found,” Pops starts, “and what we found, he’ll be going away for a long, long time.”
I look over when the nurse who stopped me from going to her steps into the room. She looks at me. “She’s going to surgery now.” I nod. “She was stabbed in the right side next to her hip and in the back.”