Doctors and nurses began rushing in, alerted to his condition by the monitors.
“Pulse is thready!”
“Blood pressure is low!”
I stood there until I was pushed aside.
“Ma’am, you can’t be in here,” a stern female voice sounded off in my ear.
“W-wait, I’m his fiancée. What’s happening?” I knew I was in the way, knew the hospital staff needed as much space as possible to do their jobs, but I just couldn’t leave him.
“Ma’am, let us do our jobs,” the woman said again, pushing me outside of the room.
I started to go back in when a hand on my wrist stopped me.
“Angie, they have to help him now.”
I didn’t even acknowledge my brother’s words. I couldn’t. But thanks to his firm grip, I remained where I was. Seconds later, the hospital room door flew open and Eric’s bed was brought out, doctors, nurses, and hospital staff surrounding it, yelling so many different things I couldn’t make anything out. I could tell by the tone of their voices, however, that it was serious. Dire. My knees buckled when my eyes fell to an unconscious Eric in the bed. His skin had taken on an ashen color.
Again, Sean was there to hold me up. When they disappeared down the hall with Eric, I fell into Sean’s chest, tears flowing freely. The memory of what Eric told me in the room just minutes ago came flooding back. The memories of our third date and when he knew he fell in love with me. The shopping for my engagement ring. All things that it seemed he wanted me to know.
“Please no!” I cried heavily as the realization sunk in. He was telling me everything he wanted me to know before he died.
Chapter Twenty-One
Angela
“That’s a good picture of him.”
I turned to my right, Eric’s mother staring ahead at the picture of her proud son dressed in his dress uniform receiving his lieutenant's pin. I could make out the red rims of her eyes. I blinked a few times, halting my tears from falling. I was just as emotional that day. As I turned back to the image in front of us, I swallowed, looking at Eric the day he officially became a lieutenant. He told me it was one of the happiest days of his life. Not just because of the advancement in his career but also because it was the day I agreed to be his wife.
I’d carry those words with me forever.
“I’m so thankful you were there for him that day. At the ceremony. It’s written all over his face how much it meant to him that you were there.” Mrs. Kim gestured to the picture next to the one she’d been looking at. That photo was from the same day and was of Eric and me, his arm draped around my waist. I was gazing up at him, my hand resting at the center of his chest, as he looked down at me. I remembered the intensity of his gaze during that picture. His dark eyes conveyed a promise I couldn’t make out at the time. As I stood observing that picture, it was then for the first time that I noticed the slight bulge at the left side of his pants, by his pocket. He was carrying the ring, which he would later propose to me with. My head dropped, and I looked at my left ring finger.
It was still there now.
I’ve worn it every day since the day he first put it on.
Except now, the diamond ring was accompanied by a beautiful white gold wedding band.
“There you are.”
My eyes fluttered shut as my husband’s words flooded over me at the same time his strong arms wrapped around the bodice of the vintage white, lace wedding dress I wore, pulling me into him from behind.
“Thanks for watching over my wife while I was occupied, Mom,” Eric told his mother. He was ambushed by the men of Rescue Four during our wedding reception?which, of course, was held atCharlie’s.
“My pleasure, son.” His mom patted him on the arm, then reached up on tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek before leaving us. “I need to go find your father. Make sure he’s not eating too much.”
I turned in Eric’s arms, bracing my arms around him as he stared down at me. For a while, he didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need to. He let his eyes do the talking for him. They held so much love that I needed to blink a couple of times to keep myself from falling into the abyss of his dark gaze.
“I’m surprised they let you get away.” I jutted my head to the bunch of guys behind us. His squad.
He glanced back and then turned his gaze upon me again. “I told ’em if I missed another minute with my wife I was putting them all cleanup and shit duty for a month.”
I lowered my head, giggling into his chest. Rescue Four recently got a dog at the station. Everyone hated cleaning up after it, or what they referred to asshit duty, so that was left to the new rookies.
“You’re terrible,” I laughed.
