The captain and I brought Ms. Stephens to a chair and sat her down. By then she was whimpering, wiping away at the tears as they fell. The doctor gave us a last few parting words, and then said a nurse would be back in to let us know when Corey was ready for visitors.
I sat there, handing Ms. Stephens tissues and listening to her tiny cries. Suddenly, a woman burst through the doors.
“Mama!” she called, and head straight for Corey’s mother.
This was Corey’s twin sister. I’d met her on a couple of occasions when she came down to the station house for one reason or another.
“Mama, what happened?” she asked, kneeling down in front of her mother.
I stood. “Sit here,” I instructed, allowing Jocelyn to take my vacated seat. Her mother told her what the doctor had just told us and then they both held onto one another.
I ran my fingers through my hair, pacing the waiting room, in front of the window. When I turned around again, Eric was standing right there.
“His career is over.”
Eric nodded, a morose look on his face. We all knew it. I’d felt it since I discovered him laying on that floor with a beam pinning Corey down.
“It could’ve been worse,” Eric finally stated.
I blinked my eyes closed. I hated that fucking saying. Yeah, it could’ve been worse. Corey could’ve died in that fucking fire. But this? This wasn’t much better. At least, not at the moment it wasn’t. Because in a way, Corey had died. His hopes of moving up the ranks in the fire department? His dreams of one day having a son that followed in his footsteps in the ranks of the Williamsport Fire Department? His main reason for getting out of bed in the morning … to save lives? That was all over. In the blink of an eye. It was done.
I ran my hand through my hair.
“I’ve got to get out of here.”
Eric’s eyes narrowed, a worried look overcoming him. “Where’re you going?”
I didn’t respond because I didn’t have an answer. All I knew was that I couldn’t be there, right then. I was too pissed. Too angry at the entire situation. Men like Corey didn’t deserve what he’d gotten but there wasn’t a damn thing I could do to change any of it. I needed some air. I needed to breathe. So, without a word I turned and left the waiting room. Pushed through the door in a hurry to seek some type of relief.
~ Chapter Twenty-One ~
Michelle
I wasn’t alone.
That realization overcame me before I even opened my eyes. There was somebody in my bedroom with me. Slowly, I peeled one eye open and then the other, my heart beating wildly in my chest. I swore that whoever was in the room with me could hear it, would know I was awake from the thrumming sound alone.
I had to blink a few times to clear my vision and to make out his silhouette. I felt him before I could see him clearly. Perched on the side of my bed, elbows resting on his knees, as he stared out my bedroom window. He realized I was awake without me having to open my mouth or stir.
“You didn’t put the chain on the door.” His voice was heavy, thick with emotion. He turned his head to look at me and my breath was stolen by the dark look in his eyes. Even in the dimness of the room, I could see the strain around his eyes. The rigidity of his jaw.
“Carter,” I whispered.
“Diego’s not in his room.”
“Today’s my mother’s birthday. He begged to spend the night with her,” I explained.
That seemed to nullify his curiosity and he nodded.
“Carter, what’s wrong?” I could’ve asked how he go inside my apartment. I was sure I’d locked the door. I could’ve asked why he didn’t just knock. But what I really wanted to know was what was bothering him. What had put that grim look on his face.
“You left me.”
A lump formed in my throat and my heart tugged at the accusation in his tone.
“I–”
“I don’t care why.” He slowly turned fully to me. “I don’t give a shit about any of it. Your son’s father, my job, none of it. Because it won’t keep me away from you. Not anymore than it already has.”
