“Can… you pause my pump?”
He knocked my hand out of the way, looking at it with a confused face as he searched. “It’s in the settings. It’ll say, suspend delivery.”
“I got it. It’s okay,” He rubbed my cheek, the concern evident on his face. “You’re really pale. Fuck, you didn’t eat again.”
He started muttering how stupid he was for letting us leave the restaurant without eating, blaming himself again for not noticing sooner that there was something wrong.
“I need something heavy with carbs.” I told him.
“Can you walk?”
“Maybe.”
“Come on, Little Fighter.”
I took Connor’s hand in mine, lifting myself up and taking a step, but my vision went black and I stumbled into his chest. He gripped me harder, making sure I wouldn’t fall, and that was the last thing I remembered.
Four
Connor
I grabbed Emma tighter as she almost fell, but I was too late to notice anything was wrong again. Just like always. I couldn’t save Clair, and now I failed Emma. Twice in one day. I lifted her into my arms as I ran across the street to my car and gently laid her down in the backseat. I could call an ambulance, but I knew I could get there faster, and I was too worried to think straight. Flinging the driver’s door open, I sat down, put the keys in, and drove as fast as I could to the hospital.
We weren’t far from it, so within less than ten minutes I was pulling into the ER parking lot and lifting Emma out of the car. My mind was spinning with everything, thinking I was going to lose her and how it would be my fault for that. It was clear from her posts that her parents aren’t in her life, but she has an older brother who adores her, and honestly, I wouldn’t blame him if he kicked my ass for not making sure she had food in her.
I rushed through the door, and a nurse ran over, looking at Emma’s lifeless body in my hands.
“She has type one diabetes. Her Dexcom said she was at 50 mg/dL. She last ate a salad about five hours ago. I don’t think she has had anything since.” I rushed out in a jumbled mess. From all the research I did, I wasn’t sure if this was normal to pass out that fast or why her Dexcom didn’t alert her sooner, but maybe she was just weaker today from what happened earlier. All I knew was that I was freaking out.
“Bring her over.” The nurse pointed, leading me to a bed.
I placed her down, stroking her hair and once again hating myself for this.
“Her name is Emma Flynn. She’s 25. She forgot to pause her pump, but I stopped it.” I told her.
“Okay, sir, thank you. We have her. Can you please go sit in the waiting room? I’ll let you know when we have an update.”
I shook my head, not wanting to leave her, but the nurse looked at me with scary mom eyes that I’d seen too many times in my life. I quickly kissed Emma on her forehead and whispered that she would be okay before I walked to the waiting room. Looking at the small room and all the other worried people, I ran my fingers through my hair for what must be the millionth time today. Someone had to call her brother. He would want to be here. Although if some strange man that he’s never heard of calls him and says, ‘Hey, I was out with your sister, and because I’m a dick, I didn’t make sure she ate, and she passed out.’ Yep, I’d kick my ass, too.
Heading toward the nurses station, I flagged down the first one I could find. “I just brought in my friend, and I was wondering if you could call her brother. He should be her emergency contact.” Giving her all the information on Emma that I knew from stalking her social media, we were able to find the correct one, and the nurse called her brother, Jake.
I paced the waiting room, keeping my eye on the hallway and hoping like hell someone would be out here soon to tell mewhat was going on and if she was going to be okay. I know low blood sugar can happen, and nothing is foolproof, but passing out seemed a little more serious than just a low reading where you need a little sugar and you’re fine.
The automatic door swished behind me as someone ran in and headed straight for the desk. “I’m here for Emma Flynn. I’m her brother. I got a call saying she was brought in.”
The nurse looked at her computer before giving him a smile and answering, “Yes, the doctors are still with her, but someone should be out here soon with an update. Her friend is waiting over there if you’d like to wait with him.”
Jake whipped his head back, sending daggers at me. Okay, yeah, he was mad, but fuck, he didn’t even know what happened yet. It didn’t take him long to be standing in front of me with a mix of confusion, anger, and worry on his face.
“Who the hell are you?”
“Connor Easton. I’m a friend of Emma’s.”
“A friend?”
“Yes. Coworker… kind of. I own a construction company, and we’re the ones working with her at the moment.”
“Did she pass out at work?” He crossed his arms over his chest.
