Dawson gave a wry smile. “She is.”
“Tell her thanks,” Sully said. The elevator opened again, and he moved around behind Kennedy to push her in. Dawson held the door.
“You haven’t seen her up here, have you? The intern said she came upstairs.”
Sully turned Kennedy around inside the elevator. “Nope. Sorry, man. But Donald and Wren Cooper are here, from the community. I think they’re transporting Wren down to Anchorage.”
Dawson frowned but let the door go, then crutched over to the nurse’s station. “I’m looking for Wren Cooper’s room?”
The nurse looked familiar, but he couldn’t place her. “Down the hall, third door to the right. They’re waiting for the chopper to get here.”
“What’s going on?”
“You’ll have to talk to Donald.” She gave him a smile.
Right. He headed down the hall and nearly bumped into a gurney emerging from the room. Wren lay on a transport board, belted in, under a blanket, on oxygen, a nurse carrying an IV bag.
Caspian whined and pressed against Dawson’s leg. “I know, buddy.”
Donald came out behind them, clearly fraying, his expression drawn. He startled at Dawson, then held out his hand. “I already talked to Keely, but I should thank you too. If you hadn’t been there...”
Dawson met it. So this was where Keely had gone. “What’s going on?”
“Wren’s got an obstructed bowel, from the splenectomy. Emergency flight to Anchorage.” He followed the gurney down the hall. Dawson crutched next to him.
“That’s rough.”
“Yeah.” He dropped his voice, glanced at Dawson. “We don’t have insurance.”
Oh.
Donald’s mouth tightened, and he shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. They just need to save her life.” His eyes brimmed, and he looked away, blinked hard. Took a breath. Then he turned back. “You just never know when...” He ran his hand behind his neck. “I can’t lose her.”
Dawson nodded. Next to him, Caspian jerked forward. The belt slipped through his grip.
Wren wiggled free of her bonds and dropped her hand through the gurney rails. Caspian ran up, licked Wren’s hand as they waited for the elevator.
“She loves that dog,” Donald said. He turned to Dawson. “Pray for us.”
The elevator doors opened, and he should have guessed that London Brooks and Boo Fox from Air One Rescue might be the transport team. They came out, wearing their red rescue jumpsuits. Boo glanced at him, the crutches, frowned. “You okay?”
“Twisted my stupid knee.”
Boo grimaced, as if sympathetic. “You want a ride back to Anchorage?”
He almost said yes, but ... something made him shake his head.
Regret, maybe. Or hope?
Boo nodded, then leaned down to address Wren. They wheeled her into the elevator.
Donald followed, and Dawson grabbed the belt, holding back Caspian before the dog could join them too.
Caspian sat, whining as the elevator went to the bottom.
“You just never knowwhen...”
When life would find you at the wrong place, the wrong time.
