Sirens blare and unfamiliar faces hover above me as my limbs are moved without my control.
Please. Someone tell me he’ll be okay.
Anyone?
My mouth doesn’t want to form sounds even as my mind screams for answers.
“Sophia? I’m here.” Warm hands grip mine, but the voice… it’s not my husband.
“Daddy?” Blinking, I try to pull his image out of the blur.
“Yes, sweetie. We’re going to the hospital.” His amber eyes are shiny with tears as he smooths my hair from my face.
“Daddy—” Pain and fear well within me. “—where is he? He wasn’t waking up—” There’s a biting, sharp something pinching into my thigh.
“I know, honey.” His hollow gaze lowers to stare at where he holds my fingers.
They’re crusted with blood, sticky against his palm.
I squint up at him, suddenly confused why he’s here. “Where’s Lori?”
“She’s riding with Char and Dix back to the ranch.” His hoarse tone betrays the emotion he’s fighting.
“My head hurts,” I whisper, closing my eyes. The darkness brings some relief from the bright lights inside the ambulance.
Dad squeezes my hand and then presses it to his cheek. “I’m here, Soph. I’m here.”
***
“Sophia?” A deep voice beckons me from the black pools.
Pain tries to push me back.
“Sophia? Can you wake up for me?” the same person asks.
I know that sound.
But when my eyes flutter open, the bright lights pierce like shards of glass.
“Hurts,” I mutter. My throat aches. I try to swallow and I can feel my mouth twist into a grimace.
“I turned them down and have some water, if you want some?” They sound familiar.
I try again, this time the harshness is gone and only the neon glint of a monitor lights the room. It takes a moment, but I focus on the thick mustached face scowling over me.
“Uncle Dixon?” I don’t know what’s going on.
I remember…the wedding. Ollie.
I love him so much. The loud boom…so much blood.
Dad was there? After, not before. Why does the memory look kinda like him, yet isn’t?
“Cade!” I sit up too violently, sending an arc of fire through my leg and head.
“Easy,” Uncle Dixon’s palm firms on my shoulder, settling me back into the mattress. “Why would you say his name?”
“He was there.” A sob lodges in my throat. “He attacked me. Then Ollie—” I choke on the words remembering after the blast, and fall into the pillow as hot tears burn down my cheeks.
