“Sats are falling!” she cried.
Jamie listened to his back. “Mate, your lungs are filling with fluid. You’re not getting enough oxygen. I need to put a tube in your throat.” He pulled the meds and the intubation kit from the drawer.
“Harper…” He pushed at her arm.
“I’m here. Don’t try to talk.” Harper eased him away from her enough to see his face, which was a terrible shade of gray.
Seth ran into the room. “Jamie?”
“Suction when ready.” He readied the equipment.
“Not…yet…” Kip struggled, now gasping for air. “Harper…I…love…you.” His eyes closed.
“Ativan on board. Ketamine and Roc on board.” Seth administered the meds as Harper lay Kip flat.
“I’m in,” Jamie said.
Harper squeezed air into Kip’s lungs. “I’m having trouble.”
“Disconnect the bag.” Seth slid a suction catheter into the tube, suctioning. On the way out, the tubing dripped a yellow green mucus into the canister.
“See if we can get air in now.” Jamie chewed his lip.
“Better.” Harper’s fingers sweat as she squeezed the bag.
“O2 sats are coming up. I’ll send it for a culture.” Jamie said as he reached around Harper to secure the tube.
“I’ll start a propofol drip. Harper, press 444 on the phone and ask for a portable chest x-ray,” Seth said.
Harper adjusted Kip’s blood pressure cuff and other monitors. Next, she cleaned up the wrappers that protected the disposable equipment.
“You were cool under pressure,” Seth said.
“Uh…I guess.” She filled a basin with warm soapy water and placed it on the bedside table beside him.
“Harper? Are you okay?” Seth asked.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” she spat.
“Did you hear what Kip said?” Seth gently grasped her wrist before she dipped the cloth in the water.
“He was scared, that’s all.” Her hand shook.
Seth rolled a stool over for her to sit on. He sat on a second one. “He was scared, but no man or woman I’ve been with who was facing their death has ever gone back on the words they said in that moment. Just a personal observation.”
“How could a man like him—strong, powerful, brave and handsome—love me?” She rolled her chair closer to Kip.
“Easily.” Seth got up. “I need to write my note. Are you okay here?”
“Sure.” Harper wrung out the cloth and began to bathe him. “Hey, Kip. You’re still icky from the rescue. I can’t imagine what it was like in the dark, nasty water. Talking to Julian, Wes, and Kyle, I thought about what you said—about it being who you are and what you do. It gave me a lot to think about.
“Channy had the baby. She’s so small. I think Hunt is going to wean Channy off the sedation. He offered me his assistant job. I said yes.
“You saved twelve people. The triplets are doing what babies do. The four kids, their parents and Grandma Hattie are thankful.
“And I met the two college students you gave lifejackets to.” Her chest heaved as tears filled her eyes. She dumped and refilled the basin. “God, Kip. I thought you were dead. I’m just getting to know you. I can’t lose you. Hunt said to believe. I have to—there’s no other choice. I’m hoping this nap will help you breathe easier.” Harper continued talking to him as she dried and dressed him in a fresh gown.
Cleaning up again, she sat beside him after lowering the bedrail. Gently, she rested her head against the palm of his hand.
