Chapter 27
Kace
I open my eyes, not sure what woke me. I'm on the couch, finally able to rest lying down without my foot propped high.
I listen but don't hear anything, so I close my tired, gritty eyes and go over the events of the trip. I do think Lindsey is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, but she's promised to contact the doctor's office as soon as they open this morning and?—
I hear it again, and this time I shoot upright, swinging my feet to the floor and grabbing my crutches. I race down the hallway to Lindsey's room, barging in without knocking. "Linds?"
I hear more gagging and dry heaves and rush to the bathroom to find Lindsey on the floor. She's obviously been there a while, so long that she's dazed and so weak she can barely lift her head.
I take her pulse and find it thready, cursing the fact I didn't grab my phone on the way to her. I get up and make my way to the bedside table where I see her phone hooked up to a charger. I call Gabe, knowing he'll alert the troops as he hightails it to my house.
Seconds later, I carry Lindsey's phone with me as I go back to her. I try to get her to drink from the water bottle she'd had by her bed, but just trying to swallow leaves her heaving again. She dazedly responds to questions, and I'm ripped to pieces by her gasps and moans and whimpers whenever she heaves. "Help is on the way, sweetheart."
"Nooo," she drawls.
"Yes. You're going to the hospital. No more excuses." I've failed her. I should've pushed harder. Made her go to the doctor. Refused to accept her brush-offs because, right now, she's limp in my arms, and I blame myself.
I move away long enough to get a cool rag to wipe her face and neck.
"I'm sorry. I'm a burden."
"No, baby, you're pregnant. You're not a burden. But we have to get this taken care of. You can't go on like this. It's not good for you or the baby."
I hear a text come through and see that Gabe is outside. "Gabe's here. I'll be right back. Don't move."
"I'll get the door," Madi says from behind me, breathing heavily as though she'd run from her bedroom or was just shy of panicky herself.
I'm so focused on Lindsey I didn't realize Mads had joined us in the bedroom, but I track Mads running for the door. I hear the squeak of the hinges as it opens, then the low murmur of voices and equipment being brought in and down the hallway.
I get up and grab the crutches, hating that I have to leave her, especially when she whimpers and murmurs something that sounds like burden again. I clear the door when Elena Pierce enters the bedroom, followed by Sully and more than a few of the others. "Leave anyone at the station?"
“A few. When they heard who it is, no one wanted to stay behind," Pierce says. "What's going on?"
I fill her in on the events of Bald Head Island. Gabe moves to my side, a deep frown etched on his features as he watches the crew assess her. He looks pale, and I realize he's probably reliving the three miscarriages his first wife suffered. "She's going to be okay."
Gabe stays quiet, and I mutter a curse because of it. Miscarriages happen, but when the body has been under as much stress as Lindsey's, it's even more likely. "She's not Deb," I say again. "And she's not Bronwyn."
My words seem to break Gabe out of his stupor, because his chin jerks in a nod and his hand clamps hard on my shoulder.
"No, she's not," he says finally.
The crew continues to work while we watch from outside the doorway. Madi stands next to me, looking wide-eyed with her arms wrapped around herself. I prop a crutch against the wall and draw her to my side, hugging her. "She'll be okay."
To Gabe, I say, "Once they get some fluids and meds in her, she'll be just fine." Bronwyn and Gabe are about to be married, and Gabe's biggest hangup about being with Bronwyn before they got together was that she wants kids. Having lost three babies, Gabe has reservations. Not only potentially reliving the losses but also his age. The last thing he needs is an excuse for cold feet. I know he loves Bronwyn, but this right here has the potential to really mess with his head. "Did you contact Bronwyn?"
"Not yet," Gabe says.
"You should. Lindsey'll want her there."
Gabe's nostrils flare as he takes a breath and turns away, pulling his cell phone from a pocket.
Madi and I stand there as the crew works. "Mads, will you be all right to stay here tonight? I'd like to go with Lindsey. The sun will be up in another hour or so."
"I'll come back after we get Lindsey to the hospital. Shift is over then," Pierce says from the bathroom floor.
"We can't go with Lindsey?" Madi asks.
