“Okay. I’ve got a couple calls I need to make regarding supplies, so I’ll order the food first, then take care of business before heading over.”
I hopped out of my truck and called for Sheba, but she was too interested in Lakelyn to pay attention to me.
Me too, buddy, me too, I wanted to say.
“Sheba, come,” I asserted strongly, but to no avail.
“It’s okay, she can come with me.” With Sheba nipping at her heels, she started down the driveway. “We’ll see you when you’re all done.”
“Oh, before I call, anything that you don’t like food-wise?” I asked.
“No, I’m pretty easygoing. Just no shrimp; I’m allergic.” She shrugged.
“No shellfish got it.”
We parted ways, and honestly, it felt unnatural. Being with her was easy. There was no drama, negative vibes, or undertones, just banter that felt like we’d been in each other’s lives for far longer than reality.
After hustling to get all the shit I needed to get done before it was time to relax for the evening, I realized the time had clearly gotten away from me. I shoved my feet quickly into a pair of sneakers and headed out the door some forty-five minutes after arriving home. There was a good chance the food had already been delivered, and I felt terrible for making Lakelyn wait.
I knocked on her front door and pocketed my keys and cell phone. After waiting for another beat, I knocked again, but this time a bit louder, which grabbed the attention of Sheba as she started barking inside. After giving Lakelyn another chance to respond after being alerted by the dog, I tried turning the door handle, but it was locked. Sheba’s incessant barking came in waves of intensity, from loud as if she were just on the other side of the door, shifting to further inside the house.
A feeling of dread then planted roots as I suddenly felt an overwhelming sensation deep in my gut that something wasn’t right.
I punched in the code for the keyless entry and burst inside, leaving all my police skills at the curb, not bothering to check for potential threats. Once I rounded the kitchen corner, my heart sank as I found Lakelyn passed out on the floor with Sheba sitting beside her head.
“Lakelyn,” I whimpered as I fell harshly to my knees and cradled her head in my hands, looking for any sign of response before pressing my fingers to the side of her neck, checking for a pulse.
It was there but weak.
“Lakelyn, can you hear me?” I frantically fished my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed 9-1-1.
“Nine-one-one, please state the nature of your emergency.”
“I need an ambulance forthwith to eleven eight-three Auckland Crescent. The patient is unresponsive, and her pulse is thready. I’m unsure how long she’s been down, but please hurry.”
“Are there any physical signs of trauma to the body?”
“No, none that I can see.”
I then looked around the kitchen and spotted the food I’d ordered spread out over the counter with a fork inside one of the containers, and it suddenly hit me.
“Shit.” I leaned down over her, and her breath was barely existent. “I think she’s having an allergic reaction. I need to look for an epi-pen.”
I dropped the phone to the floor, not bothering to wait for the dispatch’s response, and looked hastily around the kitchen and living room for her purse before deciding I didn’t have time to waste.
Running as fast as my feet would carry me, I bolted out of the house and across the street to my cruiser to grab the first-aid kit I had stashed there for emergencies. I never thought I’d need it in my off-hours, but I was immensely grateful for the resource. I just prayed I wasn’t too late.
Seconds after stabbing her thigh with a forceful puncture, she took a big breath, and her eyes widened with immediate alarm.
“Oh, thank fuck!” I assisted her into a sitting position, wrapped my arms around her, and held on for dear life.
“Boden.” She gasped as the sound of sirens made their way onto our street.
I swear my heart, which was beating erratically, was now in my throat. Seeing her lifeless body lying against the cold ceramics was an ice bucket to my soul. Knowing I’d done this to her—it was too much. It opened old scars and forced me to address the emotions I swore I wasn’t strong enough to feel again. The feeling of complete and utter gut-wrenching heartache, but Lakelyn had wedged herself into my heart, lock, stock, and barrel, and there was no more denying I’d walk through any challenge life presented me with if it meant never letting her go.
Leaning back, I brushed my hands over the sides of her face, delicately cupping her cheeks. “Lakelyn, I—”
I didn’t get to tell her how sorry I was before paramedics rushed to our side.
