Page 24 of Hearts & Embers

The answer should have reassured me. Instead, it only confirmed that something serious had happened.

"Where is he?"

"Mercy Hospital."

I gripped the phone more tightly.

"What are his injuries?"

"They're still running tests. He was conscious when they brought him out, but the doctors wanted additional imaging. They're taking him into surgery."

The information settled heavily between us.

"Surgery?"

"Yeah."

His voice remained calm, but exhaustion lingered beneath the surface.

"I actually have Jasper's phone with me. He handed it over before they took him for scans. A little while ago it buzzed with a message from you and this is the first chance I’ve had to call."

Understanding arrived immediately.

Dinner.

Without thinking, I opened my messages. My final text remained sitting there unanswered.

Me: Looking forward to tonight.

For several seconds I stared at the screen. Then I forced myself to focus.

"Where are you exactly?"

"Waiting area outside surgery."

"I'm coming."

"Aurora—"

"I'm coming."

The response emerged before he could finish whatever argument he intended making.

"Okay."

He gave me directions to the surgical waiting area before ending the call. For several moments I remained seated with the phone still pressed against my ear. Elyssa was watching me with concern.

"What happened?"

The question was quiet.

I lowered the phone.

"There was a fire."

Concern immediately replaced curiosity.

"Jasper?"