Page 25 of Hearts & Embers

I nodded.

"He was injured."

"How badly?"

"I don't know yet. That was a colleague of his, Cody.”

My voice sounded distant even to me.

"He's at Mercy Hospital. Cody said they're taking him into surgery."

Elyssa stood immediately.

"We're leaving now."

The decision required no discussion. Being able to now put weight on my CAM walker, I forgot about crutches and within minutes we were in the car heading toward the hospital.

The drive felt considerably longer than it actually was. Traffic moved normally, pedestrians crossed intersections, and the city continued operating exactly as it had before the phone call. The contrast felt strange. Only a short time earlier I’d been debating outfit choices and exchanging messages about dinner reservations. Now I was trying not to imagine every possible outcome while knowing almost nothing about Jasper’s actual condition.

Elyssa attempted conversation twice before wisely abandoning the effort. She understood me well enough to recognize when silence was preferable. Oliver had been left with a neighbour who occasionally helped me when Elyssa was working, and I found myself absurdly grateful that at least one problem had been solved without requiring additional thought.

By the time we reached Mercy Hospital, my nerves felt stretched thin.

Elyssa parked near the emergency entrance before helping me navigate from the car and heading off to find a parking space. I waited until she returned and we made our way inside.

The boot made speed impossible, which only added to my frustration. Every instinct urged me to move faster than my body currently allowed. We eventually reached the surgical waiting area where a man in Firehouse 99 clothing immediately stood when he saw us approach.

"Cody?"

He nodded.

"Aurora?"

"Yes."

Relief crossed his face.

"I'm glad you found the place okay."

I introduced Elyssa and then looked beyond him toward the closed doors leading deeper into the surgical department.

"How long has he been in there?"

"About an hour."

The answer wasn't particularly reassuring.

"What happened?"

Cody exhaled slowly before settling back into his chair. I lowered myself carefully into a nearby chair and Elyssa did the same.

"There was a kid trapped on the second floor. We found him and got him moving toward the stairs but the floor gave way before Jasper reached the landing."

"He fell through?"

"About twelve feet."

The image immediately formed in my mind despite my efforts to prevent it.