“Eve? When we get to the hospital, I want you checked out.” I don’t talk as I watch him talk on his cell. I stare at the guy in blue scrubs as he tends to this man who has become my life. I reach out and touch his hand, the one with the tattoo. It’s warm and I clutch at his strength.
“He’s okay.” My voice sounds calm and strong. The guy looks at me with a strange expression.
“I need to cut off his shirt. Is that okay?” He looks at Rodney who is getting loud and agitated to whoever he’s talking to.
“It’s fine.”
The paramedic hesitates then cuts his T-shirt off. After inserting some needles he turns to me. “He’s lost a lot of blood. Do you know his blood type?”
I shake my head no as I stare at his beautiful chest. A bloody bruised hole has pierced his side.
“You’re his wife, right? I mean this guy, he’s like the real deal.” He’s says this as he starts to hook him up to some fluid.
I lick my dry lips then sit up straight and look him in the eyes. “It’s fine. Fix him.”
“He’s stable.”
Leaning back, I rest my head on the back of the ambulance, close my eyes, and try to steady my breath and stomach. Jason saved my life. He threw himself in front of me. My ears are still ringing with that woman’s terrible shrieks and the gunshot.
“You okay?” I jump at the man’s voice. His brown eyes are focused on me and my white pants, which are covered in Jason’s bright red blood. My pink shirt is drying, stuck to my stomach. I hold up my hand to rub my forehead. “I’m fine.”
His eyes narrow and he gives me a curt look. “Make sure someone checks you out.”
I lurch a little as the ambulance turns and glides into the ER entrance. The doors fly open and I blink as the sunlight pours into the ambulance. Hospital staff are pulling Jason out. Rodney jumps down and tosses his phone into his bloody suit jacket.
“Come on, Eve. We need to get you situated.” He holds out his hand for me. We pretty much run next to Jason. His eyes keep fluttering open as they wheel him away.
“Wait, he’s waking up.” I move to go around the woman attending to him.
“Sorry, we can take it from here.” She’s tall and her hair is held in a tight bun. The shade might be red but the bun’s so tight, for all I know it’s brown.
“But he needs me.” I must sound crazy because she pats my shoulder as she gently walks me in another direction.
“Are you his wife?”
“Yes.” It just comes out.
“Okay, we will send his doctor out to tell you everything as soon as they have any information. But let’s concentrate on you right now. Okay?” She’s talking slowly and so calmly I almost don’t like her.
The woman lightly touches my arm. “Let’s check you out.” She smiles kindly and I nod.
“Wait, where is my Rodn—where is the man I came in here with?”
“I’ll find him and send him to your area.” She guides me through some doors and into the main ER area. “Here.” She hands me some grayish towels. “In case you want to wash up. A doctor will be in soon to examine you.” She shuts the curtain and it’s at that moment that I start to shake. The fear and need to be with Jason almost make me push back the curtains and run. But I have no idea where he is and my whole body is shaking so badly my teeth are chattering. I grasp the aluminum sink and turn on the water as a new nurse says, “Knock, knock.” The curtain opens and a friendly, fit Asian guy in purple scrubs enters.
“Oh, man… I heard about what happened to you. Can I get you some blankets? You’re shaking.”
I turn the hot water on and let it sting my bloody hands. Red blood, which looks like paint, spins and swirls down the sink. He’s at the computer asking me questions, half of which I have no idea how to answer. Have I had all my vaccines? My mother’s and father’s medical histories?
What the fuck?
“Are you all right?” He looks at me then the water, which I completely forgot was running. He reaches over and turns it off.
“I think you’re in shock. Please sit.” I look at my hands—they’re clean but bright red. As he glides me to sit at the end of a hospital bed, my hands feel as though someone is taking a needle and poking it all over my fingers and the top part of my hands
He looks at me and smiles. Reaching into a cabinet, he hands me a couple of grayish white sheet-type covers.