by Karen Kelley
We got lucky. It wasn’t a busy intersection, and there wasn’t much traffic. We went through a couple more lights, then turned to the right. The wreck was just a few streets farther down. As we pulled up, Fiera grabbed the mic and told the dispatcher we were on scene. We jumped out of the truck as Jake came out of the back with the jump bag. It contained basic equipment. Anything that we might need to get someone stabilized.
There were two cars involved with enough damage that someone might be seriously hurt. An officer was directing traffic, while another one was checking on the victims. I grabbed the extra jump bag out of the side compartment.
“Jake, take the blue Chevy. Fiera, come with me.” We hurried to the first car. An elderly gentleman was behind the steering wheel. His forehead had a three-inch gash, but it didn’t look deep. Blood trickled down the side of his face. “Sir, can you talk to me?”
“My wife?”
“I told you that I’m fine,” she spoke in a soft voice, so that I barely heard her. She didn’t look fine. The passenger side had taken the brunt of the impact.
“The front door isn’t going to open. Too much damage,” Fiera said and moved to the back door. After a couple of tries, she managed to get it open enough to slide inside. She quickly leaned over the front of the seat, between the man and woman.
“My name is Fiera, and that’s Layne. We’re both paramedics, and we’re here to help you.”
“Is Frank okay?”
Fiera glanced my way again. I nodded. “He’s fine, except for a cut on his forehead. Where are you hurting?”
“My arm and shoulder. I think my leg is hurt, too.” Her bottom lip began to tremble. “We just bought this car. It’s our first new car. I don’t think they’re going to be able to fix it.”
“As long as the two of you are okay, that’s all that matters,” Fiera said as she continued to check the woman out.
“That’s so true, dear. But I really did like this car.”
“I’m going to put a neck brace on you. It’s just precautionary,” I told Frank.
“The other car just seemed to come out of nowhere. I guess they’ll tell me I’m too old to drive,” Frank said.
“You’re not too old, dear,” his wife told him. “You drive a lot better than some of these young people.”
“I saw everything,” a young girl said as she came up. “I was right behind him. The other car ran the stop sign. Sir, I called your daughter as you asked. She’s going to meet both of you at the hospital.” The young girl was visibly shaken.
“Make sure you give your statement to one of the officers.”
She nodded and took off to find one.
“Are the people in the other vehicle okay?” Frank asked.
“They’re being treated right now. I don’t know the extent of their injuries.”
“I’ve never been in a wreck before. I think I might’ve crapped my britches,” Frank continued.
I smiled as I put the C-collar on him. “I’m pretty sure if I was ever in a car wreck, I would definitely crap my britches.”
One of the firemen came up. “One injured in the other car, and one walking wounded. Jake is taking care of them. Nothing life-threatening, but serious. The other ambulance is rolling to take the other two in.”
“Have you ever had an IV, ma’am?” Fiera asked, then glanced my way.
“A few times,” the woman said. “Why do I need an IV?”
“Just precautionary. Your blood pressure is a little low. No biggie.”
I held the bag while Fiera squeezed between the bucket seats. She placed a tourniquet on while I got the IV ready. One stick, and she was in the vein. She released the tourniquet as I handed her the end of the tubing. Everything she did was efficient. She wasn’t rushing, but she didn’t waste any time either.
The firemen already had the Jaws of Life ready. I gave them a nod to go ahead and start.
“It’s going to get a little noisy while the firemen pry open the door on the passenger side,” I told both of them.
“That’s okay, we don’t hear as well as we used to.”
I had a feeling the man was trying to be brave for his wife, but I could see the worry in his eyes. Me, and a couple of the firemen, stabilized him. As we brought him out of the car on a backboard, I could see him getting more and more nervous.
“My wife? You know, we’ve been married sixty years. I don’t know what I would do without her.”
I knew what he was saying. “She’s going to be okay. I think she’s more banged up than you, but she’s talking, and that’s a good sign.”
It didn’t take the fire department long to get the passenger door opened, or for us to have both patients loaded into the back of the ambulance. Jake had already gone with Zoey and the other two patients in their ambulance. Cliff stayed behind, since our patients needed more care. Fiera and I rode in the back of the ambulance, while he drove. As soon as we were en route, I gave my report, then handed her the radio.
“I have the wife of the other patient that was involved in the MVC. She’s a seventy-seven-year-old female that took the brunt of the hit. Her blood pressure was a little low upon arrival. I started an IV of normal saline with a two hundred and fifty cc bolus until the blood pressure stabilized, then backed it down to KVO. I have her on a high flow of oxygen, and the cardiac monitor is showing normal sinus rhythm. She was complaining of pain on her right side. Extreme tenderness and bruising to the right rib area. Deformity, pain, and swelling to the right arm. I have it splinted at this time. I have her in full spinal immobilization.”
I listened to the rest of Fiera’s assessment, then when she was finished, I took the radio back from her. “ETA approximately two minutes.” I hung up the mic.
I took another blood pressure, while Fiera monitored her patient en route.
Jake turned the lights and sirens off before we pulled under the canopy of the ER. As soon as he came to a stop, the back doors were opened by a couple of the ER staff. The next hour, we were busy helping them, then doing our paperwork, before heading back to the station.
Fiera drove on the way back. She handled the unit like a pro, but I didn’t have any doubts she wouldn’t. She was even better backing it into the slot than I was. I hated backing ambulances. Before she got out, I turned to her. “You did good on the call.”
“So did you.”
I grinned. Yeah, she was going to be a lot of fun to be around.
The rest of the shift was pretty slow. She was polite to the other employees, and the fire department guys who shared the dayroom with us, but I noticed she kept herself a little apart from everyone, except Zoey. Too much testosterone in the building maybe. The guys seemed to be falling all over themselves with her around. She finally said she was going to talk to Darby for a few minutes and went up to the dispatcher’s office.
“Come on, guys. Give her a break and back off just a little,” I told them.
“You just want her for yourself,” Wes said. “Although, why she would want you when I’m here, I’ll never know.”
Danny snickered. “Let’s see if I can figure it out. Layne is rich, good looking, and he’s a damn good paramedic. I’m sure there’s something there that will clue you in as to why Fiera will like him more than you.” Danny began to laugh.
Wes glowered at him. “I’m pretty sure she saw something in me when we were unloading her U-Haul.”
“Yeah, that’s why she offered to pay you,” Danny encountered.
Wes cocked an eyebrow. “It wouldn’t be the first time a woman has offered to pay me for my services.”
I couldn’t help it, I began to laugh. “You guys are so full of shit.”
“What I want to know is why none of you have ever acted that way around me?” Zoey asked, palms planted on her hips.
Wes snorted. “And meet Layne’s wrath? I don’t think so.”
Thankfully, Fiera joined us a few minutes later at about the same time dispatch came over the loudspeaker, so I didn’t have to ex
plain anything to Zoey—yet.
“Possible MI at Forest Green nursing home.”
Heart attack. Not good.
We hurried to the truck. I let Fiera drive this time. I liked that she didn’t take chances, and she turned off the sirens before we pulled to a stop in front of the nursing home. Jake was already climbing out of the back. He had the jump bag and cardiac monitor on the stretcher and was bringing it out.
Ray met us at the door. I knew him from the times he’d rode out when he was going through EMT class. He’d been trying to get on with the ambulance department, but there hadn’t been any openings for a dispatcher, which was the only place we used the EMTs.
“Eighty-year-old female complaining of chest pain. I think she’s having the big one,” Ray told us. “She’s in the day room. It’s Abigail Carter. One of the nurses is with her.”
I knew Abigail well. She was always having one ailment or another. Mostly, she was just lonely. One of the nurses told me that Abigail rarely had visitors, even though she had six children.
As soon as we got to the day room, I spotted her, surrounded by other residents, and one of the nurses. They immediately moved away as we approached.
“Hi, Layne,” the LVN said. “Abigail started having chest pain not long after lunch. Her vitals are all within normal limits, but you might want to recheck them, just to be on the safe side.”
“Thanks, Wanda.” I liked this nurse. She was older and always got straight to the point, and she was good at her job. I knelt down beside Abigail’s chair. “What seems to be the problem today?”
Her bottom lip trembled. “My chest hurts. I think I’m dying. Ray said he thought I was having a heart attack.”
“Ray needs to keep his mouth shut,” Wanda mumbled.
Fiera moved to Abigail’s other side. “My name is Fiera, and I’m just going to take your blood pressure.”
“Ray isn’t always right,” I told Abigail as I put the cardiac leads on her, and then glanced over my shoulder at Ray. He backed up a step. Ray was the type of person who scared the hell out of me. He wasn’t that good of an EMT, but he was book smart. I really doubted he would ever make it in this field.
Jake turned the monitor on. “Normal sinus rhythm.”
Fiera looked up from taking Abigail’s blood pressure. “It’s good. Pulse regular. Respirations eighteen.”
A strange expression suddenly crossed Abigail’s face. Fiera’s nose suddenly twitched, and she quickly came to her feet, as did I.
Abigail looked at both of us, her cheeks turning a rosy red. “Maybe it was just a touch of gas. I feel much better now.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Ray. “Did they have beans or broccoli for lunch?”
“Both.”
I nodded as I looked at Abigail again. “Do you still want to go to the hospital?”
“Oh no.” Abigail shook her head. “We have bingo this afternoon and ice cream afterward. I feel much better now. You’re a good man, Layne.” Her gaze moved to Fiera. “And you’re lovely. You could do worse than Layne, you know.”
Fiera patted her hand. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
Wanda chuckled. “Lord have mercy, I don’t know what we would do without our Miss Abigail.”
I let the dispatcher know this would be a no transport, and we would be back in rotation. We put the jump bag and monitor on the cot and began to roll it out. I’m glad it wasn’t anything serious. We all knew Abigail. Wanda was right when she said Abigail was a character, but a sweet one.
“Fire,” a man mumbled as we walked by.
“Well, my goodness,” Wanda said. “That’s the first time I’ve heard John speak. He does love the color red, though, and your hair is a beautiful shade.”
“I heard he was a homeless guy they found on the street,” Ray grumbled. “They should’ve kept him in the state hospital with the rest of the crazies.”
Fiera’s head whipped around, and she cast a glare in Ray’s direction that had him stumbling backward.
“Well, it’s the truth,” he stuttered.
The nurse planted her hands on her hips. “Don’t you have something that you need to be doing?”
Ray clamped his lips shut, then turned and marched down the hallway.
“He’s in the wrong line of work,” Wanda mumbled. “If I had the authority, he’d be gone from here. Only the director can do that, and Ray’s a warm body in case the state drops in.”
Fiera stopped and knelt down beside John, taking his hand in hers and smiling at him. “My father used to love my hair, too. You like the color red?” She brought her ponytail around to the front, then brushed it across his hand.
“Fire,” he mumbled again.
She lightly ran her hand down the side of his face. Over the deep cuts that disfigured him, but that didn’t seem to bother Fiera. She wasn’t a bit repulsed by his looks. “I’ve got to go, but you take care.” She came to her feet, and we began pushing the cot toward the door again, but before we left, she turned to the nurse. “He doesn’t look that old. What’s wrong with him?”
“John was here when I came to work about ten years ago. I don’t exactly remember what his history is. From all the scars on his face and his body, I’d say it wasn’t good. He seems happy enough here, though.”
Fiera nodded, and we continued on to the truck.
I got behind the wheel after we loaded the cot, and Jake got in the back, while Fiera climbed in on the passenger side.
“I always get depressed when I have to make a call to a nursing home,” she said.
I shrugged. “A lot of them actually like living there. They make friends and go to activities. It’s home to them.”
“And you’re sure about that?”
“Pretty sure.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I think I would hate it.”
“Come with me tomorrow.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I told you, I don’t date co-workers.”
I grinned. “But then, I wasn’t asking you out on a date. I just asked you to come with me.” I could tell she still didn’t trust me.
“Where exactly would you be taking me?”
“You’ll see. I think you’ll get a better understanding of a few things.”
Chapter 5
Fiera
I still wasn’t sure about going anywhere with Layne, but I had to admit, I was a little curious when he came knocking on my door the next afternoon. He told me to be ready to go by two, and dress casual. That wasn’t difficult since most of my wardrobe was casual. I never dressed up. Besides, I figured it had something to do with the ambulance. He’d said it wasn’t a date. I figured jeans and a sleeveless white shirt would work.
As soon as our shift ended at eight the next morning, I’d gone home, taken a hot shower, then crawled into bed. We weren’t busy during the night, so we’d crashed on the bunks, but there had been enough calls that I wanted to catch a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.
Which I did.
At precisely two in the afternoon, Layne knocked on my door. I opened it, my gaze trailing over him. Green shirt, jeans, boots. His shoulders were broad, and the guy definitely had muscles. He didn’t look bad in a pair of snug fitting jeans either. He was way too tempting, but then, he wouldn’t be the first tempting man I’d walked away from.
“Are you ready?” he asked, handing me a cup of coffee.
I took the cup. “You know, I could get used to this.” I took a drink, then sighed. The coffee was just as good as the last time.
“That’s my plan. I’ll get you hooked on my coffee, then I’ll have my way with you.”
I grabbed my purse off the table, then headed back to the door. “Since I like your coffee so much, I won’t tell you that your tactics won’t work on me.”
He laughed: deep and rumbling. I liked the sound. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. I knew without a doubt that I would have to be very careful around him.
We rode the elevator down, then wen
t to his pickup.
“Where exactly did you say we were going?” I asked as I slid in on the passenger side.
He got in on his side and started the engine before looking at me with that killer smile. “I don’t believe I said.”
As we drove to wherever we were going, I studied him out of the corner of my eye. His hair was thick and black. For a brief moment, I wondered what it would feel like to run my fingers through it. My gaze moved lower. His nose was straight, and he had firm lips. What would it feel like if he kissed me?
He hit a small pothole and effectively jarred me out of my thoughts. I took another drink of my coffee, which was starting to turn lukewarm, even in a Styrofoam cup. I had no idea why I was thinking about him in the physical sense.
Why shouldn’t I? I would probably only be here for a few months. I could have a short affair with Layne, and we would both be satisfied. By the time my six month lease had expired, I should know everything I’d come to Texas to find out. Then I would leave and never see him again. Closure all the way around.
I glanced across the seat again. He wasn’t the type of man that anyone would quickly forget. I didn’t want or need any more complications in my life. I sighed deeply. He might just be worth the problems.
He pulled up in front of the nursing home we’d gone to yesterday on the possible heart attack and stopped. A van pulled up beside us. I glanced over at the driver. The woman behind the wheel was probably in her fifties. She smiled, so I smiled back. Some people could smile and you didn’t feel anything, but her smile reached all the way to her twinkling eyes. It was the type of smile that drew you in. What was it about these Texans? At least the ones I’d met had seemed overly friendly, as if we’d known each other all our lives.
I unfastened my seatbelt and opened my door. The woman next to us got out of her van and walked over to me. “Hi, I’m Brenda.”
Okay. This sort of went beyond friendliness and moved into the weird zone.
Layne joined us. “Hi, Brenda. This is Fiera Murphy, the new paramedic I was telling you about.” He turned back to me. “Brenda runs the local animal shelter.”
“You didn’t tell her?” Brenda asked.
