I inhale sweet cold oxygen greedily at first. Then as my lungs fill up, I start to relax, and still, we’re going down the stairs. There’s less smoke as we keep descending.
And then we burst out of the building.
“We need to get her into the ambulance and to the hospital,” the fireman says, his voice terse.
I want to tell him there’s no need and that I’m okay, but my mouth won’t move. I open my eye a crack, but it takes so much energy that I instantly close it, but before I do, I note that I’m on a stretcher being wheeled into an ambulance. Then I start to tremble, and my nightshirt feels like it’s soaking wet. Someone puts another mask on me and strips off my T-shirt. Seconds later, warmth envelops me as I’m wrapped in a blanket or something very warm.
Bliss. My body feels weary as if I’ve been lifting weights all day. My eyelids feel as if a weight has been placed on them. I give in to the pull of sleep even though there’s a part of my brain demanding that I stay awake. I try to think why it is important that I stay awake, but I can’t think of anything.
To be honest, I’m not even sure why I’m in an ambulance, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is how warm and snugly I am. I fall asleep with a smile on my face.
Chapter 28
Thomas
A shriek pulls me out of an erotic dream where Cora and I were dancing naked together. I sit up in bed and stare ahead into the darkness in confusion. I’m sporting a massive hard-on, and I’m disappointed that it was a dream.
The shriek comes again. It’s my phone. I reach for it and glance at the screen. It’s Fran. Why would she be calling me at two-thirty in the morning? Something must be very wrong. My hand trembles slightly as I swipe the screen to answer.
“Where are you?” Fran says.
“In my bed, in my house.”
“Are you near a TV?” she continues.
Relief surges through me. “It’s 2 AM. Why would I be watching TV?”
She doesn’t laugh or make a sarcastic comment as I expect her to. “Go and turn it on. Now.”
I’m already out of bed and headed downstairs to the living room. For the first time, I curse my decision not to have a TV in my bedroom. “What’s going on, Fran?”
“Just turn it on.”
I grab the remote and flick it. That’s when I see it. “Is that Cora’s building? Oh my God. Fuck!”
“I’ve tried calling her, but her phone is switched off. I saw someone being brought out of the building a few minutes ago. Thomas, I think it might be her.”
My heart pounds hard against my chest. I stare at the screen as the news station repeats the video of a figure being helped onto a stretcher. I can’t see her face, but I know that nightshirt.
“I have to go.” I don’t wait for Fran’s answer. I sprint back upstairs, pull on the first pair of pants that my eyes land on, a T-shirt, and a jacket.
I control myself as I drive to the hospital. I can’t believe this is the second time that I’m rushing to the hospital after something’s happened to Cora. This time, though, I’m not in panic as I saw her being helped into a stretcher with my own two eyes. She wasn’t comatose, and from what I could make out, she was responsive. The worry now will be the amount of smoke she has taken into her lungs, but then again, she had an oxygen mask. That’s a relief too.
At the reception, I find Riley trying to get information from a reluctant receptionist. I shove my doctor’s badge in the woman’s face, and we are directed to the second floor. We find Cora in room seven, sitting up in bed sipping what I’m sure is tea. My legs wobble with relief.
I go straight to her and gather her in my arms. “Cora.” All I can say is her name. I’m overcome with emotion as I hold her.
“You’re holding me too tight,” she says with a laugh.
“Sorry,” I mumble apologetically and step back as I remember that Riley is waiting her turn to hug Cora.
Riley hugs her. “You scared me half to death. I’m so happy you’re OK. Leo called me when they couldn’t account for you outside the apartment building.”
“It was the scariest thing that I’ve ever gone through,” Cora says, her voice trembling.
They draw apart. “You should be in bed. What are you doing here?” Cora says to Riley.
“I had to come and see for myself that you’re well.”
Cora makes space on the bed and pats it. “Sit down. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you.”
“I’m fine,” Riley says, and they share a warm look that has grown from years of friendship.