Falling Fast

“I’ll be right back,” I tell her. Standing on shaking legs, I rush as fast as I can to Ned and Nina’s house, the light of the early morning sun helping me see even though my vision is blurry. Stumbling up their steps, I pound on the door and ring the bell.

“Gia, what on earth?” Ned answers, looking disheveled, then his eyes get big.

“Fire,” I choke out, and his eyes widen. “Police, and an ambulance. Grandma’s hurt.” I blink, seeing stars.

“Ned?” I hear Nina call, but I don’t see her when she comes to the door, because everything turns black.

CHAPTER 5

I’ve Got You

Gia

STUDYING GRANDMA AND THE machine she’s hooked up to, tears blur my vision. When I woke up in the back of the ambulance, my first thought was getting to her to make sure she was all right. The EMTs told me then that she was okay and she was in another ambulance on the way to the hospital. They couldn’t give me any more than that at the time. I didn’t find out until I got here that she had a substantial laceration on the back of her head, and she had taken in a lot of smoke. She had woken up for a short time, but fell back asleep. The doctors said this was perfectly normal, but I still didn’t like it.

Resting my forehead on top of my hand on the bedrail, I pull in a breath then regret it when all I smell is the smoke that is clinging to my hair, clothes, and skin. Nina, who was here when I finally made it to Grandma, left about a half hour ago to go see about finding me something to wear, but she hasn’t come back yet. It probably means the house is gone, which will only add to how shitty this situation is. Then again, Grandma and I could both be dead, so it could definitely be worse.

“Calm down,” I hear a man say, and I look up just in time to see Colton, Rose, and Kirk—Colton’s dad—coming toward where I’m sitting next to Grandma’s bed in the emergency room.

“Honey,” Rose says as soon as she’s close, and then she pulls me up out of the chair and into a tight embrace. “Nina called us. Are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” I whisper, because that’s all I can do with how sore my throat is. Looking up at Colton when Rose lets me go, I’m surprised by the amount of fear I see in his eyes, and even more surprised when he pulls me into his big body.

“Jesus,” he says gruffly, resting his head on top of mine and holding me tighter.

My arms go around his back and my eyes slide closed as something I probably shouldn’t be feeling, settles over me.

“What are the doctors saying?” Rose asks as Colton lets me go for his dad to give me a hug.

“They gave her stiches. I’m just waiting for her to wake up,” I tell her, looking at the bed and wishing Grandma would open her eyes so I can see for myself that she’s okay.

“How are you feeling?”

“Okay,” I lie. In all honesty, I’m exhausted, my body hurts, my chest hurts—actually, every single part of me hurts, including my heart.

“Sit,” Colton orders, taking my elbow and moving me back to the chair I was sitting in when they arrived. I want to tell him not to boss me around, but I don’t have the energy to bicker with him right now. So instead, I sit and pick up Grandma’s hand.

“Has she woken up yet?” Nina asks, appearing out of thin air and carrying a plastic bag with the Target logo on the front of it.

“Not yet.”

“It will happen,” she says quietly after giving Colton, Rose, and Kirk a hug. “I brought you some stuff. I’ll sit with Genevria while you go change.”

“Did you see the house? Did they put out the fire?” I ask, and her eyes turn sad.

“They were able to save the back bedrooms, but the rest of the house is gone. The fire chief told me it will be a few days before you’re allowed in to get your stuff,” she explains, and even though the information is delivered gently, I still feel every word like a stab to my gut. “It will be okay. We’ll figure something out,” she assures me, wrapping her warm hand around my cheek. “Go change, darlin’.”

“Sure.” I nod, taking the bag from her as I stand. “I’ll be right back.”

“Do want me to help?” Rose asks, stopping me with her hand wrapped around my bicep.

“No, I’m okay. I’ll be right back.” I give her what I hope looks like a reassuring smile and leave. Going to the nurses’ station in the middle of the emergency room, I ask where the bathrooms are, ignoring the fact that Colton is at my side. Hurrying to the bathroom they pointed out, I go inside and close the door then move to the sink, turning it on full blast to cover the sound of my sobs.