“Emily deserves so much better. So glad she has Damon. You make him seem like such a Prince Charming. I’m so jealous.”
“Believe me, I’m lucky. I couldn’t ask for a better man. Hopefully it continues to go this good. I’ve got no complaints.”
My phone starts ringing, but it’s a number I don’t recognize so I decline. After the third call, I answer.
“Hello?”
“Tessa, what took you so long to answer?” It’s Liam’s voice on the other end of the phone.
“I’m at work. And I don’t have your number saved. What’s going on?” I can tell by his tone something is awry.
“Damon’s hurt. At the hospital. Room 285.”
I drop the phone, and Harper stares at me.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“Damon. He’s in the hospital. I have to go.”
“Here.” She hands me her keys. “Take my car. I’ll tell Lex. Don’t worry about it. Go.”
I race to her car as fast as I can and drive like a bat out of hell all the way there and almost forget to put it in park before getting out. The automatic doors open, and I take the elevator to the second floor and approach his room. How badly has he been hurt? Mentally preparing myself for the worst, I take a breath before opening the door.
“Damon.” I run to his bedside, trying to keep the tears at bay. “Oh... what happened?”
Liam tells me what happened. They were on a typical call, and the house was burning fast, but there was still a mother and child inside. “I told him not to go in, it was too dangerous, but he didn’t listen. You know how stubborn he is.”
As much as I told myself in the beginning not to get involved with a firefighter, Damon is my soulmate and that overrides my rule, but sitting here staring at him in this hospital bed only makes me feel like an idiot for getting so close. He could have died, and then I would have to go home and explain to Emily what happened, and it would ruin her just like it did me. Memories of the day the fire chief came to tell us my father would not be coming home flash into my mind.
As much as I hate to admit it, this day was bound to come. Damon is like my dad in that way, with a big heart, wanting to save people, but at some point he needs to recognize it’s too dangerous. He should have listened to Liam, but he’s stubborn.
The bleak, sterile room screams hospital, and sitting here in silence besides the beeping machines, causes me to wonder why they don’t add at least a bit of color into their rooms. Being stuck in the hospital is bad enough, but with the all white walls and trimmings, it just feels like a prison. His hand is in mine, and my thumb is slightly rubbing his, as I try to stay positive and awake.
Liam is sitting on the opposite side of me, just reading a magazine. I didn’t want to bombard him with questions when I first arrived because witnessing this tragedy is bad enough, but answers are needed. “So what did the doctor say?”
“He has lots of bruising on his body and cuts to his back from the falling debris. Damon will definitely be off duty for a while. Chief isn’t too happy with him. Hope you are ready for him to be home for a while.”
Emily wouldn’t mind him being at home more, but if I know him at all, it will drive him crazy after the first couple days. He is such a productive man, and being subjected to staying inside for a long period of time is just going to get him upset. Maybe Emily and I can come up with fun ways to get him occupied like board games, charades, and maybe binge-watch some new show or something.
Speaking of Emily, she is going to have questions. Why Damon looks bruised. I don’t have the heart to explain the consequences of trying to be a hero to her because she doesn’t need to be worried every time he leaves the house that he might not come back. That’s me, though. Especially now. He needs to understand that we are part of his life now, and even though getting people out is part of his job, he shouldn’t be compromising his own life to do that. I know it’s selfish, since if he didn’t go the extra mile, I most likely wouldn’t be alive today. No one else would have come inside and tried to find me with the way the building was collapsing. Yet, he didn’t even think twice. That’s just the kind of man he is—selfless.
Harper messages me to check on him and let me know she is going to come get her car, and she has a spare key so I don’t have to leave his side. She really is a great friend, and I’m so glad I have her in my life.
For the next several hours Liam and I are silent, reading magazines and scrolling on our phones to help the time pass while the pain medications keep him knocked out. The clock is getting closer to three and Emily will be wondering where I am.
“I can pick Emily up from school and keep her so you can be here with him,” Liam offers.
“Okay, I’ll call the school and let them know you will be picking her up, and they will check your ID before releasing her.”
“That’s to be expected. I’ll head on over in case I hit traffic. Call me after he wakes up or if you need anything.”
He begins to walk out the door, but I stop him. “Don’t mention this to Emily yet.”
“Of course. Wasn’t planning on it. See ya.”
After calling the principal and telling her the situation, she agrees to let Emily leave with Liam and will personally check his ID. In reality, they should be doing this anyway if it’s not the person who normally picks the child up. Too many child abduction cases happen every day and it’s a good way to easily prevent that.
Right now isn’t the best time to tell Emily about this. She will want to see him, and that’s just not possible. I want to shelter her from the pain I endured from my father, and I never want her to experience it. She’s already had such a rocky relationship with Chris, and now she found Damon who lights up her world, only to have to worry about him every day. No, thank you.