Everyone settled down to talk, drink and some played cards as evening went on. I saw a few at the pool tables. I sat watching them all have a good time. Bull was over talking to Ranger, Devil Dog, and Savage from Dublin Falls. I felt a wave of sickness come over me. I was feeling weak and nauseous but wasn’t sure why, since Harley and I were doing fine now. Harlow saw my face. She sat forward.
“Jocelyn, are you okay?”
I nodded and went to stand. “I’m fine. I need to go to the bathroom.” I wanted to get away from everyone before I puked. I stood and took a couple of steps when a wave of dizziness overtook me. My knees went weak.
As I felt myself falling, I heard Harlow yell, “Dad!” Arms surrounded me as my knees hit the floor and then everything went fuzzy before it went black.
Bull:
I was talking to Savage, Ranger, and Devil Dog about Jonathan. We hadn’t found the fucker yet. I was getting more pissed. I wanted him found and out of our lives. I knew Jocelyn was nervous about what he would do next. They were just talking about forming a hunt for him with the Dublin Falls crew helping when I heard Harlow yell my name.
I turned to see Jocelyn falling and Harley grabbing her. My heart seized as I ran to her. She was on her knees then her eyes closed, and she collapsed. I swung her up in my arms and laid her on the couch. She was out cold. I looked at Harley. She looked panicked. Devyn had run over to stand beside me. “What happened?”
“She didn’t look good, so I asked if she was okay. She told me she was fine, just needed to go to the bathroom. Then she stood up and took a couple of steps. I saw her start to fall, so I grabbed her.”
Janessa, Regan, and Ghost were all three crouching down beside me. Ghost squeezed my shoulder. “Let us check her out, Bull.” I reluctantly moved back.
Steel came back with a bag in his hands. I hadn’t even seen him leave. He handed it to Regan. She pulled out a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. The others were checking her pulses in her wrist and neck. Ghost was checking her pupils with a light. Janessa was poking her finger.
“Why are you poking her finger with that needle?” I asked her.
“I’m checking her blood sugar. It can make you faint if it’s too low. Does she have any issues with low blood sugar?” I shook my head no. She looked at the reading. “It’s fine. She’s at 110. Does she have any kind of medical issues?”
I shook my head no, again. “Nothing. At least nothing we know of.” My heart was pounding. What if she did and we didn’t know it? I went back to the time Kelly and I found out she had cancer. Oh God, please no. Don’t do this to me again. I’d been gutted when I lost Kelly. If I lost Jocelyn, I wouldn’t be able to go on.
“Do we need to take her to the hospital?” I asked them. They look at each other.
“I think we should get her checked. She should be waking up, but to be sure, let’s take her,” Regan said. I swung her up in my arms. By the time I got her out the door, Ace had the club SUV waiting with the back door open. I slid in with her. Harlow got in on the other side. I heard Terror tell her he had the kids. We pulled out of the compound with Devyn in front while Ace drove.
I was kissing her. “Please, baby, wake up. I’m fucking losing it. Please,” I whispered against her lips. Harley was rubbing my arm. I looked at her.
“I can’t lose her. I can’t. I won’t live through it a second time, Harley.” I was baring my soul and I didn’t care who heard it.
“Dad, you won’t. Let’s see what is going on before you think the worst.” I tried to take her words to heart. I reached up and squeezed Devyn’s shoulder. She looked at me with tears in her eyes.
“I’m scared, Nick,” she said. I saw Harley start at hearing her use my first name.
“Hang in there, honey. We’ll get her checked out.” She held onto my hand with one of hers as Ace held the other. We were almost to the ER when Jocelyn stirred in my arms. I watched as her eyelids flickered before she opened them, and I saw her beautiful green eyes.
She looked lovingly at me then frowned. She tried to sit up, but I didn’t let her. “What’s going on, Nick? What happened? Why am I in the car?”
“You passed out, baby. You’ve been out cold for the last fifteen minutes. We’re going to the hospital to get you checked out. Have you been feeling sick and didn’t tell me?” The last was asked with a growl.
“I’ve been a little nauseated the last few days, but that was nerves. Before I fainted, I felt lightheaded and weak plus nauseated. I thought I was going to puke.” I hugged her tighter. Ace pulled into the ER. That’s when it registered that numerous bikes were behind us. He pulled up to the ER doors, and a guy ran out.
Ace told him we had a woman who’d fainted and been out for several minutes in the back. In no time, they had her in a wheelchair and through the doors. I followed them but they refused to let me in the back. I was about to follow anyway when Demon stopped me.
“Let them check her out. Maybe Regan or Janessa can find out something since they’re nurses. Let’s sit down.” I sank down on a chair and hung my head. He sat there quietly. Devyn sat on my other side. I held the hand she creeped into mine. Ace was on her other side. Harley pulled a chair in front of me and put her hand on my knee. I couldn’t look up. If I did, I’d break. All that kept running through my head was the worst-case scenario.
More and more of the guys from both clubs joined us. Terror came in with the kids. The whole ER and outside was full of Warriors. Some of the other people gave us wide-eyed looks. We were used to it. Our cuts and looks intimidated a lot of people.
I don’t know how long we sat there waiting for news. Janessa and Regan tried but were shut down. I tried to call Bill Weeks, but he didn’t answer. All this made me think we needed someone in my club who was medical for shit like this. My head snapped up as the doors to the ER opened and out stepped a nurse.
“Family of Jocelyn Atkins,” she announced. Her eyes got round when I stood up as well as most of the ER. I went to her with Devyn.
“I’m her fiancé and this is her daughter. How is she? Can we see her?” She paused before answering.
“She’s awake and we’ve run tests. She is asking to see you. The two of you can see her, but only for a little while. Come with me.” I gave the others a chin lift before we followed her. She took us to one of the pods with a curtain wrapped around it. Stepping behind the curtain, I saw Jocelyn. She still looked a bit pale. She smiled when she saw us. I went to her and kissed her, then let Devyn kiss her.