“Sit down.” She pulled him to the floor and turned to her purse. She dug through it, pulling out her wallet, a pack of gum, and car keys but not finding his EpiPen. “Slow breaths, Andy. I’m getting your pen.”
But his rapid breathing was turning into tight wheezes as his throat closed, rapidly cutting off more of his ability to pull in air.
“Miss?” someone called down the row.
“Call nine-one-one—he can’t breathe.” She tried to stay calm, but her heart was slamming into her ribs and her hands were shaking. “Where is the damn thing?” she muttered, finally dumping the contents of her purse onto the floor in front of her. But the EpiPen was missing. “Shit!” Where did it go?
On the way to the mall, Andy had gone through her purse for Tic-Tacs. He’d probably pulled it out.
Shit.
People were gathering around them, but Aly focused on her brother. Tears pooled in his frightened eyes, the fear there gutting her. But she couldn’t get upset.
“Okay, mush. I need you to breathe with me.” Aly took a deep breath, counting to three as she did.
The rough wheeze said he could still get some air into his lungs. Andy scanned the crowd of onlookers in a panic.
“No,” Aly ordered, forcing his face back to hers. “Look at me. We’ll breathe together.”
They took three more tight, groaning breaths as his terrorized brown eyes watched her helplessly.
“Miss?” a deep voice said from beside her. “Mall security. An ambulance is on the way, but can you tell me what’s going on?”
She took another breath, but Andy’s wheeze was louder, and the hollow of his throat pulled so deep she knew he wasn’t getting much oxygen to his lungs.
“He’s allergic to peanuts, and we don’t have his EpiPen.” Aly didn’t look away from her brother. “Another breath.”
“New Jersey law allows first responders to keep an EpiPen on hand. If you give your authorization, I can administer it while we wait for the ambulance. However, he’ll be required to go with the EMTs to the hospital.”
“Do it. Now.” She scooted back to make room.
Andy reached out, clawing at her arm, and she wrapped her hand around his and brought it to her cheek.
“I’m right here. He’s going to help, okay?”
The older man wearing a black security uniform moved forward and pressed the device against her brother’s jean-clad thigh. Andy jerked the second the needle shot into him, but within seconds, he pulled a desperate breath into his lungs. And then he tried for a second.
“No.” Aly slid closer and grabbed his face so he was forced to look at her. “Do not overbreathe. You’ll pass out. Breathe with me.” And for the next ten minutes, she focused on Andy’s increasingly easy breaths, trying to ignore the shaking of her hands.
The EMTs appeared, and she moved back so they could work. It was okay. He would be fine. But her heart hammered in her chest like the crisis wasn’t over, even after the police officer and both EMTs assured her that her brother would be fine.
It wasn’t until Andy was settled in the ER and the police officer had set her purse and shopping bags on the chair next to her that she saw the missed calls and texts. Before she could call Will, her phone vibrated in her hand.
* * *
He glancedat where his phone was mounted on the dash as he drove down the highway. He was ten minutes from home, and Aly still hadn’t responded. Will had been hoping to meet them for dinner. He’d finished his recert an hour earlier than he’d expected, though it had still been a long day. The class had started at noon, and between that and the test, it had been hours.
He was trying not to worry; she’d probably left her phone in the car. She wasn’t the best at keeping her stuff together. He hit Call one more time, and this time, Aly answered on the first ring.
“Will.” Her voice cracked.
Will’s heart skipped.Something was wrong.
“Al?”
The shaky breath sounded in his ear, but she didn’t speak.
“What happened?” His hands tightened on the wheel.