Burned Gasoline (19 page)

              She wasn’t watching them, she only felt their gentle hands, moving her, touching her, talking softly. Suddenly a voice came to her ear, but her eyes were too heavy to open.

              “I’m Wayne, I’ve heard so much about you Raylyn. You and Nova will be as good as new. Just hold on tight, okay, it might be a slightly bumpy ride out to the highway. We’ll get you to the hospital in no time, but until then you’re stuck with me.”There was a certain softness to his voice. A warmth and tenderness to his words.

              Slowly the ambulance started up the gravel road, rocking them gently from side to side, until the flat cement of the highway was smoothing out the travel into town. Once in a while she’d feel Wayne’s hand on her wrist, checking her pulse, gently opening her jacket, checking on Nova, now sound asleep against her chest.              

              “Are you warm enough, Raylyn? I can turn up the heat even more if you’d like.” She shook her head slightly but didn’t open her eyes. Instead she stroke Nova’s back gently, feeling her body move up and down with her slight breathing.

              “I need you to open your eyes for just a second so I can check your pupils, and to know you actually
can
open them.”

              She let out a deep sigh, and blinked a few times, before she stared up into the blurry lights, and the smiling face of man she’d only seen as a little boy in pictures hanging in Jefferson’s living room.

              “Well, hello.” A quick flash of light went across her eyes, making her blink, and crunch her eyebrows together. “Just one more time, Raylyn, open up your eyes, then I’ll let you take a short nap before we reach the hospital.”

              The same flash went across her eyes, before it disappeared to be replaced by Wayne’s face, looking down at her, eyeing different parts of her face and neck. Dabbing cuts at the bottom of her scalp that burned painfully when the wetness hit her skin.              

              “Sorry, Raylyn. Just cleaning you up. Some scrapes are deeper than others, and a few particles of dirt are still lingering in there. They will take them out at the hospital, but will sedate you first. Won’t feel a thing.”

              “Where’s Jeff?” Suddenly her eyes didn’t seem so tired anymore and slowly she turned her head towards the very well-built man sitting next to her stretcher, taking her pulse again, and opening her jacket feeling Nova over. He held up a finger making her wait with her question until counting time was over, placed her hand back onto Nova’s back, and placed a soft blanket on top of both of them.

              “We had a second ambulance ready in case… well, we just didn’t know what to expect when the call came in. It’s not often we have child abductions around here, let me tell you. But, knowing Jefferson, I knew he would go into death for something he really cares for, so we had two ambulances available, and simply decided to use them both. So, he’s in the other ambulance getting that cut to his head taken cared off. Our hospital isn’t too large, he’ll meet you there. Is the other ambulance on its way, Bryce?” He called over her head to the driver who quickly responded with a yes.

              “Oh, is that
the
Bryce, who came to check on Michael, Jefferson’s dad, when he passed away in the garage that day?”

              “Oh, so Jeff told you the story. Big of him to do that. He hasn’t mentioned it to any of us, or anyone else for that matter, ever since that day. You must be a very special little lady, Raylyn. But to answer your question, yeah, it’s
the
one and only Bryce around town mama.” A small laugh came from the driver seat behind her head.

              “You know, he really likes you, you know. Take good care of him.”

              “Bryce or Jefferson?” Her tiredness made everything confusing.

              “You seem like a lovely girl, and all,” the answer from the front seat of the vehicle, “but if I have anyone else take care of me other than my fiancée I’d be the one in need of this ambulance.”

              “Well, to clear that up, yeah, I meant Jefferson. He might not say it all the time, but he’s crazy about you. Did you know he’s been blowing us off beer and poker nights for almost two months now? If I knew he did it to be with you I would have gone a bit easier on him, not punched him so hard.” He smiled and checked her pulse again.

              “I’m sorry to have ruined your evenings…”

              “Hey, around here the ‘hoes go before bros’ quote still lives and thrive, even though no one wants to admit it among us. “

              “Hoes before… what?”

              “Oh, you never heard that? Sorry, not suitable for a lady’s ears. Anyway, take good care of him, if it hadn’t been for you he’d probably be a bitter, grumpy bachelor for the rest of his awful life.” Another laugh came from the front seat.

              “Alright, Raylyn, we’re here. Stopping at the hospital in a second and getting you both out, safe and sound. Jeff is coming up right behind us in the other ambulance, I can even see him step out right now… and speaking of the devil, here he is.”

              As her stretcher touched ground smoothly, Jefferson’s face came into view before her eyes.

              “How are you feeling?” he asked, and looked from Bryce to Wayne, then back down onto her.

              “Hey, what the hell was that look for? I’ve been as pleasant as a bear’s smooth ass all the way over here!”

              Bryce gave off a faint laugh, while watching Jefferson punch a solid fist into Wayne’s broad shoulder, and rolled her stretcher between them towards the large double doors of the hospital. She still heard them mumbling behind her, as she clutched Nova closer to her chest, making sure she wouldn’t move too much now that she was awake and screaming.

              “She probably hungry… I didn’t bring…”

              “Everything you need is here, Raylyn, just rolling you into your room and getting you settled. Oh, hold on. Hey, Maddie, we have a hungry baby here, you got something for that?!” Bryce called at the nurse station as they passed it rolling down the hall.”

              “Sure, I’m on it Bryce. What room?”

              “Um, fifty-two I think.”

              “Meet you there.”

              “See, fixed. As easy as that.” He said close to Raylyn’s face, as she’d closed her eyes once more, resting them from the bright lights above in the ceiling of the hallway.

              “Thanks for asking.” She mumbled, as the stretcher came to a slow halt, turning her into a smaller room with a wider bed waiting.

              “Oh, she better, or I’ll make sure to get her something really awful and ugly for Christmas next year.”

              “What?” Suddenly Raylyn opened her eyes, and looked up at Bryce’s smiling face.

              “Oh, yeah, she’s my little sister. Small town, you know.”

              The stretcher finally came to a complete stop, and while Bryce hit secured the breaks and removed the blankets at the other bed, Wayne and Jefferson entered the room, still in discussion about what had happen throughout the night.

              “Hello, I’m Maddie. I’ll be your nurse tonight.” A cute brunette, in purple scrubs, and long braids, walked in right after. “Bryce here is my brother. I’m sure he already told you that.”

              “Yes, he did.” Raylyn answered with a tired low mumble as Bryce raised the back of the stretcher for her to sit up straighter, able to feed Nova in her lap.”

              “If you’re okay with it, I can feed her this, and the guys here will help you over to the bed so you can take a nap until the doctor comes in. Is that alright with you, Raylyn, is it?”

              She smiled and looked down at Nova, sucking vigorously at the first pouch of mashed fruits and vegetables, before she looked back up into Maddie’s face and gave her the same faint smile.

              “Yes, please.” She answered quietly, and let Maddie gently grab Nova from her lap, just to sit down onto one of the two chairs along the wall of the room. Making sure Nova still saw her while she was eating.

              “Diapers.” Raylyn mumbled, while Wayne gently held one of her arms to steady her while she took the single step over to the bed and laid down.

              “They got it all taken cared off, sweetie.” Jefferson said softly, giving Wayne another reason to woo at his friend, before Jefferson shook his head and the smallest hint of a smile touched the side of his lips. “You can sleep a little, until the doctor comes. I’m all patched up and fine to go.” He stood back up and pointed at the white gauze circling the top of his head.

              “You look like a saint with that on your head…” she said with a slight slur, and closed her eyes, before Wayne’s laughter carried through the room, making Jefferson punch his shoulder once more.

              “She’s funny, dude. You gotta keep her. And, if you can still hear me Raylyn, there are way too many things on this guy’s list to make him expelled from any chance of becoming a saint. Like this one time…”

              “Shut up, Wayne!” The other two men barked in choir.

              “Alright, alright, ease up guys. Geez.”

              “You guys can leave now, I think Nova is getting tired as well, and I’m going to shut off the lights a bit to calm this place down. Bye bye now.” Maddie said, and hinted with her head at the door of the room.

              “Alright, we gotta go.” Wayne said in a more somber tone than before. “We actually…” before he finished his sentences he motioned to both Bryce and Jefferson to follow him out the door until the stood in the hallway. “We actually have to go back and pick up… well, that girl. Sarah.”

              “I kinda figured.”

              “Is she…” Bryce began, but Wayne shook his head, and rested his hands on his hips.

              “Brody texted while we were driving back in the ambulance and said to bring… gloves.”

              “Oh, great. I’ll seriously need therapy after seeing some of the stuff this job comes with. It’s sick sometimes. Well, okay, let’s go. I guess we won’t be coming back to this floor when we return.” With a great sigh he turned to walk back into the dark room, and quietly pulled the stretcher back out into the hallway and together with Wayne they made it down the corridor until the large doors swallowed them, and they were off.

Epilogue

              “Do I look okay?” Jefferson mumbled, as his hands kept fiddling with the tie around his neck.

              “You look absolutely stunning. You know that right? I hope I say that to you enough times, every day.” Raylyn’s smooth voice wandered across his face as she stepped closer, moving his hands away from the silky fabric and easily tied it down smoothly against his shirt.

              “You look amazing, too. I’m not sure what I did to deserve you?”

              “Oh, I think we can figure out something good. I know you’re not a saint, but there’s got to be something. Right?” She teased and stepped back to look upon the well dressed man in a black suit, and white shirt.

              “So, I look alright then?”

              “Yes, you look
alright.
You look amazing, like I said.”

              “Ditto.”

              “Oh, putting on the big charm I see.”

              “Well, talking about
seeing things
, I’m not sure the groom is supposed to see the bride before the wedding.”

              “Yeah, and that worked so well for us in the past, right?”

              “You got us there. God you’re amazing, can I just kiss you, right now? I need to kiss you.” He stepped over and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, before his lips met hers gently.

              “That’s it?” Raylyn asked, sounding a bit surprised.

              “Well, you’ve got lip stick on; I didn’t want to ruin it.”

              “Oh, come on. I don’t care about that. Kiss me like you mean it.”

              “Alright, you asked for it.” His voice suddenly low and husky, his body moving her slightly backwards against the bedroom wall, until his mouth clashed with hers and he speared his tongue hard and deep into her mouth until she responded with hers. His hands lowered and grabbed onto her rounded butt, letting the smooth white fabric of her dress slide under his touch.

              “Was that better?” He panted, released her mouth from his.

              “Yes, oh my god yes.” Her eyes were still closed and her rested against the wall. Patiently he waiting for her breath to return to normal before his lips softly touched hers again, making her smile.

              “I just heard a knock on the door, sweetie. I guess it’s time. Ready?”

              “Oh, you bet.” She answered, and kissed him one last time before she pulled herself together and straightened the cream white dress she’d picked out at the bridal store in town not too long ago.

              As they both stood, hand in hand, by the bedroom door, waiting for the music to start, she felt him rub his thumb gently across the top of her hand. She looked up at him then, and met his smile with hers.