The Best Laid Plans (13 page)

“Get Eva,” he rasped when Charlie stuck his head in.

“We’re going to get you both out, buddy. Don’t you worry.”

“Save my baby, please save my baby,” Pete said before losing consciousness again.

Charlie got a neck collar on Pete and checked Eva’s vitals. Her pulse was rapid, weak and thready. She needed to come out first. If they didn’t get her out soon, she might not make it.

With Serena’s help, Charlie was able to get Eva out of her booster seat and on a backboard. They carried her away from the van and to the ambulance. Gianna didn’t know what to do; she didn’t want to leave Mia and Sean but wanted to ride along to the hospital with Eva. Charlie shouted for one of the police officers to find a ride for the rest of the family.

Eva’s heart was working much too hard and her injuries were numerous. As soon as they got her in the ambulance, Serena jumped into the front seat and took off for the hospital. Charlie did everything he could to keep the little girl alive. She stopped breathing en route, so he had to intubate. His hands shook as he unwrapped the tube and slid it down Eva’s throat.

She could not die on him. She could not. Charlie could still hear Pete.
Save my baby, please save my baby.
He would not let his friend down.

Once Eva was intubated, Charlie attached a bag and manually pumped air into her lungs. He prayed and he bartered with God, something he never did on a call. He’d been in this situation before but never had it been someone he knew. Someone this important. Eva had her whole life ahead of her; this could not be how it ended.

They were met at the emergency entrance by a team of doctors and nurses. Emma was one of them, and when she realized who was on the gurney, she made eye contact with Charlie. He felt all her devastation in that single look.

He quickly relayed Eva’s vitals and the medications he’d pushed on the way here. Emma grabbed his hand as they wheeled Eva into the trauma room.

“Please don’t let her die,” he said, giving her hand a squeeze before it slipped out of his. He stood outside the room, unable to move. Adrenaline was flowing through his body and he was hyperaware of every sound coming from that trauma room. He could hear Dr. Gavin giving instructions to the nurses and machines beeping, whirling and hissing.

Serena placed a hand on his shoulder, causing him to jump. The second trauma team was prepping for Pete’s arrival. Charlie spotted Dr. Spencer. As much as he disliked the man, he hoped he was a good doctor. He hoped he was amazing. Pete needed the best.

“We did everything we could,” Serena said.

“Let’s hope it was enough.”

Sirens screamed outside and they knew the ambulance carrying Pete must have arrived. Gianna and the other O’Reilly kids followed the medics as they transferred information to the hospital team.

Gianna headed straight for Charlie. She threw her arms around his neck. “Please tell me Eva is okay.”

“They’re working on her now. She’s in good hands.”

He held her while she cried, finally letting the emotion hit her. Mia clung to her mother’s leg and Sean stood back, looking unsure of what to do and probably feeling as helpless as Charlie did right now.

“Let’s get you three checked out by someone,” Serena suggested.

Charlie and Serena got the rest of the family some medical treatment. All three of them were in good physical shape, all things considered. Serena stayed with Mia while Charlie hung out with Sean.

“Is my sister going to make it?” he asked while they waited for the nurse to clean up his cuts and scrapes.

Charlie hated that question. He never had the real answers. “I hope so.”

“And my dad?” The boy’s voice caught at the end.

“I don’t know, but I know everyone’s doing everything they can. Your dad is strong. He’s going to fight.”

Tears welled in Sean’s eyes and that was all Charlie could take. His own tears blurred his vision. He moved his chair closer and gave the grieving child a hug.

“There you are.” Emma had pushed open the curtain. Charlie fought the urge to jump up and hug her.

He slowly rose to his feet and moved toward her, not wanting Sean to overhear bad news. “Is everything okay?”

“We got her stabilized and they’re rushing her up to surgery now. What happened?”

Charlie shook his head. He tried to explain the accident scene and the bits and pieces he had gathered from witnesses. The pickup truck ran a red light and slammed into the driver’s side of Pete’s van, causing it to roll over. The driver of the truck was walking around with minor injuries while Pete and his daughter were fighting for their lives.

“What about Pete?” he asked her, hoping she had news on him, as well.

“I don’t know.”

“Can you find out for me?”

“Sure.” Emma started to walk away but turned back and threw her arms around him. She squeezed him extra tight before letting go. “You looked like you needed that.”

She had no idea just how much.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

S
OME
DAYS
AT
the hospital started out great. Then, without any notice, they turned into a nightmare. Other days were ugly at first but managed to calm down enough to make the day seem not so bad.

Then there were the days that began horribly and never recovered. Sometimes they even got worse. Today was one of those days. Emma had started her shift at seven with an unusually crowded ER. Patients had been exceedingly crabby and the doctors were difficult to get ahold of for anything the nurses needed. To top things off, Maintenance had shut down all the restrooms because of some kind of water pressure issue. People had to go to the other side of the hospital to use the bathroom.

She had been thrown up on, yelled at and complained to all morning, and those were only the work-related issues. Personally, Emma was in crisis before she even got to work. She had gone on the best date of her life with the wrong man. For the first time, she had experienced a kiss that made her forget where she was and how much time had passed. Again, with the wrong man.

All she had thought about since Saturday night was Charlie. When would she see him again? How would they act around each other after that kiss? Did he really understand that they couldn’t be together? Would anyone ever kiss her the way he had? If she let him go, could she stand knowing he would be kissing someone else like that?

She was afraid to answer all of those questions. It didn’t help that Tessa had informed her they had found a day and time that worked for everyone for this double date to Sato’s. Scott had seemed excited about it, as well. That should have made Emma happy. Things were moving along according to the plan. But all Emma felt was torn.

Since the first half of the shift had gone so poorly, when Charlie and his partner had brought in a diabetic having an insulin reaction, Emma had cowardly hid in one of the exam rooms so he didn’t get the chance to talk to her. As much as she had thought about seeing him over the past couple days, actually seeing him had almost given her a panic attack.

Once he left, she had hoped the worst was over. Then, the call came in. Car accident. An unconscious and critical child. Second ambulance en route with an equally critical adult male.

Emma had joined Tessa’s team and prepared for the child. Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw, though. There was the adorable Eva lying on the gurney, intubated and barely clinging to life. Only a week ago, she’d been jump roping her heart out, whining for cookies and giggling at everything Charlie said.

Charlie.

It was rare to see Charlie without a smile. It was even more rare to see him so distraught. What she wouldn’t have given to take away his pain in that moment. He had begged her not to let Eva die. Emma had prayed she could give him that much.

Tessa Gavin was an incredible doctor. She thought fast on her feet and her hands were as steady as they came in a crisis. She was decisive and a respected leader in a trauma room. She had worked magic on that broken little girl and helped stabilize her for surgery. If it had been anyone else in the room, Eva might not have made it.

Once they had moved Eva, all Emma had wanted to do was find Charlie and make sure he was okay. When she’d found him, the only plan was to comfort him and find out what the heck happened. She probably hadn’t been much help, but she’d offered him what she could. She had hugged him tightly, hoping he knew how very sorry she was that this was happening to his friends.

“I’m glad you were here, Nightingale,” he said.

“I wish you all were anywhere but here.”

“Me, too,” he replied.

“I’m going to get you some info. Don’t go anywhere.”

He wanted someone to check on Pete, and it was the least she could do. Scott was assisting the surgical attending who had been called in on that trauma. Poor Pete wasn’t in any better shape than his daughter. He had significant internal injuries and a serious head trauma. They were still working on stopping some bleeding when she sneaked into the room for an update.

Scott was a focused doctor, much like Tessa. He had a job to do and he did it. The flurry of activity around him did not distract him from his task.

“Can I get an update for the family?” she asked.

At the sound of her voice, Scott glanced up. His somber expression didn’t give her hope for good news. “It’s touch and go. We’re taking him to surgery as soon as the OR is prepped.”

“He’s a local firefighter and a friend of a friend. Take good care of him, okay?”

“Anything for you, Nurse Everhart.” He gave her a sad smile.

“Thanks,” Emma said as she slipped back out.

When Emma returned to Charlie and Sean, the rest of the O’Reillys had reunited. Mia had some gauze wrapped around her arm and Sean had a couple butterfly bandages on a cut above his eye. Gianna seemed to be fighting a battle between being strong for her kids and wanting to fall apart at the same time.

“They’re waiting for an OR to open up,” Emma told them. “He’s hanging in there. They’re doing everything they can.”

“He’s going to make it. He has to make it,” Gianna said, grabbing hold of Charlie’s hand for support.

“Why don’t I take you to the surgical waiting room. That’s where we’ll be camped out the rest of the day,” Charlie offered.

“Keep me updated,” Emma said.

Charlie nodded and led the frightened family down the hall. Emma wanted to follow them, to be a support to Charlie while he took care of Pete’s family. She couldn’t, though. She had a job to do and it wasn’t following her heart down the hall.

Emma’s hand pressed against her chest. Did Charlie really own a piece of her heart? She was coming to the realization that perhaps he did.

* * *

T
HE
REST
OF
Emma’s shift seemed to move in slow motion. All she could think about was what was happening in the surgical wing. She checked her phone incessantly, looking for an update from Charlie, but they were few and far between.

She had no patience for anyone. She was irritated by the guy who came in with the symptoms of a cold. Using the ER as a primary caregiver was such a mistake. It kept the doctors and nurses from treating people who were truly having an emergency.

Emma was also annoyed by the teenager who’d nearly blown off his fingers playing with fireworks he bought across the state line in Wisconsin. If people were more safety conscious, fewer people would have to visit the ER.

She was being unpleasant and she knew it, but all she wanted was for her shift to end so she could get to Charlie. When seven rolled around, she was prepared with her shift report and out of there before anyone else.

Her foot tapped restlessly as she waited for the elevator to climb the two stories to the surgical floor. She found Charlie and the O’Reillys sitting with a few firefighters, Pete’s second family.

The last update was that Eva was in Recovery. She was doing well and Gianna was going to go with her when they moved her to a room. Pete’s parents had come up from the South Side and his brother and sister were there, as well. One of them was going to take Sean and Mia home as soon as they knew what was going on with Pete.

Emma felt out of place until she sat down next to Charlie. “Thanks for coming up, Nightingale.”

She threaded her fingers through his. Holding his hand felt so right, despite all the warning bells ringing in her head. “Pete needs all the well-wishers he can get.”

The large group sat quietly. There was a television on, but the children were the only ones paying any attention to it. Some of the firefighters messed around on their phones. A couple of them tried to keep the kids occupied.

After five hours of surgery, the surgical nurse came out and let them know they were finished and Pete was on his way to Recovery.

She wouldn’t say much, letting them know the surgeon would be out soon to give them all the details. She could only say that they’d done what they could, but Pete still had a very tough fight ahead of him.

It wasn’t long after the doctor gave his update that Gianna had to go to sit with Eva, and Pete’s family took the kids to get some dinner and go home to bed. Most of the firefighters went home to be with their families before they had to go on shift.

Charlie didn’t want to leave. Pete had a long night ahead of him and no one to sit by his side. Emma offered to stay, but Charlie talked to the lieutenant and got special permission to hang back. The waiting room went from full to empty in a matter of minutes.

“They were supposed to go to the Dells over the Fourth,” Charlie said when they were alone. “They rescheduled because I asked him to cater the wedding.”

Emma felt sick. This was why she didn’t mess with the plan. Stick to the plan and no one got hurt.

“And then he had to bring us dinner because we always complain when the lieutenant is in charge of the kitchen. He didn’t have to do that. He could have jumped on the expressway down by his place. The only reason he was driving through that intersection is because he’s too good to everyone he cares about. He’d do anything for any one of the guys who were sitting here tonight. That’s the kind of guy Pete is. Selfless.”

Charlie’s head dropped into his hands and his shoulders shook as his emotions took over. Emma had to push aside her own anxiety and guilt. She placed her hand on his broad back. “It’s not your fault, Charlie,” she said over and over as he cried.

It was hers. This was what happened when she even thought about changing the plan. Fate swooped in and set her straight.

* * *

C
HARLIE
TOLD
HER
to go home and get some rest when the nurse came to let them know Pete was being moved to a room. He promised to eat something and go back to the station to get some sleep when Pete’s parents returned from dinner.

Going home to an empty apartment didn’t seem very appealing to Emma. She couldn’t bother Kendall with all this. She’d surely feel as guilt ridden as Charlie did when she found out why the O’Reillys were headed out of town today instead of the Fourth of July.

She texted Lucy, who was awake and more than willing to have company. Emma stopped and grabbed some food on her way over because there was not going to be anything edible at her sister’s. The woman ate things that were gluten free, dairy free and yummy free.

Lucy frowned when she opened the door and saw Emma was holding a bag from a fast-food restaurant. “Why do you do that to your body?”

“My body loves it. It says, ‘Thank you, Emma, for putting all this yumminess inside me.’”

“Your body is a child who doesn’t know any better, then. Someday, it’s going to realize what you did to it and say, ‘Why, Emma, why?’” Lucy wrapped her hands around her neck and flailed as if she was choking.

Emma ignored her and headed for the kitchen. She deserved some comfort food after the day she’d had. A bacon double cheeseburger, fries and a vanilla milk shake fit the bill. “Do you have ketchup? You are allowed to eat ketchup, right?”

Lucy opened up her fridge and pulled out some organic broccoli florets and a bottle of organic ketchup. She set them on the table as Emma sunk her teeth into the greasy but delicious burger.

“Please eat a bit of this. It might help counteract some of the damage you’re doing right now.”

“I’m not eating broccoli.”

“It’s a super vegetable.”

Emma devoured her burger and washed it down with the tasty milk shake. Broccoli and milk shakes did not go together, but fries dipped in creamy vanilla ice cream was magic.

“That is so gross,” Lucy said, averting her eyes.

Making her older sister squirm was almost making her feel better. “You’re the one who taught me this trick, back when you ate like the rest of us humans.”

“I never did that. You must have me confused with the other unhealthy eater in the family. Kendall thinks pizza is a well-balanced meal.”

“What’s not balanced about it?” Emma argued. “There are carbs in the crust, protein in the meat, veggies in the sauce and dairy in the cheese. It’s the food pyramid come to life.”

“Nice try.” Lucy laughed. “Is that what you tell your patients at the hospital, Nurse Everhart?”

Just mentioning the hospital brought back all the bad feels. Lucy must have noticed a change in Emma’s disposition.

“Tough shift?”

“One of the toughest. The people we hired to cater Kendall’s reception were in a car accident today. Some guy ran a red light and smashed into them. Their five-year-old daughter and the husband were badly hurt. They both made it through surgery, but the doctor wasn’t offering up any promises, at least not in Pete’s case.”

Dr. Roland had said the same things as the surgical nurse. Pete wasn’t out of the woods yet. The next twenty-four hours were going to be the most challenging.

“That’s terrible.” Lucy reached out for her sister. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“They are the nicest people, too. I’m sure Kendall told you about dinner at their house. They were so welcoming, so kind. They made us all feel at home and we had just met them. Charlie’s a mess.”

“Charlie’s a mess?”

“He’s Pete’s friend. They work at the station together,” she said, making the connection for Lucy.

“So you spent the last few hours comforting Charlie, the guy who is madly in love with you?”

“Don’t you start with me,” Emma warned.

“Kendall told me all about it. He’s crazy about you and offered to help with this wedding to spend time with you. But you haven’t told him about Emma’s life plan, have you? You’re destined to be a doctor’s wife—doesn’t Charlie understand?”

Unexpected tears began to well up and roll down Emma’s cheeks. Her throat tightened so that she couldn’t even respond to Lucy’s teasing. Her stupid plan was the reason for all the pain today.

“Em, I’m kidding.” Lucy jumped up and snatched the tissue box out of the other room. “I’m being a jerk. I’ll stop. Don’t cry.”

Emma blew her nose into a tissue and fell into her sister’s arms. The guilt was overwhelming. “I’m ruining everything!” she sobbed.