The feed remained fixed on Kelly, the wind tugging at her hood. “We’ll continue to monitor this story and provide updates on the condition of the rescued individual, who has been transported to St. John’s Health in Jackson for treatment. Reporting live from Devil’s Staircase, I’m Kelly Morgan for KJAX News.”
The screen cut back to the anchor desk, but the waiting room remained silent, the weight of the report hanging in the air.
Jake stayed rooted in place, his thoughts consumed by Capri—her fiery determination, her quick wit, the way her eyes sparkled when she argued with him. The idea of losing her was unbearable.
He replayed the rescue in his mind like a bad dream he couldn’t wake up from. The deafening emergency engine sirens, the frantic calls of the search teams, and the endless minutes of him combing through the snow-laden landscape, searching for any sign of Capri—it all felt like a lifetime compressed into a few horrifying hours.
He remembered the sickening dread that gripped him when someone shouted they’d found a body, only to realize it wasn’t moving. And then came the moment when he veered onto the unmarked path along the scarp face. His hunch told him Capri would not follow a tidy, marked trail.
He spotted the pieces of snowmobile and then heard her voice. Frantically, he got to her and pulled Capri out, pale and broken but alive. His chest had constricted so tightly that he thought he might pass out right there. She had trouble talking, her lips tinged blue from the cold. Seeing her like that—so small, so vulnerable—made him realize how deeply she’d embedded herself into his life. She wasn’t just the fiery woman who challenged him at every turn. She had become his anchor, his reason for wanting more than just his quiet, solitary existence.
The thought of losing her had terrified him in a way nothing else ever had, and now, standing in the hospital, the fear still clung to him, raw and unrelenting.
Minutes dragged into hours while he and the others sat in those hospital chairs, drinking stale coffee and hoping for news. The wait was interrupted by a stern voice coming over the PA. “Paging pediatrics. Paging pediatrics.”
A woman with a stethoscope draped around her neck entered from behind two automated doors at the end of the hallway. As she saw the waiting friends and their worried faces, her expression turned sympathetic.
Reva popped up from her seat. “Do you have news on Capri Jacobs?”
“It looks like your friend suffered no life-threatening internal injuries. Beyond a bruised spleen, she’s remarkably unscathed.” She paused letting the information sink in. “She did sustain compound fractures to her right femoral shaft and ankle. As earlier suspected, these injuries are going to require surgery. They are prepping her now.”
Lila’s hand went to her throat. “Can we see her?”
The nurse shook her head. “I’m afraid not. She’s been heavily sedated to relieve the pain. We’ll be wheeling her into the operating room very shortly.” She held up a clip board. “Now, I’ll need a main contact person from her immediate family. That would be?—?”
Several in the room glanced at one another. While Capri’s mother had been notified, she wouldn’t be arriving for hours.
Reva stepped forward. “I’ll be the contact.” She pulled the pen from the nurse’s fingers and filled out her name and cell number. When finished, she handed the clipboard and pen back. “We’ll all be right here, though. None of us are leaving until Capri is out of surgery and okay.” She looked around for confirmation and was met with enthusiastic nods.
Jake stepped by Reva’s side and placed his hand on her shoulder before turning to the nurse. “Please alert us as soon as you know anything.”
Reva dug in her purse and handed the woman her business card. “I’m the mayor of Thunder Mountain,” she said, pointing.
The nurse smiled. “Of course. We’ll add your information to our system so you can call back and see how the surgery is going.”
“Perfect. How long do you expect the surgery to take?”
“Several hours,” the nurse reported. She scanned the group. “I’d suggest you all might go get something to eat. We have a cafeteria. The food isn’t restaurant quality, but it’s good.”
Jake shook his head. “Thank you, but no. I’m not leaving.”
The nurse hugged the clipboard to her chest and offered a commiserative smile. “We’re good at what we do. Our surgeons are top-notch.”
Jake nodded. “Still, I want to be here. Close.”
Charlie Grace, Lila, and Reva followed suit. “We’re staying, too.”
Pastor Pete patted Annie’s back as she laid her head on his shoulder. “I suppose we should go get everyone some food,” she suggested. She motioned to the Knit Wit ladies. “Oma, Dorothy? Why don’t you come down with us and get a bite?”
Slowly, most of those who were gathered followed Pastor Pete and Annie down a long hall leading to the cafeteria. Except for Bodhi. He elected to stay.
The wait began again. This time in earnest. The hands on the wall clock seemed to inch forward at the speed of a slow creeping lava flow.
“Call them, Reva,” Charlie Grace urged. “It’s been a couple of hours, and the nurse said it was okay for you to check in occasionally.”
Just as Reva was lifting her phone, it buzzed. Jake stretched over Capri’s friend’s shoulder to see—unknown caller. Moments ticked by as he listened to the one-sided conversation.
When Reva finally hung up, Jake was about to explode. “What did they say?”
