Page 51 of It's a Widow Thing

“Yeah.” He shifted in his seat. “I’m fine. I’m just mad. I’m angry with myself for being so bad at this.”

“You aren’t bad at it. You’re figuring it out. Just like I am.”

“But I’m not figuring it out. I didn’t tell you the truth last night.” He delivered a penetrating glance then returned his sights to the road. Sabrina’s pulse raced. It pounded in her ears. “I love you, Sabrina. I’m not falling. I love you. I am in love with you. There is no one else I want to be with. There is no one else I want other than you. You are the beginning and the end for me.” He groaned again. This time, it was louder.

Her mind was abuzz with too much information—his words, his actions, those noises he was making. “You’re worrying me, Michael. Are you sure you’re okay? What about your heart?”

“It’s probably going to get broken. And I guess that means I’m going to join the ranks of people who’ve been squashed by love.”

“That’s not what I meant. I mean your actual heart.”

“Screw my actual heart. I don’t care. I only care about you.” He winced, and that made him close his eyes for a second.

“Pull over right now. I’m driving.”

“I’m fine. It’s indigestion or something.”

“You aren’t fine. The color is draining from your face. I think we need to get you to a hospital.” It was the truth. His skin had a greenish tinge to it.

“Oh, great. A hospital. So they can tell me to eat better and avoid stress.”

He wasn’t listening. And she needed to do something about it. “If you don’t pull over right now, I will scream at the top of my lungs.”

He grumbled again. “Fine.” Michael glanced in his rear view mirror then eased the over to the side of the Long Island Expressway. The car came to a stop and he killed the engine. “Happy?”

Sabrina’s heart felt like it was going to jump into her throat and explode, but she had to keep her cool. “We need to switch seats. And you need to stay calm. I saw a sign for a hospital in Holbrook on our way up. I think that’s our next exit. I can get us there faster than an ambulance can get here.”

“You remember where the hospital was? From yesterday?”

“When someone you love gets really sick, you remember where the hospitals are. Now stay put. I’m coming around to your side.” She climbed out of the car. The air was cold and bitter, the wind whipping at her cheeks while cars whizzed by and her mind became a torrent of thoughts. She couldn’t let anything happen to Michael. Even if things didn’t work out between them romantically, he had become her best friend. She couldn’t lose her best friend. She’d already lost too much. She opened his car door and he faltered as he stepped out. “I’m going to walk you around to the passenger side. We’re going to take things really slow, okay?”

“I’m familiar with that concept.”

“Hey. Smart guy. Do you want me to save your life or not?”

“Only if you promise to make living worth my while.”

She knew he was joking, but his words were like an arrow, straight to the center of her chest. “I will do my best. Come on.” She guided him behind the car and to her seat. “Sit still. Try to relax and take deep breaths. Don’t think about anything stressful.” She buckled him in, closed his door and ran back to the driver’s side. She hopped in and started the engine, then silently cursed him for being so tall, since it took a minute for her to ease up the seat. Finally, she pulled back on to the highway. A car behind her laid on its horn, but she did not care. All she cared about was getting Michael to the hospital as quickly as possible.

Please don’t die. Please don’t die.That was all she could think while her adrenaline was pumping and her heart was racing. “Everything’s okay. You’re going to be okay.”

“It’s starting to hurt more.”

Her stomach sank. This was fucking happening. He was having a heart attack. She was sure of it. “Breathe with me.” She pursed her lips and blew out a long breath, then took a split-second to glance at him. He did not look well.

Finally, she spotted the blue traffic sign for the hospital. She took the exit and was truly feeling like it was her lucky day when she reached the first stop light and could already see their destination. It was only a few blocks away. She ran a yellow light then pulled up to the Emergency Room entrance and hopped out of the car. She knew from experience that if you parked illegally outside an E.R., someone would come out right away to yell at you.

“Ma’am,” a security guard barked as the doors slid open. “You can’t leave your vehicle there.”

“It’s my husband. I think he’s having a heart attack.” Yes, it was a lie, but this was another case of knowing the ins and outs of hospitals. Most often, only spouses and family could accompany a patient. She’d had plenty of nurses ask if she was Andrew’s wife, and it always got her where she needed to go. She did not want to leave Michael’s side.

The guard turned back toward the entrance. “Leo!” he shouted. “Cardiac!”

Sabrina helped Michael out of the car, and seconds later, an orderly rushed out with a wheelchair. Michael dropped down into the seat and the man pushed him quickly through the doors as Sabrina ran along side.

“Can you tell me your full name, sir?” the orderly asked.

“Michael. Douglas. Wright,” he answered.