“Ms. Hughes,” one of the EMTs called, “we’re going to take him to the hospital.”
Mom took a shuddering breath. “Is he going to be okay?”
“Ma’am, we can’t say for sure, but I think he’s sprained or broken his arm. We’ll let the doctors check him out. Do you want to ride with us?”
“Yes, of course.” Mom nodded and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
Emily gave Jake’s arm a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll see you there.”
The EMTs loaded Dad into the ambulance and then helped Mom in before the doors slammed, and soon the ambulance took off, sirens blaring.
Adrenaline shot through Jake, and he took off toward his house. He fished his keys from his pocket, and they jingled as he fisted them.
Emily’s footfalls sounded behind him on the rock path. “Jake!” Her footsteps sped up before she grabbed his arm and tugged him, causing him to stumble. “Stop!”
“We need to gonow.” He tried to rip his arm out of her grasp, but her fingers clamped down on him. “What are you doing? We have to go!”
“You’re not driving.” Her expression was somber.
He made another attempt to shake his arm free, but she doubled down, grabbing his other arm.
“Jake,stop.”
He froze.
“Take a breath.”
He pulled in a ragged breath through his nose, and his eyes began to sting. He lifted his gaze toward the gray clouds clogging the sky and tried to blink back the tears that threatened to spill onto his cheeks.
Hold it together. It’s your job to be the strong one.
But guilt weighed heavily on his shoulders, and he drew in another deep breath to try to calm himself down.
“Hey.”
He closed his eyes and worked to rein in his raging emotions.
“Jake, look at me.”
He shook his head. “We need to go,” he whispered, his words sounding hoarse.
A warm hand cupped his cheek. “Please look at me,” Emily pleaded.
When he opened his eyes and saw the compassion in her face, he felt as if his soul were covered in a blanket of warmth.
“You don’t have to shoulder this alone. I’m going to be by your side, no matter what happens.”
He couldn’t help it then. A few tears escaped his eyes, and she brushed them away with the tips of her fingers.
He cleared his throat and attempted to find his voice. “When my dad fell, my mom tried to call me at least four times, but I didn’t answer,” he croaked out. “I should’ve been there.”
“It’s not your fault.” She threaded her fingers with his.
He nodded and wiped away more tears.
Ugh! Stop blubbering like an idiot. You’re almost a thirty-year-old man!
Emily wrapped her arms around his waist, and Jake closed hiseyes, resting his chin on her head until his tears subsided. Then he released her and dried his eyes with his sleeve. “We need to go,” he said.
