Straightening, the man said, “No, thankyou.” He glanced back, then at Brogan again. “From all of us.”
Brogan merely nodded.
Finally, EMTs showed up. As soon as they were on the scene, Brogan explained what had happened.
Tears filled Pixie’s eyes.
The boy’s mother cried, too, as she whispered to the EMT, “I thought I’d lost him, but this wonderful man brought him back to me.”
The EMT bent to check the boy’s arm. “Nice job.” He asked Brogan, “Where’d you learn to treat a wound?”
“I served.”
Brows up, the EMT glanced at the tattoo on Brogan’s upper arm, then gave his attention back to the boy. “Thank you for your service.” He smiled to the boy. “What do you say, kiddo? Want a ride in an ambulance just for kicks?”
Frantically, the boy turned to his mom.
She asked, “Am I allowed to ride with him?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“What about my car? Both of my friends already left.”
Pixie cleared her throat. “Brogan and I could follow with one of us driving your car.”
All eyes moved to Pixie, and it suddenly felt as if the entire restaurant was watching her.
Brogan didn’t get a chance to weigh in on her plan before the woman rushed to Pixie to embrace her. “Thank you so much. I … Nothing like this has ever happened before.” She touched her forehead. “I never even considered … He loves the lake. I thought it would be a fun day.”
“I’m sure it was, until he got hurt.” Pixie took her hands. “I can’t imagine how you must be feeling. Is there someone you can call so you won’t be alone tonight?”
“I’ll be with Benny.” She smiled back at her son. “He’s all I need.”
For Pixie, it was like seeing her own future laid out before her, except she had Marlow and Cort; and whenever necessary, she knew they’d be there for her. Still, the situation felt eerily similar to what her own life would be.
The EMTs were ready to go, so she said to Ellen, “If you want to give me your number, I’ll call you once we get to the hospital so I can give you back your keys.”
They exchanged numbers quickly, and Ellen described her car and where it was parked. Pixie was aware of Brogan watching, his laser focus on her as if he wanted to figure her out. She’d volunteered him without a qualm, when maybe she shouldn’t have. He was soaked, shirtless, and he’d just been through his own trauma.
Or at least she assumed fishing a boy from the lake and bringing him back to life had been traumatic for him. It had certainly rattled her. Still, she had to believe he’d be amenable to assisting the woman just a little bit more.
When the mother and her son started out, Brogan moved to Pixie’s side. He glanced at the kids, then asked her very quietly, “You got this for another minute?”
She nodded.
“I’ll be right back.” He paused to touch her cheek, looked as if he wanted to say something, but then strode after the EMTs.
Shakily, Pixie sank into her seat. Everyone was looking around as if unsure what to do, now that Brogan wasn’t on the scene. She felt the same. Fortunately, the babies were enthralled with all the chaos, rather than afraid. Since she’d turned their chairs, they hadn’t seen Benny or all the blood.
It was on the decking, the chair—she’d never seen so much blood.
Pulling her chair from the table, she scooted it over so she could sit directly in front of the kids. She knew they had to be getting hungry, so she got out Andy’s cup for him, along with a cookie, and then found one of Shayna’s bottles. The infant would likely need a diaper change soon, too.
Some people still watched her, but she concentrated on feeding the kids, talking softly to them while waiting for Brogan to return. Andy noticed a bird. Shayna took her bottle with greed.
She really needed three hands, but for now, she was making do.
“Who is he?”
