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“No…I just don’t feel good…”
I pulled my keys from my pocket and jogged to the front door. “Should I call an ambulance? What’s wrong? Tell me how you’re feeling? Are you in pain?”
Alesha didn’t answer, but I could hear labored breathing on the other end of the line. I flew from The Siren, locked the doors with shaking hands, and hustled to where I’d parked. “Alesha? Talk to me, please?”
“My stomach hurts and I feel dizzy,” she said, panting between words.
“I’m calling 911. What room are you in?”
“No, Carly—”
“This is not up for debate. What room?”
She paused and I could see her face, twisted with pain in my mind. The image made me ache. I started the car and buckled in with one hand as I pressed the phone against my shoulder. “Alesha!”
“Twenty-seven…Carly…hurry…”
“I’m on my way, but the ambulance will get there first. I’m going to call them right now. Then I’m going to call you back. You have to answer, okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, Leash. Hang in there. Someone will be there soon!” I hesitated, not wanting to hang up on her in the middle of the crisis but I was alone, no one else could call 911.
I cursed myself for not letting Nick come to help.
Stupid girl.
“I’ll call right back.” I clicked off the call and dialed 911 as I pulled out onto the road. Within minutes, I’d reported the situation and was assured an ambulance would be on its way to the hotel. The operator wanted to stay on the line, but I clicked off and hurried to call Alesha back.
The line rang and rang.
I sent out a silent prayer. “Please, please, Leash…answer…”
Tears sprang from my eyes at the beginning of her voicemail message. I dialed again and when I got the message the second time, everything left of my resolve crumbled. Like a busted dam everything broke loose. My body was wracked with sobs as I merged onto the highway. I could barely see through my tear-filled eyes but I got in my lane and pushed the gas pedal to the floor.
What would have been an hour drive took me less than forty minutes, and as I swung into the dinky parking lot of The Dolphin, I chalked it up to a miracle that I hadn’t been pulled over. The parking lot had a few run-down cars but no sign of an ambulance. I was too late. I put the car in park but let the engine idle as I flipped through my phone to pull up the GPS and locate the nearest hospital.
I gave a weak smile through my steady stream of tears as I realized that the closest hospital was Gemma’s, just a little way back down the highway, halfway between Holiday Cove and where The Dolphin was located off the exit.
I threw the car into reverse and squealed out of the parking lot and barreled back down the highway to the hospital. When I arrived, I whipped into a spot and ran into the Emergency Room. I spotted Gemma speaking with a nurse behind the admitting counter. “Gemma!” A surge of relief washed over me at the sight of her. Everything was going to be okay. “Gemma!”
Gemma’s head lifted and she offered a sad smile before beckoning me past the front desk. When I reached her, I threw my arms around her. “Is she here? Is she okay?”
Gemma squeezed me back before guiding me down the hall off the main lobby. The corridor was filled with people going back and forth from room to room. I hadn’t been to this ER before—thankfully—but the busyness of it surprised me since Holiday Cove was such a small town.
“Alesha is in this room,” Gemma said, coming to a stop outside a solid white door. I reached for the handle, but stilled with my fingers just on the metal lever. “She’s resting comfortably. I can’t tell you much because of privacy laws—”
“But she’s a minor!”
Gemma raised a hand. “I understand, but as you’re not her legal guardian…all I want to say is that she’s going through a lot right now, but she’ll be all right.”
A bubble of anger swelled in my chest over the lack of helpful information she was providing, but I popped it before I could lash out. I gave a curt nod. “Can I go see her?”
“Yes, of course.” Gemma waved at the door and I pushed inside.
Alesha was curled into a ball under the thin coverlet on the hospital bed, her back facing me. “Leash?” I whispered, stepping gingerly into the room.
Alesha stirred and craned her neck around to look at me. Gemma followed behind me and came to stand at the foot of the bed. I reached down and stroked a strand of Alesha’s hair away from her face as she looked up at me. Tears filled her eyes. “I’m sorry, Carly…for everything.”
