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“Fuck, I needed that. I needed you,” he said, breathing heavily.
“I needed you,” I replied, smiling to myself.
It was of course at that moment that I got a call from New York, and everything went to hell. My cell rang and I jumped up and went to my bag, which was sitting on the small cushioned seating alcove where we ate our meals, a towel wrapped around me.
It was early morning in Durban, which meant it was late evening back home in Manhattan.
The call display read Harlem General Emergency and when I saw it, my heart sank at the name.
"Hello," I said, fear knotting my gut.
"Is this Alexa Dixon?"
"Yes," I replied, holding a hand over my heart, which was beating faster.
"This is Sandy, from Harlem General ER," the voice said. "I'm calling to let you know that Candace Carter is in the hospital. She fell off the platform in a subway station while she was waiting for a train and broke her leg. She also had some head trauma. You were listed as her emergency contact so I thought you should know."
"Oh, God, no," I said and covered my mouth. I sat on the bench. "Is she going to be okay?"
I glanced at Luke, who came right over to me, his brow furrowed.
"She's in surgery right now. The surgeons will be operating on her leg and they may have to reduce pressure on her brain because of a blood clot."
"Have you called her mother?"
"No, we haven't since you were the emergency contact."
"I'll call right away, but her mother is disabled. I don't know how easy it will be for her to get to Manhattan. Is Candace going to die?" I asked, my voice a faint whisper. I scrunched my face up, not really wanting to hear.
"I can't answer that," she said plainly. "The first twenty-four hours will be the most critical. Are you able to come down?"
"I'm in Durban, South Africa," I said weakly. "It'll take me at least a day or two to get there, if I can get a flight out right away."
"Okay. Just calling to let you know about her since you're listed as her emergency contact. Is there anyone in Manhattan you can call?"
"I'll see who I can get ahold of. Thanks for calling."
I turned to Luke. "I have to fly to Manhattan. Candace fell off the platform at a subway station and is in the ER. She's in critical condition."
"Oh, hell," Luke said and came over to me, pulling me into his arms. "I'm so sorry. I'll book the first flight out for you. Hopefully, you can be there tomorrow. Is there anyone you can call who can go stay with her now?"
"I don't know. Maybe Jan or Mara."
"Call them," Luke said. "We'll get you on the first plane out. You can go and stay at a hotel and spend your time with Candace."
"I'm sorry," I said, shaking my head. "I hate to leave, but I feel sick not being there for her."
"Don't apologize," Luke said. "She's your best girlfriend. I'm just sorry this happened to her. You'd be sick about it if you couldn't go home and stay with her."
"Thank you," I said, tears in my eyes. "Thank you for understanding.
"Do you want me to come?"
I shook my head. "John and Greg are here. You three keep sailing. If worse comes to worst, you could come back," I said my voice breaking at the prospect that Candace could die. "But until then, I'll go and stay with her."
He pulled me more closely against his body, hugging me tightly. I slipped my arms around his neck and squeezed him, needing to feel the warmth of his body at that moment.
"I'm so sorry that you have to face this," he said, his chin resting on the top of my head.
