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He nodded his head, his teeth chattering.
Carefully Dusty pulled his leg out from under the blankets and deftly removed the bandage. She gasped as she gaped at the pus draining from the injury. Small pink lines radiated from the wound, marring his beautiful skin.
“Zach, I need to take you to the hospital. You have an infection.”
He continued to shiver and didn’t respond to her.
“Can you get up?”
He shook his head. “C-Can’t. T-Too cold.”
“You have to. Please. I’ll help you.” She pulled at him but realized she wouldn’t be able to move him without help. She wished she could give him something for the fever, but she was afraid to mix anything over-the-counter with his prescriptions.
She reached for the phone on the night table and dialed the front desk. “I need some help. Mr. McCray has a fever, and I need to get him to the hospital.”
“I’ll call 9-1-1, ma’am.”
“Thank you.” Dusty shrugged. She could have done that herself. What was she thinking? She needed to get her head on straight. Her man needed her.
Her man.
Yes, h
er man. He was her man. He had been all along. There was no fighting it. In some sinless way, she had known since she was six, the last day she had seen him, when he had told her to keep her chin up. And she had. Through all the hard times and the pain, she had. She had learned what was worthy of her fear and what wasn’t because of that lanky adolescent who had treated her with kindness.
She would never love another.
Quickly, she dressed herself and then helped Zach into his lounge pants. “Sweetheart,” she said, “where’s your cell phone?”
“D-Drawer.”
“Which drawer?” When he didn’t answer she began opening and closing drawers frantically until she found it in with his underwear. She thumbed through his contact list and called Chad and his mother. Within minutes they were both in Zach’s room.
“Let’s get him down to the lobby,” Chad said and scooped his brother into his arms. “You’re a heavy SOB, aren’t you?” Chad’s face was somber when Zach didn’t respond.
“He’s cold,” Dusty said. “Please, he needs blankets. Or at least a robe.” She grabbed one of the white hotel robes and tucked it around Zach. Tears slid from her eyes. He looked so helpless in his brother’s arms.
“Come now, sugar.” Laurie McCray put her arms around Dusty. “I just thank God you were here with him. He’s going to be all right.”
They reached the lobby as the ambulance was pulling into the circular drive at the front. Two paramedics lifted Zach onto a stretcher, and one of them asked if anyone wanted to ride with him.
“I will.” Dusty raced forward.
“You his wife?” the paramedic asked.
“Uh, no. I’m his…girlfriend.”
“We prefer it to be a family member.”
Laurie stepped forward. “I’ll go. I’m his mother.”
“Please,” Dusty begged. “I need to be with him.”
“Come on, twerp.” Chad grabbed her hand. “You and I can follow in the pickup.”
Dusty nodded through hiccups and tears.
Chad fished a bandana out of his pocket. “Here.”
