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The telephone woke Drew. It was early, too early for anyone to actually be awake. Groaning, he rolled onto his stomach and reached for the nightstand.
After a few blind sweeps with his hand, he answered in a sleep-filled voice, stretching so he barely heard his sister’s voice over his own yawn. "Mandy," he mumbled, already sighing. "Not right now. It’s—"
"Felix fell," she said, her voice was hoarse and shaky.
He opened his eyes. "What? What happened? Is he okay?"
"He won’t wake up. Oh, Drew. I heard the bump in the kitchen and when I got there, he was lying like a little, limp rag doll in the middle of the floor. And I couldn’t get him to wake
up. My baby won’t wake up."
Drew sat up quickly enough to make the blood rush to his head. Ignoring the dizzy spell, he yanked on a pair of pants. "Did you call an ambulance?"
"We’re already at the hospital. Could you … could you please come get the girls. I don’t want them here if … " Her voice broke.
"I’ll be right there," he told her before hanging up.
He dialed another number as he reached for his shirt, not even thinking what he was doing until Mia answered.
He said her name. She must’ve heard the anxiety in his voice because her next words were, "What’s wrong?"
"My nephew. He fell or something. I don’t know. They’re already at the hospital. I have to go."
Bypassing socks, he snatched a pair of forgotten shoes off the floor and hopped on one foot toward the door as he put them on.
"Do you want me to come with you?"
Dropping his lifted foot to the floor, Drew paused. He wanted her with him more than anything, but he shook his head. "You don’t have to do that."
She’d freak out if she entered a hospital where she knew a little boy was hurt. And there was no telling how Mandy would receive her.
But Mia didn’t seem to care about all that. "Do you want me there?" she asked, her steady voice calming him.
He did so bad it hurt. But there were so many problems with the idea, he couldn’t answer clearly. He gave a mumbled, "yes," and she answered, "Okay. Then I’m coming. Pick me up on your way. I’ll be ready and waiting at the curb."
Drew froze a second before he closed his eyes and sighed. "I love you so much," he murmured.
"I love you too," she rushed out the words. He could hear her moving around in the background, probably hastily throwing on clothes like he’d just done. "Now hurry up and get over here."
Grinning, he disconnected and did just that.
By the time he pulled up in front of 410 South Elm, she was opening the door and hurrying outside and pulling the door shut behind her, still barefoot but carrying her shoes so she could put them on in the truck.
Grateful for her presence, he only managed one look her way as she hopped inside. Though her face was pale, she offered him a stiff, but encouraging smile. Knowing he could handle whatever happened with her next to him, he pulled onto the roadway.
•
A hard ball of tension knotted her stomach as Drew parked next to the hospital’s emergency entrance and beside a Honda Civic he claimed was his sister’s. Fear nipped at her; she didn’t want to step foot inside those automatic glass doors. Her daughter might not have died in a hospital and it had been too late to take her to one, but Mia knew there was a mother nearby, fearing for her baby’s life. And that emotion was way too familiar.
As Drew rushed forward into the building, Mia hung back for two reasons. First, wicked memories were nearly smothering her … and then there was his sister. Mandy still refused to acknowledge her in Drew’s life. Her hatred would only grow to new proportions if she was forced to see Mia right now at this awful moment.
Most likely realizing that fact himself, Drew paused and glanced behind him. When he saw her hanging back, he nodded in approval and gratitude. Then he turned back and hurried toward his sister.
"Mandy?"
She lifted her face, terror clutching her features and surged to her feet. "Drew!"
The relief in her voice made Mia love him all the more. People depended on him and were happy to see him, even in their darkest hour of distress.
