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I was frightened. This seemed serious. “How are you so sick? I’m completely fine.” Surely, I’d have it by now if it was a bug. We’d eaten pretty much the same things since we started the trip.
She groaned and climbed into my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck, and burying her face into my chest.
When my tee felt wet, I knew she was crying and pushed her away so I could see her face. “Luxy, talk to me. Please.” I was beyond worried about her and kept wondering if I should take her to a hospital, not that I knew where to find one.
At that moment, it occurred to me that I had met her in the hospital. She'd never explained why she was there, and I'd never asked. How weird that the memory came to me now. But I wondered why she’d been there.
She shook her head and then moved to the toilet. Heaved again. Her stomach had to be way passed empty. Her tears flowed faster, and I wondered how she had any liquid left in her body.
“I-I’m so-so sorry,” she wiped at her face with a towel. Her hands shook as though she were either cold or out of weakness.
“Don’t be sorry. Just tell me what to do. I’m worried about you.” Anxiety swirled in my gut, and I was nauseous, but not because I was sick. It was because I knew there was something really wrong with Lux.
“I-I thi-i-nk I nee-ed to go to ho-spi-tal.”
She’d given me a purpose. A direction. I let out a sob of relief. That I could do. “Anything you need,” I said, helping her stand.
She clutched my shirt, twisting it as she cried. “Rush, I’m sick. I think I’m really sick. I should’ve told you.”
“Hey.” I lifted her into my arms. "It's okay." The worry that had run along my skin now sunk deep into my bones. What the fuck had I done to her? I kicked into action, calling an Uber, and grabbing our stuff. I didn’t know what was wrong, but I sensed it was bad. She dozed in and out, skin almost gray as I waited impatiently for the car to arrive. Once it came, I helped Lux inside and told the driver to take us to the nearest hospital.
He agreed, and I settled us in the back and waited. Hell, I didn’t even know what it was called. I just knew in my guts we needed to be there.
When we arrived, I helped her out of the car, lifting her into my arms. She felt frail and lifeless.
"Don't leave me," she moaned, her eyes fluttering though they didn't open.
"I'm right here," I soothed.
"Please, Rush. Stay with me. I love you."
"Luxy, I'm here.” I got us inside the emergency room waiting area. “Help,” I called. “She needs help.”
A couple of nurses wheeled over a gurney, and I helped them lay her down on it.
"You're going to hate me," she moaned, rolling her head to one side. Tears leaked from her eyes, streaming across her face.
I couldn't understand why she was so upset. "I could never hate you. I love you. Remember that."
"We need to take her back," one of the nurses said.
"You'll need to fill out some paperwork," a portly woman added, interrupting my thoughts.
I nodded, though I couldn't pull my gaze from Lux. She'd asked me not to leave her, but I was the one watching her go.
"I need to ask you some questions so we can take care of her," another medical staff said, coming to stand directly in front of me.
"Right." I gave him the details.
"Appreciate the information,” he said. “We're taking her to the ICU."
“What's wrong with her?” I was a fucking warrior but seeing Lux like that and hearing they were taking her to the intensive care unit caused tears to prick my vision.
“Are you family?” He checked my ring finger, and my hands curled into fists. I’d been asked the same thing twice in a relatively short amount of time.
“No, she’s my… friend,” I said. We hadn’t discussed what we truly were to each other beyond using the L word.
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you more than that. Are you able to contact her family?” His eyes flicked to my exposed tattoos like she didn’t trust me.
