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“Call nine-one-one.” She tosses Adele her phone. “Fucking now!” Winter shrugs out of her coat and tucks it under my head. She unbuckles her belt and whips it through the loops. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” she mutters. “Babe, this probably isn’t going to feel very good, and I’m really sorry, but I have to do it. I love you. I’m sorry.”
I don’t understand the apologies until she slides the belt under my thigh. The pain is brain-meltingly awful, and it becomes infinitely worse when she pulls the belt tight.
I’m pretty sure I lose consciousness for a few seconds because when my vision returns, with more black-and-white splotches, Winter’s face is close again.
“What can I do? What should I do?” Adele’s voice is high and reedy.
“Wait by the door so they know where to find us, and see if you can flag anyone else down.”
“Snowflake?”
She strokes my cheek. “Hey. Hi. It’s okay. You’re okay. I’m sorry, Randall. I know that sucked, but I’m just trying to keep you here with me. Stay with me, okay? The ambulance is coming.”
Her face gets lost in the white dots.
“Hey, hey.” She presses her lips to mine. “I’m right here. Focus on me.”
“I don’t feel great.”
“I know. We’re going to do something about that. Just a couple more minutes and the paramedics will be here.”
I try to lift my head, but she’s right there, face inches from mine. “Just focus on me.”
My body feels mostly numb, but every time I try to move my legs, a wave of pain hits me that makes it hard to breathe. I do what Winter says, focusing on her instead of the pain. “You’re so fuckin’ beautiful.” I sound drunk.
“So are you.” She brushes hair off my forehead. “I tried not to fall in love with you, but you made that impossible. You know that, right?”
“I’m charming.”
She smiles. “So charming.” Her fingers drift along my temple. “You’re going to be okay.”
“I hit my head.”
“I know. Don’t worry. It won’t affect how charming you are.”
“My leg feels like it’s on fire.”
“We’ll get you fixed up. Not long now and the ambulance will be here.” Her eyes glisten with tears.
“Is it bad?” My voice is hardly a croak.
“I’ve seen worse.” She kisses me again, her chin trembling. “Eyes open. Focus on me.”
I keep blinking, but it’s hard to keep them open.
“I know you’re tired. Tomorrow we’ll lie in bed all day and watch movies. We can even watch that one about the hockey player and the figure skater.”
“That’s us. In reverse.”
“It is. It’s exactly us.”
“You hate rom-coms.” I sound far away.
“I don’t hate them. They just make me feel too much.”
“They’re here. They’re over here. Please, hurry, please,” Adele shouts.
“I love you.” Winter kisses me one last time, but before I can say the words back, I’m surrounded by EMTs.
