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‘I’ve got a spare.’ She managed to pull it out of her shoulder bag and dropped it into Morgan’s outstretched hand. Edward was panting, his lips going blue and she wondered if it might be too late. The chill of the water would have triggered the attack, his first for months.
Ambulance sirens screamed in the background and for some reason it brought back the last time she and Morgan faced a life and death situation. Brittany died and Dan had never been the same.
If Edward died …
‘It’s not going to happen.’ Morgan’s voice was rough with fear but he sucked in a calming breath, keeping his gaze fixed on his son’s face. ‘Breathe, Edward. Steady.’
He helped Edward with the puffer and there was a momentary relief in her son’s eyes. They widened as he struggled to suck in another shallow breath and then another; the wheeze and tightness still there.
‘Take off your coat, Becca.’ Morgan dragged off Edward’s jacket, dumping the saturated clothing onto the ground.
She yanked her buttons open in haste and wrapped the warm woollen coat around her son, careful not to restrict his breathing.
Morgan still spoke calmly, rubbing Edward’s back under his clothes and encouraging him to breathe. For all her confidence in him as a doctor, the arrival of the paramedics with their equipment eased her fear. In moments Edward was on oxygen and a nebuliser was being prepped.
Morgan handed her the car keys. ‘I’ll go with him in the ambulance and we’ll meet you there.’
She started to protest but he closed his hands over hers with the keys. ‘I promise I’ll look after him until you arrive.’
She’d thought she’d have to search for Gabby and Morgan’s parents, but the sound of the ambulance had attracted a crowd. Gabby darted out from under Grace’s hand and flung herself at her mother. ‘Is he okay?’
‘He’ll be fine. We need to get to the hospital.’
Grace nodded, her face almost as pale as Morgan’s. ‘We’ll come too and bring Gabby. You go on ahead in Morgan’s car.’
Gabby looked like she might argue but Ned took her hand. ‘Your Mum needs to get there fast and you won’t be able to see Edward straight up.’
With a silent thank you to Ned, Becca ran to the car and managed to steer the brute of the thing to the hospital, pulling into the doctor’s designated carpark.
Inside, one of the nurses recognised her and pointed the way.
She arrived to find Edward sitting on a bed in the emergency bay, breathing steadily. Morgan was checking his obs, still in his wet clothes minus his jacket. The blue was fading from around Edward’s mouth and nose and she steadied herself as a wave of dizziness brought spots before her eyes.
‘Breathe, Becca.’ One of the nurses patted her on the shoulder. ‘You’ve been rushing and probably hyperventilated.’
Sitting on the hard vinyl chair in the corner of the bay, Becca did as she was told. She’d be no use to anyone if she collapsed.
Morgan came over a few minutes later. ‘I’m going to admit him overnight, just for observation. The water was icy and his body temp is a bit low. He’s already on the mend.’
He was reassuring in doctor mode, the soothing words washing over her. He’d been incredibly calm, even though it was his son.
‘I’m glad you were there. I don’t think I could have got him out of the water.’
He smiled crookedly. ‘You might be surprised. Mother love is a powerful adrenaline boost.’
She reached out and pressed a palm against his wet shirt. ‘You need to get changed or you’ll get a chill.’
‘Yes, mother bear.’
His eyes were soft for the first time in a week and she needed that reassurance. ‘What happens now?’
‘We’ll get him into a ward. You head back to the waiting room. I’m sure Gabby and my parents will be desperate to know how he is. Once he’s settled, you can come up and tuck him in for the night.’
Chapter 15
Gabby was pacing the empty waiting room when Becca entered, changing direction as soon as she spotted her.
‘How is he? Will he be all right? Did they have to put him on a nebuliser?’
