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Fir pulled back his hands. “Yes, it looks like appendicitis. We need to get you to the hospital immediately for surgery. You’ve been in pain for two days, so the longer we wait, the more dangerous it becomes.”
My heart raced, fear tightening its grip on me. Appendicitis could have severe complications when caught too late. Would we still be in time to prevent those? My mind was a whirlwind of questions and concerns, but I tried to focus on Fir’s reassuring presence.
“Okay,” Tiago said with a hint of panic. “What do we do now?”
Fir’s eyes met mine, serious yet compassionate. “We can’t wait for an ambulance to show up. That will take too long. I’ll drive you myself. We need to leave right away.” He turned toward Tiago. “Can you grab him some clothes? I assume you’ll want to ride with me.”
“I’ll grab his clothes and follow you in my truck,” Cas said. “Do you need help to get down the stairs?”
No time for pride now. “Please.”
Cas was the only one strong enough to carry me, and he did, holding me as gently as possible as he walked down the stairs, then outside, where he helped me get into the back seat of Fir’s car. By the time I’d made it there, pain shot through my belly like a thousand needles.
I only wore my underwear, but that would have to be enough. Modesty wasn’t on my list of priorities right now.
Tiago sat down next to me and, after wrapping a blanket around me, helped me buckle up while Fir started the car. He pulled out of the driveway with a quick maneuver. He must’ve done that a thousand times when he’d lived here. “I’m gonna call the hospital, let them know we’re coming in,” he said.
They picked up quickly. “Skykomish Hospital ER, this is Sheila.”
“Hi, Sheila, this is Fir Everett. I’m on my way with a forty-nine-year-old male with suspected acute appendicitis. Expected arrival time is around ten.”
“Understood. What are his symptoms?”
“Sharp, throbbing pain, intensifying over the last forty-eight hours, and an acute abdomen with tenderness over McBurney’s point. Slight nausea and a fever of a hundred and one. Patient looks pale and feels clammy.”
“Thank you, Dr. Everett. I’ll alert the ER and the surgeon on call.”
“Thank you.”
The call ended. Fir concentrated on the road, his jaw set with determination. Thank god for his dedication.
“Sorry about ruining your Sunday,” I said weakly.
He glanced in the rearview mirror. “Don’t waste your energy, Tomás. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now.”
As the pain in my abdomen intensified with every passing minute, I tried to focus on the rhythm of Tiago’s breaths as he held my hand. The car was silent, save for the sound of my ragged breathing and the hum of the engine. Another wave of pain rolled through me, and I gripped the edge of the seat, digging my fingertips into the leather. I tried to hide my agony for Tiago, but it didn’t work; he saw right through me.
“Hang in there,” he whispered.
Fir pressed firmly on the gas pedal, and he was definitely not sticking to the speed limit, judging by how fast the landscape zoomed by. Every now and then, he’d check on me through the rearview mirror, another sign of the severity of my situation.
“Almost there,” he said reassuringly.
As the pain intensified, my vision blurred, but I forced myself to focus on Tiago’s hand as it held mine. It grounded me, keeping me tethered to reality despite the unbearable pain threatening to overwhelm me.
The hospital loomed before us like a fortress, and a sense of dread rolled over me. As we pulled into the ambulance bay, the pain surged to new heights, making it difficult to breathe. Each shallow gasp felt like a Herculean effort, and beads of sweat dotted my forehead.
The car door opened. “Let’s get him on the gurney,” a strange voice said.
I stopped trying to be present for what was going on, the pain too intense now.
“Stay with me, Tomás.” Fir’s hand gripped my shoulder as I was wheeled into the hospital.
As we entered the ER, the harsh glare of fluorescent lights and the chaotic sounds of medical machines greeted me. As they transferred me onto a bed, I kept my eyes closed, swallowing back the wave of nausea.
“Hey, Fir,” a female voice said, and I opened my eyes again. “Sheila said a suspected appendicitis?”
Fir gave a rundown of my symptoms.
