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The nurse smiles at me and pats my uninjured arm. "You are a brave man. What you did today was an incredible act of heroism. You saved that little girl's life."
The warmth of her words spread through my chest, but I look away, feeling embarrassed by the praise. My cheeks flush with heat as I shift in the bed. My arm swathed in bandages, the skin beneath charred and raw. I made the split-second decision to risk my own life to save a child, and now here I lay, in unbearable pain.
"Without you, she would not have made it out alive."
I look into the nurse's eyes and there is true admiration. Despite the pain coursing through my body, the little girl I rescued is in my mind. And even knowing what I know now, I would do it again, in a heartbeat. It was worth it!
The nurse's hand lingers on my arm, her long fingers barely grazing my skin. As she steps away, the corners of her mouth turn up ever so slightly. Then, with a nod, she takes one last look at me before slipping out the door, leaving me with the comforting hum of the machines and a small dose of pain medication.
I replay the day's events in my head: the adrenaline rush when I bravely went inside against my chief's better judgment to save the child that was screaming - the sickening sound of metal hitting metal, the deafening silence after. It was all worth it - I had done something remarkable, something that made me feel proud.
A low voice rumbles through the air, freezing me in place. I look up to see Raven standing in the doorway; her brows are pulled down in a deep frown and her full lips pressed into a tight line of annoyance. She is dressed in a pair of form-fitting jeans and a black top that flows gracefully around her slim figure. With a huff of frustration, she strides into the room.
Pain radiates through my body and I wince as I shift and try to find a comfortable position. Her eyes are red-rimmed like she has been crying. How did she find out about the accident? I don't want her worrying about me.
"What are you doing here?" I ask, momentary relief from the pain.
"I was worried when I found out what happened," she says as she approaches my bedside with a look of concern etched on her face.
I smile hesitantly at Raven's words and reach out towards her with my uninjured arm. "It looks like I'm lucky you came to check up on me today."
Her jaw is clenched and her nostrils flaring with rage. She takes another step forward and a wave of anger seems to roll from her body. It isn't admiration in Raven's expression - frustration is palpable; almost as if something inside of her has been building up for hours until reaching its limit.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"You shouldn't have done it. You risked your life to save someone else – why? Did you need to go in and get yourself hurt tonight?"
She looks at my injured arm before continuing on; her voice rising as she speaks, "I don't understand why this was something that had to be done tonight - did no one else step up? Will what happened today make a difference tomorrow or next week?" Raven stares at my face searching for answers.
"Is everything okay?"
Raven lets out a long sigh of frustration before meeting my gaze again with intense eyes that search through every part of my being looking for answers that aren't there. "I don't want you getting hurt like this. It scares me how close you were today to having something happen... something more serious than burns." A single tear sneaks its way down Raven's cheek but she wipes it away. "So please promise me you won’t do anything crazy like this ever again."
Overwhelmed by Raven's sudden outpour of emotion, I want to comfort her. I reach up resting a finger beneath Raven’s chin so our gaze meets once more. “Of course. I promise.”
Without another word, Raven spins on her heel and storms out of the hospital room, leaving behind nothing but lingering fragrances rising from her perfume trail. Is there more beneath what little had risen up through the surface?
At first, it feels like someone is tightening an invisible vice around my skill, squeezing and squeezing until my vision starts to blur and my head pounds. I press my temples, trying to make the pain go away, but it only increases. My head goes into my hands, gritting my teeth against the relentless pressure, until the darkness closes in, and then I'm gone.
15
Raven
After giving Adonis some space to heal and rest, I worry if he's okay. I want to ask my brother for an update, but I didn't want him to think I’m being pushy. Unfortunately, our schedules are almost exact opposites, so I have to wait a little later than usual to leave for work today.
He is just about to walk out of the door, thermos of coffee in hand, when I stop him. "Wait, what's going on with Adonis? I haven't heard from him."
His gaze turns to me and I feel a wave of dread.
"Jesus, why am I always the one giving you bad news, huh? You really like him, don't you?"
I glance down at the ground.
He looks at me with sadness in his eyes. "He had some complications from the accident. He's been unconscious for two days."
My heart sinks into my stomach as my worst fear is confirmed and I drop to the floor. What is he talking about?
I rush past him to my car. I hesitate for a moment, my key hovering in the air before I put it in the ignition. On one hand, I am desperate to get to the hospital and see if I can help. On the other, I feel guilty for not being there in his time of need. Why didn't I check on him? Next time, I'm listening to my heart, whether he thinks I'm crazy or not. My tires squeal as I take off out of the parking lot straight for the hospital.
