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He didn’t know if it was his or Zoe’s.
Pushing himself further inside the car, he touched his mouth to her palm. He willed her to know it was him, that he was with her.
“Zoe. It’s me. I’m right here.” She turned her hand and stroked his cheek with two fingers. Her body shook violently and he couldn’t stop the tears that flowed freely down his face. “My sweet Zoe.”
The medics worked as quickly as they could to stabilize her neck and rip sections of the car away to get her out.
“Nate…” she whispered. Her voice was distorted, as if she was trying to talk through liquid. “Blacksilence, Nate. It’s better if I die.”
He sobbed brokenly and Mandy dissolved into hysterics next to the car. “Come here, Mandy. Come here.”
His daughter walked closer and he used one arm to power-lift her up on the hood beside him. “We have to remind her we’re here, honey.”
Shoving herself as close to Zoe as she could, she placed her hand between the adults’ and squeezed lightly. “It’s going to be okay. We won’t leave you, Zoe.”
Mandy signed slowly in her palm. “We love you.”
“I love you, t-too.” Gasping, Zoe cried, “I-I can’t see, can’t hear.”
Nate wrapped his bigger hand around both of theirs. “Stay with us, Zoe. Don’t quit. Stay with us.”
Crying painfully hard, Mandy signed against Zoe’s palm, whispering, “I love you. Please don’t give up.”
His woman’s face was covered in glass, blood, and tears. “I love you, love you…” Zoe’s eyes rolled back and she started to seize.
“Zoe!” Mandy screamed. “Dad! We have to help her! Dad!”
The medics spoke rapidly to one another and made the choice to take her from the car. They secured her to a backboard and moved quickly toward the waiting ambulance.
Nate lifted Mandy off the car by her mid-section the way he used to when she was little. He ran to his idling SUV and threw her on the driver’s seat. She quickly scrambled over the console and buckled up.
“Send Mom a text, Mandy. I can’t type.” Nodding, she typed a text message. He kept his eyes on the ambulance that held Zoe. He recited the details and Mandy relayed them to his mom. “I need you to come tonight. I’ll send Bill to get you. We need you.” She promised to come without hesitation. “They’re getting ready to transport Zoe.”
The original paramedic who tried to treat him approached his door. “Sir! I need to look at your arm. You’re bleeding pretty bad.”
“I’m on my way to the hospital. I’ll talk to the cops and get treated there once I know my woman is alright. I need you to stay out of my way.” He got behind the wheel.
“Dad, oh god. Oh god.”
“I know, honey.” He released a shuddering sob. “I-I need you to call Bill. Can you, Mandy?” She nodded. “It’s going to be okay, Mandy. It fucking has to be.” She was shaking badly, crying hard, and he wanted to scream. “Zoe’s going to make it. I’m right here, honey.”
She scrubbed at her face as she dialed Bill’s number. She put him on speaker as the sirens blared to life on the ambulance and Nate put the SUV in gear to follow. “Uncle B-Bill. There’s been an accident. Dad and I are okay but Zoe…” She broke down and one of Nate’s oldest friends comforted her as he moved through his house. “Will you get Grandma and No-No? We need them.”
“I’m leaving now. I’ll call Rick.” There was the sound of his front door slamming a moment before he slammed his vehicle door. “I’ll have them back in less than two hours.”
“Thank you. Thank you.” Then Mandy was too distraught to speak anymore.
Nate said, “Bill, be careful.”
“I’ll see you in two hours. You worry about Zoe. I’ll get your mom and sister to you safely.”
The ambulance pulled out and Nate stayed a few feet behind them the entire way to the state of the art hospital a few minutes outside of town that served the entire county.
He’d never been so terrified in his life.
* * *
It was complete chaos in the emergency room as Zoe was wheeled inside. He parked as close to the entrance as he could and practically held Mandy’s entire body weight as they entered to talk to the receptionist.
