by Dena Blake
She made it to the house in under thirty minutes, a drive that usually took forty-five to sixty in traffic. She hugged the curb as she sped up to Mrs. P’s house and then threw the Jeep into park—it bounced as she launched out of the driver’s seat and across the lawn to the front door.
She knocked. “Mrs. P, are you in there?” No response. She reached for her keys before she remembered they’d installed a new electronic deadbolt and had given Wynn her own code to gain access. “What the hell is the number?” She sucked in a breath to calm her scattered thoughts. “My birthday.” She keyed in tomorrow’s date, and the door unlocked.
She rushed through the house, finding Mrs. P collapsed next to the bed with her phone in her hand as though she’d been trying to call for help. Wynn immediately called nine-one-one before she dropped to the floor next to her and felt her forehead. She was flushed and hot to the touch.
“Nine-one-one, what’s the emergency?”
“I found my neighbor unconscious. I think she may have heat stroke.”
“What’s the address there?”
Wynn rattled off the address, and the emergency dispatch operator repeated it back to her.
“Why do you think she has heat stroke? Does she have any history of heart attack or stroke?”
“She was complaining of dizziness earlier after she’d been working in the yard. Damn it. I should’ve noticed.”
“Calm down. What time was that?”
“Maybe two hours ago.” She tried to calculate the time in her head, but her brain wasn’t letting her.
“Is she out of the heat now?”
“Yes. She’s inside. I found her on the floor in her bedroom.”
“Is her breathing regular?”
She leaned over Mrs. P’s mouth felt her breath on her cheek. “Seems to be.”
“That’s good. The EMTs are on their way. Is the front door open?”
She thought for a moment. She hadn’t closed it. “Yes. Should be wide open.”
“Here’s what I need you to do until the EMTs get there. Are you listening?”
“Yes.”
“Find a cloth of some kind, wet it with cold water, and apply it to her neck and wrists.”
“Okay.” She ran to the bathroom, found a few washcloths, wet them, ran back to Mrs. P, and did as the operator instructed.
“Any change?”
“No.” Mrs. P didn’t move. The coolness of the compresses didn’t seem to affect her at all.
“Just keep cooling the cloth and reapply it.”
“That’s what I’m doing.” A shiver ran through her. “Oh, my God. She can’t die.” Not again. She heard voices in the hallway, and two people dressed in uniforms appeared, moving her out of the way.
“How long has she been down?”
“I don’t know. I called when I found her. She was complaining of dizziness a couple of hours ago.”
One EMT covered Mrs. P with a cooling blanket, while the other started breaking and shaking ice compresses. After the fourth compress, which was placed between Mrs. P’s legs, she seemed to shiver.
“Okay. Let’s load her up.”
After the EMTs had Mrs. P all settled, she hopped into her Jeep, fired the engine, and waited to follow them. Once the Bluetooth connected to her phone, she hit the button for Mr. P. and took a few calming breaths while she waited for him to answer.
“Mr. P, I need to talk to you. It’s an emergency.”
“Wynn. Hang on. Let me get someplace where I can hear you.” The sounds of bowling balls hitting the alley grew faint in the background. “I’m sorry. I forgot to call you back.”
“I don’t want to alarm you because Mrs. P seems to be all right, but she’s on the way to the hospital.”
“You’re taking her?”
“No. She’s going by ambulance. I found her unconscious and called them. They think it’s heat stroke.”
“I’m on my way.” The line went dead. He hadn’t asked which hospital, but they were taking her to the one closest to the house, and he would figure that out. She hit Carly’s number next. She’d left without saying a word to her about where she was going. A sound came from the floorboard. Shit. She’d gone to the Jeep to get Carly’s clutch. She called Suzanna next because she wasn’t about to call Jordan. The phone rang a few times and then went to voice mail.
“Hey, sis. I had an emergency and had to leave. Mrs. P has heat stroke, and I called an ambulance. I’m following it to the hospital now. Call me when you get this, and please let Carly know, will you?” She hit the hang-up button on her steering wheel.
Once they arrived at the emergency room, Wynn was directed to the waiting room without any information. She’d called Mr. P from the car. He should be there soon.
Mrs. P hadn’t survived last year, and everyone in the neighborhood had felt the loss. Mrs. P was truly loved and was like a second mother to Wynn. Mr. P hadn’t been the same since. She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten about this tragedy each time the day had repeated. She’d been selfishly wrapped up in her own life. She didn’t deserve to be happy, and she’d suffer with living without Carly in her life as long as Mrs. P made it through okay. Living the day over again had exhausted Wynn. She couldn’t keep her eyes open. If the day repeated again, taking care of Mrs. P would be her first priority. She would clear her schedule and spend the day with her to make sure she stayed out of the sun, to make sure she was safe.
Chapter Twenty-seven
A familiar voice shook Wynn from her drowsy state. She opened her eyes and glanced around the emergency room. Everything was sideways. She was lying on the couch with her head on someone’s thigh. Had Suzanna shown up last night? She didn’t remember seeing her.
Someone brushed their fingers through her hair. “It’s okay, baby. We haven’t had any new information yet. Go back to sleep.”
Carly? She twisted to look up at her. “You’re here?”
“Of course I’m here, silly. I wouldn’t let you wait here alone while they work on Mrs. P. Thank God, she’s going to be all right. She really needs to stay out of the sun.”
“How did you know?” Had she told Carly that today? She didn’t think so.
“What? That Mrs. P’s going to be all right? The doctor said so. They’re hydrating her now, and she should be able to go home in the morning.” Carly smiled. “But you wanted to stay and make sure.”
“I did?” She sat up. “I mean. I did.” She looked at Carly’s clothes—a tropical dress with a sweater covering her shoulders—then at her own—Bermuda shorts and Hawaiian shirt. Casual…totally different than what they’d been wearing at the fund-raiser.
“Sorry it took me so long. I had to get the kids settled.”
“You have kids?”
Carly looked at her strangely. “I was talking about Shadow and Lucy.” She touched her belly. “But soon.”
She blinked a few times and closed her eyes. This was a new ending to this day. “We have two dogs and a baby on the way?”
Carly put the back of her hand to Wynn’s forehead. “Are you okay? What did you have to drink tonight?”
“What’s today’s date?”
“August twenty-first. Tomorrow’s your birthday. You really are shook up, aren’t you?”
“I’m fine. I think.” The sparkle of Carly’s wedding ring flashed in her line of sight. She was back in present time, and Carly was her wife, not Jordan’s. “This whole thing has just put me into a spin.” She wasn’t just talking about Mrs. P’s health. “You left the fund-raiser?”
“You mean your birthday barbecue? The one you’ve been planning for weeks?” Carly touched her cheek, then glanced around the waiting room. “Maybe we should have you looked at too.”
“No. I meant our party.” She clasped Carly’s hand. “I’m just glad you’re here with me.” She kissed her to make sure it was all real.
Carly pulled her eyebrows together. “Of course, silly. I sent everyone home. Suzanna said she’d clean up and check on the pu
ps in the morning, if we’re still here.” Carly squeezed her hand. “I don’t want you here alone. I know how special Mrs. P is to you.” She smiled. “I honestly don’t know what I’d do without her either. I need her gardening advice in that huge yard of ours.”
“Jack and Maria are on their way.”
Suddenly the memories she couldn’t seem to find played in her head like a movie hitting each frame in fast-forward, only she knew every scene—every line. The wedding, the honeymoon, the day they’d found out Carly was pregnant. Everything was there in high definition like it had happened only yesterday, and she’d experienced it all. She actually felt the joy and happiness it brought her. She couldn’t control the tears that sprang from her eyes.
Carly wrapped her arms around her. “Aw, honey. Everything’s going to be all right. I talked to the nurse. Mrs. P has heat exhaustion, but she’s going to be fine.” She shook her head. “She just needs to learn to stay out of the sun. That’s all.”
“Tell me about how it all started again.”
“She looked a little flushed when she got to the party and seemed to get worse. When she passed out, you called an ambulance and rode with her to the hospital since Mr. P was bowling.”
“No. Not that.” She stared into Carly’s eyes as she scrunched her eyebrows together. “How we started.”
“You don’t remember?”
“I do, but I think hearing you tell me might calm my nerves.”
Carly smiled as she relaxed into the couch and took her hand. “It was just your average, ordinary day. I remember having a full schedule, but you sent me a text out of the blue and wanted to have breakfast and talk to me about something.” She laughed. “I had no idea what it was about. Then you showed up, came into my office, and kissed me with such intent, I couldn’t resist you.” Carly sighed. “We ended up on the couch, and I wanted to do all the things with you I wouldn’t let myself do with anyone else.”
“But?”
“You wouldn’t let me, and I was ridiculously embarrassed.” Another sigh. “But then you said you wanted our first time to be special. I think you captured my heart right then. You convinced me to let you escort me to Jordan’s fund-raiser.”
“You said yes.” She smiled.
“I did, but you went back to the Jeep to get something.”
“Your clutch.” She remembered it ringing on the floorboard.
Carly nodded. “And you just disappeared. I was heartbroken. I thought I’d done something to scare you away.” She laughed. “I mean I practically threw myself at you before we got out of the car, but I thought the feeling was mutual.”
“It was.” It was like a scene in an out-of-focus movie getting clearer by the moment.
Carly smiled as she ran her fingers through Wynn’s hair. “The party was over, and I’d gone outside, walked far down the pier when Suzanna tracked me down and told me why you’d left.”
“And then?”
“I grabbed the first cab I could find and went to the hospital to be with you.” Carly smiled. “I think that’s when I actually fell in love with you.”
“You came for me? I thought you and Jordan were—”
“Jordan? God, no. It was never Jordan. It’s always been you.” Carly brushed a strand of hair from Wynn’s face, stroked her cheek with her thumb. “I had to come. Suzanna told me how close you are to Mrs. P, and something told me you needed me.” She swallowed hard. “Honestly, I needed you too.” She brought Wynn’s hand to her lips and kissed the back of it. “You made me realize how much I’d been ignoring in my life, how much fuller it could be with you in it.”
They heard rapid footsteps coming down the hall, and Jack and Maria rushed into the waiting room. “How’s she doing?”
“Mrs. P is good.” Carly glanced at Wynn. “I’m more worried about this one right now. She’s pretty shaken up.”
“I’m okay.” She grinned, scooted closer to Carly, and put her arm around her. “Everything’s perfect now. As long as you’re here with me.” And it was. Her life had finally continued. Her heart was filled with so much joy, but she couldn’t explain it to anyone, and wouldn’t. She was surrounded by her wife and friends, and knew Mrs. P would recover. She glanced at the baby-bump just beginning to show in Carly’s belly. Life was only going to get better.
Epilogue
Wynn rubbed her eyes as she woke, enjoying the familiar soft hum that sprang into song when Carly remembered the words to the sweet lullaby. It was the pure sound of happiness, and Wynn couldn’t care less whether Carly knew the words to the song or made up her own. She reached down beside the bed and felt the soft fur of Shadow’s head. Lucy immediately licked her hand. A cocker spaniel, she was the smaller of the two and always needed more attention.
Carly peeked her head around the corner from the bathroom entrance. Wynn’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of her. She was more radiant than she’d ever been.
“Wake up, sleepyhead, or we’re going to be late.”
“What? Where?” She must’ve sounded like an idiot.
“Are you okay? If you aren’t feeling well, I can go by myself. I think Jordan and Jean will be there.” Carly moved into the room.
When their daughter, Destiny, came into view on Carly’s shoulder, tears sprang from Wynn’s eyes. She couldn’t believe how wonderful her life was. The past year or so she’d spent with Carly since the day stopped repeating had been the best days of her life.
“Oh, honey.” Carly rushed to the bed, plucked a couple of tissues from the box on the nightstand, and blotted the tears from Wynn’s face. “It’s okay. You can stay home if you don’t want to go to your parents’ house.” She sat on the edge of the bed and laid Destiny across Wynn’s chest. “But your daughter and I are going to enjoy the last bit of nice weather while the pool’s still open.”
She kissed the top of Destiny’s head, took in the sweet baby scent, and basked in the wonder of it all. “No. I’m fine. I want to go see Suzanna and the kids, and Mom and Dad will be upset if they don’t get to see Des.” Her parents loved their grandchildren, had arranged their lives around enjoying them, watching them grow. She swiped at her cheeks, wiping away the remaining tears. “It’s just that you’re both so beautiful, and I love you so much. I never thought my life would be this perfect.”
Carly’s lips spread into a wide smile. “I love you too, but I’m not coming back to bed. I’ve already fallen for this ploy once this week.”
“I mean it.” She placed her hand on Destiny’s back and patted her gently. “You’re even more beautiful since you had Des.” She’d been radiant throughout her pregnancy, but motherhood looked wonderful on her.
“Keep talking that way, and I just might call and tell them we’re not coming.” Carly took a deep breath and kissed her.
Wynn immersed herself in the kiss, tugging Carly closer, wanting to feel every part of her pressed against her. “Promise me something?”
Carly slid into bed next to her, gazed at her through hazy eyes, and pulled her lips into a soft smile. “Sure.”
“Promise me you’ll kiss me like that every day for the rest of our lives.”
“I will. I promise. Just like this.” Carly covered her lips with light kisses before she took hold and let her tongue glide slowly into Wynn’s mouth. It was the most wonderful kiss in the world.
THE END
About the Author
Dena Blake grew up in a small town just north of San Francisco where she learned to play softball, ride motorcycles, and grow vegetables. She eventually moved with her family to the southwest where she began creating vivid characters in her mind and bringing them to life on paper.
Dena currently lives in the southwest with her partner and is constantly amazed at what she learns from her two children. She is a would-be chef, tech nerd, and occasional auto mechanic who has a weakness for dark chocolate and a good cup of coffee.
Books Available from Bold Strokes Books
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