by Natalie Ann
“I’ll go do that now. I’d only be telling him the truth anyway. That would be easy enough.” Mac stopped and turned to the other doctor. “Can I send in some family to see him?”
“Yeah, no more than two for the moment.”
“I’ll send your parents in,” Mac said.
“Olivia. Send in Olivia with my mother. My father will understand.”
Mac had a knowing grin on his face, and Finn didn’t care. “Will do.”
Brave
Finn looked up as his mother and Olivia walked behind the curtain. His mother looked steady as a rock, like always. Olivia, not so much.
“You look like hell.” It wasn’t hard to miss her red, swollen eyes.
“Pot calling the kettle there. And thanks for ruining my first babysitting gig,” she said lightheartedly. She walked forward, her eyes filling with tears again. He could only imagine how bad he actually did look. “Are you in pain?”
“More than I care to say. The meds are kicking in a little, though. Not much more they can do.”
“Mac told us about your injuries and that they’re keeping you overnight.”
“Guess Mac didn’t get the memo that I’m going home.”
He knew he sounded surly but didn’t care. He wasn’t staying here any longer than necessary. He wanted a shower and his own bed. In that order, too.
“Is that wise?” his mother asked.
“I’d rather be home. There’s nothing they can do for me here that I can’t do for myself at home.” He looked over at Olivia and noticed she was crying again. He didn’t know if she was scared for him, or if it was just the emotional upheaval for the day. “Are you okay?”
“Me?” she squeaked out. “You’re asking me if I’m okay. Look at you.”
“It’s a little hard to do right now, but I’ll take your word for it,” he said dryly. “Maybe I’d feel better if I got a kiss. Otherwise I’ll think those tears aren’t for me.”
She couldn’t rush forward fast enough. She went to lean down and kiss him, but stopped. “I’m afraid to hurt you.”
His mother laughed. “I don’t think there is anything wrong with his lips, dear.”
Olivia closed her eyes, the tears falling from her cheeks onto his as she laid her lips to his and whispered, “I was so scared.”
He moved his hand and touched hers. “I know. I’ll be fine. It comes with the job.” He knew his voice sounded hoarse and didn’t even know how much of the whispered words she heard.
She nodded her head sadly, and he wasn’t sure what to make of it. Was she thinking it was more than she could handle? That thought never crossed his mind with her, but now it did. Maybe it was too much for her. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d heard that.
“I’ll get used to it, I’m sure.”
“The first time is always the worst,” his mother said, then moved forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek and he was thankful for her interference. “Olivia, my heart still races when I know Finn is at a fire. It probably will until he retires, but he knows what he’s doing.”
“How many years before you can retire? I might need blood pressure meds,” she said, smiling slightly and making him smile for the first time, too.
“Have room for another visitor?” Finn turned to see Mac carrying Trey in his arms. The tears were visibly running down his cheeks. “I told him you were fine and talking, but he wanted to see for himself. If you can’t believe your doctor, who can you believe?” Mac said, lightly poking Trey in the belly and making him squirm and let out a giggle.
“Hey, scout. I’m fine. Come over here.”
His mother moved out of the way while Mac carried Trey over and held him close to Finn, but kept him from leaning on him. “Give your dad a kiss. You’ll both feel better.”
Feeling Trey’s little lips on his cheek caused his own eyes to tear up. In the back of his mind, he knew his job put him at risk. He knew a day like this might come, but he’d hoped Trey would have been older and it wouldn’t be so hard on him.
“Dr. Mac said you’re a hero. That you saved a little girl.”
Finn tried not to cringe. He was no one’s hero. “I was just doing my job.”
“Because firemen are brave.”
“They are. Don’t you forget that.”
***
Olivia looked on feeling completely overwhelmed. Every emotion possible was filtering through her brain. Fear, concern, relief, amazement…and even love.
If she’d thought for one minute she wasn’t falling in love with Finn, she’d be lying to herself.
She hated that it took an event like this for her to realize it, but that was exactly what happened. Just maybe, Finn was realizing it too. He did ask for her first after all, what else could it be?
Whether he was or not, it wasn’t the time to talk about it, or think about it. There were more important things to deal with.
First off, what Finn was going to do tonight. She understood him not wanting to stay in the hospital, but she didn’t think he should go home alone. And he sure as heck couldn’t care for Trey tonight.
“Finn,” the ER doctor who’d come out to speak with them walked in. “I hear you want to be released.”
“I’d rather go home tonight. There is no reason to keep me here and you know it.”
She watched Finn narrow his eyes, shooting the annoyed look he had so often around the crew at work when they were goofing off.
The doctor looked at Finn’s set face, then at Mac, who was still holding Trey, caught Mac’s nod and finally said, “I’ll agree to release you only if there is someone in the house with you tonight. I won’t release you if you’re going home alone.”
“He won’t be alone. I think Olivia wouldn’t mind staying with him, right, dear?” Ellen asked, putting her on the spot.
“No problem,” she rushed out to say. “I can take care of him.” She hoped. There were times she could barely take care of herself when she had a cold. How was she going to take care of an injured man? She’d figure it out, though.
“You don’t have to,” Finn said, sensing her mood.
“I want to.” She clasped his hand a little. “I need to finish my babysitting duty. Might as well finish it with you.”
Finn laughed, then coughed and finished with a wince and a gasp, and she regretted making that joke. See, she caused him pain. This wasn’t a good idea.
“Olivia will be just fine.”
“I want to go home with Daddy.”
Ellen looked at Trey, then back to Finn. “Why don’t you come home with me tonight, Trey? Daddy needs to sleep.”
Olivia looked on as Trey started to cry in Mac’s arms. “I want to be with Daddy.” Suddenly Trey seemed to remember where he was supposed to spend the night. “Will Evan be mad if I go home?” he asked, sniveling.
“Not at all,” Mac said running his hand over Trey’s head. “He’d do the same thing. You know fireman’s sons are brave too. Could you help Olivia take care of your father tonight?”
“I can. I will. I’ll help. I promise. Please, can I go home, Daddy?”
“Finn,” Olivia said, her heart breaking. As much as she appreciated Ellen’s offer, there was no way she would let Trey stay at his grandmother’s house. Trey needed to be with his father almost as much as Olivia needed to be with him. “I think I need Trey’s help tonight. He can show me where everything is in the house. We’ll take care of your dad together, right?”
“Please, Daddy.”
“I wouldn’t want you anywhere other than home tonight, scout. Mom, I appreciate the offer, but I think it’s best for everyone if Trey was home.”
Ellen nodded and Olivia was pleased. She wasn’t lying when she said she needed Trey’s help. And not just with showing her where everything was in the house, but with giving her something else to focus on other than Finn’s injuries.
“How long do you think it will be before Finn is released?”
“At least another hour or so. There’s paperwork
to be filled out still. I’ll be back in then before he can go. Could be a little longer.”
“Do you mind if I run home and get some clothes? I’ll run to the store and get some food. Maybe Trey wouldn’t mind going with me. What do you think, Trey? Want to help pick out some of Daddy’s favorite foods so we can cook for him tomorrow?”
“I don’t know how to cook.”
“I do. I’ll show you. We can take care of Daddy together.”
“Can I, Daddy?”
“I think that would be a good idea.”
“Come on, Trey. Give your father one more kiss, and then you and I will get everything ready and come back to get him and take him home.”
Mac leaned Trey down one more time to kiss Finn, then set him on the ground. Trey ran over to his grandmother, ran his arm under his nose, then hugged her. “We’ll take care of Daddy, don’t worry, Grandma.”
“I’m not worried in the least,” Ellen said, winking at her, making her wonder what that was about.
“I’ll go out and let your father know he can come in now. Chris said some of the firemen want to come in and see you, too.”
“Send them all in. Take your time. Nothing ever happens fast in a hospital.”
She walked past the curtain with Trey holding her hand, then made her way out to the waiting room. Trey let go of her hand, ran into the room, and announced loudly for everyone to hear. “Olivia and I are going to take care of Daddy tonight. We’re going to go buy him all his favorite foods and she’s going to teach me to cook for him. Isn’t that great?”
Olivia looked over at Lance, Finn’s father, then at the rest of the firemen all eying her with huge grins on their faces while she tried to push her embarrassment aside.
“I think Finn is finally in good hands,” Lance said, causing half the firemen to laugh.
Forget about hiding anything. Not in this room, and it seemed not to Finn’s family. She caught that meaning, and she could only hope it was said with acceptance of her.
She was pretty positive she just got everyone’s approval. Now she just needed to figure out how to get through the night.
Playful
“Your girlfriend brought in a change of clothes for you.”
Finn gingerly eased himself to a sitting position on the side of the bed and fought back the wave of nausea building in the back of his throat. Everyone had walked out of the room with the exception of the nurse, who was helping him get dressed. Hospital gowns were put on the face of this earth to embarrass every single person.
He could at least be thankful they didn’t strip him completely naked. He still had his boxers on. Everything else had been cut off of him, not knowing the extent of his injuries.
He reached in the bag and noticed Olivia had grabbed a pair of athletic shorts. Simple and easy to pull on.
“Let me help you,” the nurse said, coming forward and grabbing them out of his hand.
“I can get my own shorts on,” he half snarled. He wasn’t a child. He went to grab them back when his father pulled the curtain back.
“Don’t get grouchy with someone that’s trying to do their job.” His father walked over to the nurse. “Here, I’ll help him and save the skin on your back.”
The nurse laughed. “He isn’t the first man I’ve seen in his boxers, and he won’t be the last. Though I have to say, some look much better in them than others.”
Finn didn’t think it was possible to get any more embarrassed, but he was wrong. “Thanks, Dad.”
“You gave us all a scare today.”
I gave myself one too. “It comes with the territory. Everyone knows the risks.”
“We tend to forget about it at times. You’ve been a fireman for fifteen years, Finn, and you’ve hardly gotten a scratch in all that time.”
“You don’t need to tell me that,” Finn said, snapping and then regretting it. His head was throbbing and he just wanted to finish getting dressed and get the hell out of here.
As always, his father ignored it. “Here, lift your arms and I’ll pull your shirt over your head.”
“I feel like I’m a toddler right now.”
“I’m sure you’ll be able to do more in a day or so. Just zip your lips and let me help you finish getting dressed.”
Finn grunted but let his father help him. “I can just slide my feet into my sneakers. I don’t need socks.”
“Olivia seems very nice.”
“She is.”
“Trey is attached to her hip. He left you to go with her a bit. I never expected that.”
Neither did he. “She’s an easy person to like.”
“What about you?”
“What about me, what?” He was in pain right now; he didn’t need an interrogation on his relationship with Olivia.
“How much do you like her?”
“Enough to let her into Trey’s life.” That should have been answer enough for his father.
“True. Go easy on her tonight.”
“What am I going to do? I can’t even put my own shirt on.”
His father laughed. “Words are enough.”
He looked up at his father sharply and fought back the coughing fit that was working its way up his chest. He wasn’t sure what was worse, fighting back the cough, or giving in with his ribs aching.
“What’s this all about?”
“Ever since you were a little boy you’ve been temperamental when you were sick or hurt.”
“Temperament, huh? Mom’s words were always ‘full of piss and vinegar.’ Go ahead, say it, I’m an ass.”
“Fine. Don’t be an ass to Olivia while she’s caring for you. You weren’t sitting in the waiting room with her while we were waiting on news. I was. She looked worse than your mother, and yet anyone could see she held it in. And she tried her hardest to help Trey too.”
“She’s tougher than anyone gives her credit for.”
“Exactly. Women like her are hard to come by.”
“I know.”
“Do you? I just want to make sure you aren’t comparing her to Becca.”
“There’s nothing to compare.”
He’d known that for months. Which was why he was pretty positive he was in love with Olivia, and never had even an ounce of this overwhelming feeling for Trey’s mother.
***
Olivia took a deep breath when Lance Abraham pushed Finn out in the wheelchair and she saw the scowl on his face. “I can walk on my own.”
“Stop your bitching. Olivia is watching you. If you piss her off, she’ll smother you in your sleep with a pillow and no one will blame her.”
She couldn’t believe Lance just said that to Finn. “You mean that one lone pillow on his bed? I might be able to wrestle it from under his head if he pushes my buttons too much.”
“There’s an extra pillow in the hall linen closet. No need to push him out of the way to get one,” Lance said, winking at her.
“Don’t encourage her, Dad. I’m pretty sure Olivia has her own weapons that would be just as effective without suggestions from you.”
She didn’t know what weapons those would be. Finn wasn’t like any other man she’d ever dated before. Helplessly pouting and needy women weren’t weapons in his eyes—all the weapons she’d tried in the past, if they could be considered weapons. Since it normally resulted in her getting her way, she would guess they could be considered as such. And she’d bet tears would probably only make him even madder, so she fought them back some more.
“I don’t think I’ll need any weapons. You’re in pain, I can see it in your eyes, so you’re entitled to be crabby. You get a pass for a few days.”
“See, Dad. I told you to relax. She won’t smother me in my sleep.”
“No, but I might slip a laxative in your food.” She watched Finn’s eyes widen, then he laughed and clutched his ribs. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have made you laugh. Let’s stop talking and get you home.”
“Olivia. You’re exactly what he needs. Now, where are you park
ed?”
“I’m right out front of the entrance.” She watched Lance eye her sports car and then she grimaced. “Ah, I think he might have a hard time getting up from the passenger seat once we get him home.”
“You’re probably right. We’ll follow you there and help you get him in the house at the very least. You might need help getting him up the stairs, too.”
“You guys can stop talking about me like I’m not here. I broke a few ribs and have a concussion. There’s nothing wrong with my legs.”
“I’d appreciate the help, Lance,” she said, ignoring the bitching coming from Finn.
It was going to be a long night, she could tell already. But it was time to step up and do this, not walk away from a problem if it was too much for her to handle.
Five minutes later, Olivia glanced over at Finn as she drove down the road and caught his wince of pain. “I’m sorry. I’ll drive slower.”
“It’s not that. Any movement is going to hurt. Just get me home.”
“Okay. Thankfully it’s not much further.”
Five more minutes of silence and Olivia’s nerves were standing on end. She wanted to talk, but didn’t know what to say. The other part of her just wanted to get out of the car and to stop causing Finn so much pain.
“Thank you.”
“For what?” she asked.
“For everything. For watching out for Trey and keeping him calm, for coming home with me tonight. I guess for just being here.”
“There is no other place I’d rather be right now.” Even though I’m scared to death.
“I know it’s a lot to ask of someone in a new relationship. To care for them and their kid.”
“This isn’t a new relationship. At least not that new. I’m not a wimp, you know.”
Back to people thinking she couldn’t take care of herself. She might have thought that of herself over the years, but she thought she’d done a good job of portraying a more confident person the last six months.
“I’ve never thought you were a wimp or that you couldn’t handle something. I guess I’m just saying that I know how hard this is. It’s a lot to ask of someone, and I appreciate it more than I can say that you never hesitated to step up.”