My eyes darted back to Jay who was staring at Roc. “Wake up, Roc. you gotta wake up, man,” he cried.
Dr. Clark came charging out to the ambulance and took over. “I’ll take the fifty-year-old male. You handle the other patient. The next ambo is ten minutes out. One was pronounced on scene so we’re down to three more coming in.” Dr. Clark helped wheel Roc into the ER, leaving Mave and me with Jay.
The paramedics unloaded Jay, and his eyes connected with mine. “I’m okay, Del. I’m okay,” he repeated.
I nodded and tried to pull it together. Thankfully, Mave was there to take the lead, and I followed. I held Jay’s hand, and he squeezed it tightly. “I’m okay, Del.”
Tears stung my eyes, and I nodded.
The paramedics helped to get Jay moved to the bed, and they were gone with the stretcher. Two nurses came into start getting Jay’s vitals while Mave and I started cleaning up his face.
“I don’t know what happened, Del. One minute, we were driving down the road to the shop, and then the next, the truck flipped in the air with the car hauler slamming down on top of us.”
“Don’t worry about that right now, Jay. I just want you stay calm and try not to move while I look at your nose.”
Mave examined his nose, found it was broke, then worked on setting it.
“How’s Roc?” he asked.
Mave and I didn’t know anything about the other patients. Right now, Jay and Roc were they only ones who had arrived.
“We don’t know anything right now, Jay, but as soon as we do we’ll let you know.” Mave snapped off her gloves and motioned for me to follow her.
“I’m sorry, Mave. I’m not being very helpful.” I knew I needed to get my head together, but I couldn’t focus knowing we were working on Jay.
“You’re fine, Delaney. I want you to stay with Jay for the time being. His nose is broken, and he has a concussion. Until I know how the rest of his friends are, I don’t want you coming out to help.” She put her hands on my shoulders and gave me a small smile. “Go take care of Jay, and I promise to take good care of his friends.”
She headed off in the direction they had taken Roc, and I slipped back behind the curtain where Jay was.
“Del, what’s going on with Roc?” he asked right away.
I stood by the side of his bed and looked at his vitals. “Mave went to go check on him. I’m staying with you right now.”
“Is something wrong with me?” he asked.
I looked down at him with tears in my eyes. “Just a broken nose and a concussion.” I couldn’t hold my tears back anymore.
“Don’t cry for me, Del. Don’t cry for me.” He reached out, and I threaded my fingers through his.
“Who else was in the hauler with you, Jay?” Dr. Clark had said there was one patient who had been pronounced dead at the scene, and I was still worried it was one of Jay’s friends.
“I was in the front with Roc while Frankie, Remy, Brooks were in the back.”
“No one else was with you?”
He shook his head and cringed. “Uh, four of the guys were behind us in one of the trucks. I don’t think they got hit.”
I closed my eyes and said a prayer, hopeful that Frankie, Brooks and Remy were the last three in the ambulances.
If they weren’t, Jay’s and my world was going to be completely destroyed.
*
Chapter Thirty-Four
Jay
“Just let her sleep.”
Mave looked up at me and smiled. “I didn’t think either of you were awake.” She walked to the foot of the bed and grabbed the chart. “Everything is looking good, Jay.” She put back the chart and grabbed the stethoscope from around her neck.
“It doesn’t feel good,” I mumbled.
“You’ll be sore for a couple of days but you’ll see you were mighty lucky.” She pressed the cold end of the stethoscope to my chest.
“How are my friends? What’s going on with them?”
She listened to my heart then dropped the stethoscope back over her shoulders. “The three who came in after you are in about the same boat as you. Bumps, bruises, and a couple of broken bones.”
“So they’re going to be okay?” I asked. I needed her to tell me specifically they were going to be okay.
“They’re going to be okay.”
“What about Roc?” I was worried about him.
We had just been cruising down the highway, talking and joking about Brooks almost crashing in the wall on the last run, when a semi flew across the median and plowed into the side of the hauler.
“Last I heard, he was in surgery, but he’s stable.”
“If he’s stable then why is he in surgery?” I demanded.
“Jay, calm down,” Delaney called sleepily from the chair.
“Go back to sleep, Del.” The accident had happened seven hours ago, and it was almost midnight. Delaney had worked almost a full shift before the accident had come in, and she was beyond exhausted.
“Hard to sleep when you’re yelling at Mave.” Delaney unfolded herself from the chair and raised her arms over her head to stretched.
“You doing okay?” Mave asked her.
“Much better after a little nap.” Delaney stood next to Mave and rested her hand on my thigh. “Can you tell us what Roc is in surgery for?”
“Setting his legs. Both had multiple breaks. It's going to be a long recovery for him, but Dr. Clark thinks he’ll pull through.”
Delaney squeezed my hand and turned to look at Mave. “Thanks, Mave,” she said softly.
“No problem. Both of you try to get some rest. You’ll be discharged in the morning, Jay, along with your friends.”
“But not Roc, though” He asked.
Mave shook her head. “I’m sure after surgery, he’ll be moved to a different floor to be observed and then more than likely moved to a rehab facility.”
Damn.
Mave walked out of the room, and Delaney moved closer. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” she whispered.
“I told you I’d never leave you, Del. Even an airborne semi can’t take me away from you.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she let out a sob.
“Get in this bed with me, Del.” I scooted to the side, and she didn’t protest.
Delaney needed to be close to me just like I needed to feel her against me.
“For the record, we shouldn’t be doing this but I honestly don’t care,” she mumbled as she hoisted herself onto the bed with me.
“Just gotta hold you for a second, Del,” I muttered into her hair. I wrapped her up in my arms and held her tight.
“You scared the living crap out of me, Jay,” she whispered.
“I was pretty damn scared too, Del. I was scared I wasn’t going to be able to make that little family with you or ever get to hold you again. When that truck was rolling, you were the only thing I was thinking about.”
“Jay,” she sobbed.
“Shush, Del. I’m right here. I told you I wouldn’t leave you, and I’m right here.”
Delaney sighed and tipped her head back to look at me. “I love you, Jay. I love you so much.”