Page 37 of Haze's Jewel

I sit there with my drink silently contemplating what Vapor had said, while I wait for Haze to return. It’s been a long evening and I’m feeling emotionally fragile, so I try and stuff all my worries to the back of my mind and focus on the present. Before I can fully process what is going on, there’s a commotion at the bar. Vapor, Trix, and I rush over to find Mel crying, “It’s Elodie, Tracker just phoned. She’s not well, she’s been having repeated bouts of croup, the pediatrician said to try steam. Tracker’s been sitting in the bathroom with the shower running for an hour, but she’s no better, so he’s taking her to the ER. Oh God, why did I have to agree to work tonight? I should be with her.”

I rush around the counter because it looks like she’s about to collapse. Before I know it, Vapor is on the other side of her. There’s no one but prospects and wide-eyed club girls standing around staring at us.

Vapor barks, “Get the hell out of the way,” as we round the corner with her.

The club girls all scramble out.

Mel pleads, “I need to get to the hospital and be with my baby.”

Vapor tells her soothingly, “Don’t worry, we’ve got you. Everything is going to be okay.”

At some point I realize that Trix has zoned out completely, she’s just standing on the porch of the Savage Legion clubhouse staring at nothing while all the club girls come spilling out the front door, crowding around her. I’m guessing she’s realizing how scary being a mom is, and that it doesn’t stop after the delivery.

I tap Vapor out, “Your old lady needs you. I’ll drive Mel to the hospital.”

A young kid of around sixteen comes running out, “These are Mel’s keys,” he throws a set of car keys at me.

I look at him quizzically.

“I’m Hark, Mel’s my sister-in-law.”

Before I can get turned around Hark has helped Mel into the back seat, has got in beside her and slams the door. I rush over to the driver’s side, climb in, and peel out of the parking lot. All the way to the hospital I can hear Mel begging Hark to call Tracker. He finally gets Tracker on the phone, and I can hear Mel screaming all the way up on the front seat.

“Calm down, Mel,” Hark says to her.

“How can I be calm? My baby needs me,” she heaves out between sobs.

Tracker’s voice came over the phone, “Mel, sweetie, I told you, the docs have her settled, she’s gonna be okay.”

Mel just continues sobbing.

I shift gears and gently press down on the gas. I’m speeding down the highway as fast as I can manage safely with my hazard lights on. I feel like I’m walking a delicate tightrope between getting her there quickly and safely and going so fast I lose control of the vehicle.

It takes us no time at all to get to get to the hospital, as Mel and Hark rush into the ER, I realize that my part of the emergency is over.

I force myself to release the death grip I have on the steering wheel. My hands are trembling, but I know I have to get out of the emergency area and park the car in a designated spot. I take the wheel again and ease up off the brake. I drive over the parking lot and begin looking for a parking space. It feels weird to be at the medical center that I spent so much time in after my accident. It feels like a long time ago, although I know it wasn’t.

I lock the car and start walking into the hospital. My relationship with Mel is complicated, I barely know her, but I feel like our lives are connected. Vapor and Haze are twins and only siblings. They already knew Tracker because he’d been working in the Legion’s bar in town, and when Vapor married Trix, he became his brother-in-law. Now that I’m getting closer to Haze, I feel a special connection to Trix and Mel.

A little ache tugs at my heart when I think of Haze, I’d hoped that what we had was starting to turn into something special, but now that I got the message from the club girls and his brother that he’s not wild about settling down with one woman. I think maybe I’ve been reading too much into his behavior. Lord knows I don’t have much experience of men being nice to me, and it stands to reason that the first time someone was kind, I go and fall for him.

Chapter 15

Haze

I get a call from Vapor and answer it while filling up my gas tank.

“Hey, brother. Is everything okay at the clubhouse?”

“Yeah, one thing did pop off though.” I freeze as alarm bells go off in my head. “Is Anna okay? She didn’t leave on her own, did she?”

“Nothing like that, she’s fine. Mel’s baby got rushed into hospital, Anna drove her and Hark to the ER. I met them there with Trix, cause you gotta know that sent her anxiety spiraling. She’d only just stopped freaking out about possibly having twins.”

“How’s the baby?” I ask.

“She’s gonna be okay. But I think they’re gonna keep her in overnight for observation due to her age.”

I glance over at Siege and Zen, they’re hunched over the tablet looking at security footage from the cameras at the docks to see if they can see anyone approaching my boat. So far there’s been nothing.

---