Page 14 of Embers of Love

“We need to move,” Elle said urgently, walking in to join them. “We just got another call.”

Ember took one more look around before she followed her colleague out the door. She felt silly. One night with a beautiful woman was all it took to have her distracted while on the job. That was not it, though, if she was being honest. There was something about last night with Suzanne. Everything felt so…right.

Ember shook the thoughts away. What was she thinking? What if Suzanne didn’t want to start a relationship. That was exactly the point of the two of them hooking up. They just wanted to have fun. But…that didn’t mean they had to hook up just once, did it?

By the end of her shift, Ember was tired to her bones, but it was a good day, all things considered. No fires, some emergencies, mostly injuries but nothing too serious. She was looking forward to a warm shower and a nap. Maybe she would text Suzanne. That thought sent a thrill of excitement coursing through her. It was quickly followed by apprehension. Ember squashed it.

“Hey, Ember. Are you headed home?” Her mom stopped her just outside the locker room.

“Yeah, done with my shift.”

Her mother nodded. “Yeah, I know.”

Ember chuckled. That was one of the side-effects of having her mom as her boss.

“So, I have this new friend who just moved into town from New York. She is the new head of the hospital. Remember I told you about her, Josephine Mars; she’s a surgeon. We talk a lot on the phone. Well, she’s moved here now and doesn’t know anyone. I’ve been meaning to introduce you to her, she’s such a sweet soul. You’re going to love her.”

Ember shook her head. She vaguely remembered her mom going on about these Wednesday evening phone calls with her New York surgeon friend. She was certain she wasn’t going to like any of her mother’s friends. Well, okay. That was the introvert in her speaking. Her mom was cool, so were her friends. She seemed particularly excited about this one for some reason.

“Sure, I won’t mind,” Ember replied, summoning some enthusiasm for her mother’s sake.

“Perfect. We’re all so busy most of the time but I’m sure we can meet up one of these days.”

Ember shrugged. It wasn’t a bad idea. Maybe that was exactly what she needed to keep her mind off Suzanne, at least for a few hours.

Joan was sitting in the parking lot, waiting as she walked up. Like all car lovers, Ember stopped briefly to admire how beautiful Joan was before she got in and started the engine. The familiar rumble greeted her, getting another smile out of her. She put the car in gear and pulled out of her parking spot. She accelerated onto the main road, easing her way into the traffic before she settled in for the drive home.

Her home was about a fifteen-minute commute from the fire station. She could’ve gotten somewhere closer, but that would have put her too close to her mother. Ember loved her mom, but she didn’t want her mother dropping by at the house unannounced when she had somebody over, so she got a place a little further away. She didn’t mind the drive; it helped her unwind after work. The familiar feeling of tranquility was setting in when it happened.

Ember heard them coming from nearly a mile away. Street racers. She’d barely paid it any mind until the first driver blew past her in one of those scat packs, going way over the speed limit. The car, a Dodge Charger, had to quickly swerve into her lane to avoid a collision with the truck in front, forcing Ember to slow down to avoid rear-ending them.

She hadn’t noticed there was another street racer coming behind her. The driver didn’t have enough time to swerve around the truck, but they still tried. The move ended with their car slamming into Joan. The sudden impact rocked Ember in the driver’s seat. The car lost control, sliding into a oversteer. She lifted off the accelerator, trying to wrestle the car back under control as it slid sideways. Then another car hit her from behind.

Ember heard the loud screech of tires moments before impact and then the world tumbled. She was thrown in almost every direction as her car somersaulted on the highway. At some point her head slammed into something hard, dazing her. The road blurred by above her and the only thing keeping her in her seat was the seat belt.

Someone screamed in fear or panic. The ringing in her ears soon drowned out the noise of the commotion outside. She tried to stay awake, stay alert but her eyes couldn’t seem to focus on anything in particular and darkness was already creeping in on the edges of her vision.

The seatbelt came off, depositing her on the floor. Well, roof of her car.

“It’s okay! I got you!”

A pair of arms reached in and pulled her out of the car. She was greeted by clear skies and a breath of fresh air. She gasped.

“The ambulance is on its way! Hang in there!” The person tried to reassure her. Ember managed a nod. She would’ve liked to assess her injuries, but she could barely manage a coherent thought. She could hear a crowd starting to form around her.

“That’s Ember Thompson!” one of the bystanders yelled. That was the thing about being Becky Thompson’s daughter. The whole of Phoenix Ridge knew who you were.

“Oh God, no!” cried the voice of a young woman. She was hyperventilating.

“Can it!” someone chastised her.

Ember heard the sirens in the distance as the darkness overcame her completely.

When next she opened her eyes, she was greeted by bright fluorescent lights and white walls. The whiteness was nearly overpowering. The hospital. Simply opening her eyes hurt. She elected to keep them closed for a while. The next time she opened her eyes, it was morning again. This time, the lights streaming in through the windows was softer on her eyes.

Ember took the time to take in her surroundings. She was at the hospital. That was no surprise. She’s been in a car accident after all.

“Ember?”

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