Page 76 of Love By a Landslide

He leaned down, ear to her mouth and nose.

No breath.

Tilting her chin to open her airways, he sealed his lips over hers and gave her his breath. One. Two. Then he raised up and stacked hands over her chest.

A whimper bubbled up in his throat, and strings of consciousness flowed out of him as he began compressions. “Sunshine, it’s ok. You’re ok. I’ve got you. Open your eyes and look at me. Please.” He pulled back and administered two more breaths before resuming the steady pumps. River water and sweat combined with the tears that flowed freely down his face. Spots of blood from his sliced chin dripped onto the backs of his hands. The salt and the sting of sand in his wound and eyes caused no distraction but were a welcome tether, rooting him at his lover’s side.

“Sunshine . . . sunshine, please, you can’t—” A sob racked his body, and he trembled but managed to continue CPR. “You have to be all right.”

Four days ago, Lucy had bought her way into his life. They’d been through hell together and gotten so close to rescue. He wouldn’t let the world lose its brightest light to a goddamn river.

“Jonathan!” Not Lucy.

“Frankie?” His little sister clambered over rocks to reach them, while a few others scrambled behind.

“Jonathan.”

“Oh my god.” He peered up unfocused but continued thrusting. He wouldn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. Not until she opened her eyes.

“I’m so glad we found you!” Francesca touched his shoulder briefly then turned, frantically waving her arms. “Medic!” She crouched back down beside her brother. “Search and rescue’s here. Someone can take over CPR.”

“No!” he barked then descended into sobs. “She is my responsibility. Mine!”

A clamor of voices surrounded Jonathan, but he blocked them out and focused on Lucy.

“You’re exhausted. Let me take over,” one man said.

“No,” he whimpered. His muscles ached, his lungs burned with water and fatigue and grief, but he wouldn’t stop.

The chattering voices all congealed into one murmuring rumble.

The medic arrived a moment later. “What’s the status?” she asked.

“He won’t let anyone take over.”

“Let me talk to—”

Lucy coughed.

Everyone gasped as Jonathan sobbed words of relief.

He tilted her to the side as she cleared her lungs, scraping strands of hair off her face. She lay there in adaze, and he cooed in her ear, trying to calm her quivering body and labored wheezing. “I got you. You’re safe. They found us, sunshine.” Her temple felt cool where he laid gentle kisses. She said nothing between the spasmodic coughs and groans, body still fraught with violent tremors.

“Hey, big brother.” Frankie laid a hand on his shoulder. “She needs medical attention. Let the professionals step in now, yeah?”

The notion of being away from Lucy after he’d almost lost her was agony, but the risk of hypothermia was real. He helped lay her on the metal caged stretcher and followed as four people carefully hauled her up the embankment, where they loaded her into a waiting ambulance.

The medic crawled in and covered Lucy with multiple thick woolen blankets. Jonathan moved to follow but was stopped by a hand on his chest.

“I’m Sherrif Howards. I have a few questions for you,” the man said. Jonathan took in the uniform and rain shield covering his hat. The man couldn’t be much older than him, but the shiny badge proclaimed his authority. Still, Jonathan pushed by him. “I have to go with her.”

“Not in my ambulance, you’re not,” the EMT called from the still-open rear door. “If the sherrif wants to talk to you, you’d better stay. We have another medic in the tent that can look you over. I need to get your friend to the hospital. Now.” She gripped the handle and pulled the door shut. And a moment later, the vehicle turned out of the parking lot, taillights disappearing in the distance.

“Come on, Jon,” another warm, familiar voice soothed. Miguel laid a heavy hand around his shoulders and guided him into a large pop-up tent. “We have some dry sweats and food. Let’s handle the nitty-gritty then we’ll get you to your gal, all right?”

Jonathan nodded, following in a daze beside his friend.

I’ll get there as fast as I can, sunshine.

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