Page 41 of Meet Me at the Metro

“Please. Please just get better. I’m sorry I wasn’t there with you when it all happened. I got to you too late, and I’m so sorry, but I—”

The monitor at his bedside alarms before I canspeak another word. I wait for it to stop making all the noise, but it doesn’t.

I’m terrified, frozen beside him with utter dread.

I don’t know what the hell is happening as a cluster of nurses rush into the room, but I step aside and let them take my place along his bedside.

“What’s g-going on?”

They don’t have time to answer me as they collapse the head of his bed and start to check his neck for a pulse.

“There’s no pulse.”

“He’s in V-Fib. Call a code blue! Code blue, now!”

More alarms echo through the hall, and more people begin pushing into the room and swiftly tending to my father.

“Someone get this kid out of here! He doesn’t need to see this. Get him out of here, now!”

A set of hands are on me before I’m given the option to push them away.

“No! Stop! I’m not leaving! I’m not leaving him!”

My fight does nothing but earn me more of a battle I’m too ill-prepared to handle. They’ve got such a strong hold against me that I can do nothing but shout as they yank me out into the hallway.

“Let me go! Please, just let me fucking go! Dad! I don’t want to leave! Dad!”

The creak of the bathroom door startles me out of the memory.

As Nora steps out into the hall with me, I’m completely unaware of how much time has passed since I left her side. I will my trembling limbs to still and draw myself out of the fog of dissociation.

“All cleaned up now.”

“Let me see,” I say, my voice strained.

She timidly bites down on her bottom lip and holds her arm for me to see. So easily, I find myself smiling as she shimmies her messily wrapped limb in front of me, so proudly displaying her drunken job.

“Don’t you dare critique my work!”

“I know better than to do that.” Deep down,I’m so pissed at myself for getting so wound up that I couldn’t have helped herwrap it a little better. I lean against the wall behind me, and shame eats me up from the inside out. “I’m sorry, Nora.”

“No sorrys,” she says without an ounce of hesitation. “I’d be a shit nurse, wouldn’t I?”

“Your arse should definitely stick to musical theatre,” I chuckle.

I can’t help my eyes as they trail down the length of her body. The blue dress she wore tonight sticks against her curves like a second skin.

I swallow. “You need to change into some dry clothes.”

I force my gaze to the floor to distract myself from how my blood warms at the sight of her.

Then, I move to Nora’s side and hold her, steadying her balance as she limps into her bedroom. She plops down onto the mattress of her bed, examining her ankle and arm. She sits for the next several moments like this, staring at her injuries in silence as if she’s contemplating all the decisions she made tonight.

“Maybe Ishouldget my own caution sign,” she pouts, head hung low in regret.

“I’ll go grab you some water and pain medicine,” I chuckle. “And some ice for that damn foot.”

I make my way back down the hall with water, an ice pack, and pills in hand. Her door is shut when I return, so I press my ear against it, listening closely to the shuffling inside.

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