Page 44 of Christmas in the Shadows

Not just someone. A teenage boy, probably sixteen or seventeen years old.

He clutched his heart before going deathly still.

Tex rushed toward him. Checked his pulse.

It was barely there.

Tex placed his hands on the boy’s chest and began CPR.

After several compressions, he checked his breathing.

Barely there.

He checked his pulse again.

Still barely there.

He continued with the compressions.

Thankfully, someone called 911, and the ambulance arrived and EMTs took over within minutes.

Tex stepped back with the rest of the crowd and let them have space to do their job.

But something was wrong here.

Teenage boys shouldn’t have sudden heart problems.

Chelsea wasn’t sure if it was her place, but she wanted to go to the hospital. She needed to know if Mikey was going to be okay.

She wanted to talk to his family. To see if anything seemed odd lately.

Tex had insisted on going with her. On driving his truck.

Which was fine with her, because her hands were trembling so badly that she wasn’t sure how focused she’d be on the road.

“Do you know him?” Tex asked quietly as they headed the short distance to the hospital.

“He’s one of my students. Super nice kid.”

“I know this can’t be easy on you,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you. I tend to feel like each of the students I teach are my own. I only want the best for them.”

“Hopefully, the doctors will have some answers.”

But both of them knew what the most likely scenario was here.

This had to have something to do with what was going on with the football team.

They arrived at the hospital and hurried to the emergency room. Mikey was already in surgery.

Chelsea recognized one of the nurses behind the desk, and the woman ushered them over. “You’re here to see Lindsey?”

Chelsea nodded. “I am.”

“It’s usually only family in this waiting room, but she shouldn’t be alone right now.”

“No, she shouldn’t.”

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