Page 93 of The Complication with the Best Man

“C’mon, I’m parked just outside,” my uncle says.

We make our way to the door, and within a few minutes, we’re pulling up at the emergency entrance of the small hospital. Kathy and I are out of the truck practically before the wheels have stopped turning. We arrive at the check-in desk together, Len right behind us.

“My son was brought in here. He’s a firefighter,” Kathy says.

“Finn McDonald,” I add.

The nurse’s mouth tightens, and she stands. “Let me check with the doctor.”

“Is he okay?” The words are nearly impossible to push from my mouth.

“Give me a moment.” She disappears behind the doors that lead to where the patients who have been called back are.

“Oh god.” My hand instantly goes to my belly.

If something has happened to Finn, I don’t know what I’ll do. Our time together has been too short. And I didn’t get to tell him that I love him. I was too afraid to put myself out there in case he didn’t feel the same. I didn’t want him to feel pressured to feel that way because we’re having a baby together.

Jesus, what if our baby has to grow up without their father? The thought brings hot tears to my eyes.

When I come out of my thoughts, I realize that some of the guys from the fire station are here too. I’m about to go and see if they have any more details when the nurse comes out from behind the doors, another nurse at her side. She looks vaguely familiar.

The nurse from behind the desk speaks before we can pummel her with questions. “Allie here will take you back to see him and explain what’s going on.”

All our attention moves to the nurse named Allie. “I can’t take everyone back there,” she says, looking around the waiting room.

“We’re his parents,” Len says, stepping up behind Kathy and me and placing a hand on each of our shoulders. “And this is his girlfriend.”

The word sounds so foreign in relation to Finn and me, though it’s accurate. It just sounds so juvenile.

“All right, you three come with me.” She walks toward the doors and we quickly follow.

“Is Finn okay?” I ask as she leads us down a hallway.

“He’ll be okay,” she says, and a surge of relief washes over me. “He has some cracked ribs, and he’s going to be sore from head to toe from the fall. He also has a mild concussion. We’re going to keep him overnight for observation, make sure nothing else presents, but he should make a full recovery.”

From where she walks beside me, Kathy takes my hand and squeezes.

I swear I’ll never again take for granted Finn’s and my time together.

Allie stops outside a door and motions for us to go in. “He needs to rest, so you can’t stay long.”

I nod and step inside, still clutching Kathy’s hand. As soon as she sees her son lying in bed, she rushes ahead to embrace him, and he winces in pain.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Kathy backs up, flustered when she realizes she’s caused him pain.

Finn’s gaze meets mine, and the look we share, the feeling that passes between us without words, lets me know that I was silly for not telling him sooner how I feel. Len walks in past me and greets his son, telling him he’s relieved that he’s okay.

Then it’s my turn.

I don’t even realize I’m crying until Finn says, “Aw, Harp, don’t cry. C’mere.” He raises his hand as much as it seems is comfortable with his ribs, and I rush forward.

Since I don’t want to hurt him, I don’t crawl into the bed and mold myself to him as I really want to. Instead, I lean over the bed and cup his face with my hands and bring my forehead to his. “I’m so glad you’re okay. You scared me,” I whisper.

“I scared me too. All I could think about when I felt the stairs give way underneath me was you and the baby and how I had to make it home to both of you.”

His words set my tears off heavier this time, and they drip on his face.

With a grimace, he raises his one hand and gently wipes the tears from my cheek. I move back a bit so that I can meet his eyes.

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