Page 2 of More Than a Little Spark

“Don’t hug it quite that tight.I’ll be more help if I can breathe.And, no, we haven’t met before.I’d have remembered.But since you’re dressed as Daphne, I went with that.”

“Oh.”She laughs nervously and glances at her dress.“My name is Daphne.For real.But I’m not really a redhead.It’s a wig.”

“Never would’ve guessed.”I think through the physics of how to pull her clear without banging her up any more than she already is.“Hang on, okay?”I click the buckle and pull her close as I lean back on my knees.

She cries out when her foot bumps the car.

“I’m so sorry.”And now I have to figure out how to get to my feet.I clearly didn’t think this one out well.

“It’s okay.Is my skirt down?”She twists her head, trying to see behind her.

“I’ll check.”The way she’s hanging on me, it’s hard to see what’s happening with her dress, so I use my hands and fix the parts of her dress that are flipped up.As much as other people here to help would make things easier, I’m kind of glad no one is around to see me feeling around her dress.“I think you’re good now.”

With the way she’s clutching my neck, I don’t really need to hold on to her, but I do anyway.Dropping her would make me feel horrible.With one arm around her waist, I grab the car with the other.Using all the strength I can muster, I manage to work myself to my feet with her hanging on the front of me.

“I’ll put you in my truck until help arrives, okay?”Once I’m standing, I shift her to a cradle hold and walk toward my truck.

“You called in the accident?”

My first thought was to get her out of the car.Maybe I should’ve called first.Too late to question that now.“I haven’t yet.But my phone is in my pocket.As soon as I?—”

She shoves her hand into the front pocket closest to her.“This one?”

I stop walking.“Uh, no.My back left pocket.”

She reaches down and pats the right side of my rear.

“My other left.”I’m not sure how else to tell her that she’s touching the wrong side.

She reaches down with her other hand and feels the phone.“I found it.”

This has definitely been an awkward rescue.But when the shock wears off, she likely won’t remember much of what’s happening.

I manage to work the passenger door open without dropping her.And then I set her on the seat, and she calls 911 from my phone.

“Hi, yes.Some guy in a black car hit me, and my car flipped over and ended up in a ditch.Magnum PI got me out of the car.That’s what his costume is, I think.”She pulls the phone away from her ear.“Am I right?”

I nod, thankful the costume wasn’t a complete waste.

She leans closer to me.“What’s your name?”

“Carson.”

“Carson got me out of the car.He’s just dressed like Magnum PI.From the original show, not the reboot.But he’s in jeans, not those tiny shorts.It’s too cold for that.”She’s quiet half a second.“No, I don’t think I need an ambulance.”

There was a Magnum PI reboot?And for the record, I wouldn’t be caught dead in those tiny shorts.Seeing me dressed that way would make people hurl.Even the thought has me queasy.

“You need an ambulance.”I say it loud enough so that the dispatcher can hear me.“Want me to talk to them?”

“Sure.”She says into the phone, “I’m going to let Carson talk to you now.”

I take the phone, eager to get her medical care.“An ambulance would be good.What info do you need?”

“Hi, Carson.Can you give me your location?”The dispatcher is calm and patient, which I appreciate because my heart is about to pound itself right out of my chest.

“Hi.Yes, we’re on…” I open my maps app to get my location.Even after a year, I don’t know the names of the roads.“We’re on ranch road 27, about a mile and a half west of the junction with FM 72.”

“Thank you.I have emergency services and law enforcement en route.Would you like me to stay on the line with you?”

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