Page 66 of Choosing My Happiness
“Let’s take her to the hospital. I’ll get someone to pick these up later.”
I felt myself get lifted up again. Jim tried to pass me off to the other person, but I gripped his jacket harder. The person holding me grunted and ripped me from Jim’s arms. I screamed and flailed my arms and legs, trying to reach for Jim.
“Get your ass in there quickly. I’ll pass her up,” the gruff voice grunted. “Move!”
I kept thrashing, my hands and feet hitting metal.
I was returned to Jim’s arms, and I sobbed in relief.
Doors were shut, doors were opened. Doors were shut again.
I concentrated on Jim.
“What’s going on, Midwife?”
“No idea. She called and I came,” Jim replied.
“Shit, I wonder what happened. She’s such a strong person,” the other voice growled angrily. I kept breathing into Jim’s neck. He kept holding me together, stopping me fall apart.
* * *
“It’s okay, tough girl, we’re at the hospital and they’re putting a mask on you. It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere. You’re not alone. You’ve done this before, My Queen. It’s okay, you can relax.”
I felt my body getting placed on a barely soft surface, Jim’s arms slipping from me. I’d lost my strength to hold on to him. His voice kept talking, answering barked questions.
“I don’t know what happened, I just got a call about an hour ago and found her like this on the side of the road,” Jim replied calmly. “Her father’s funeral was yesterday, but I don’t think that’s what set this off. She was fine when I dropped her off at her mother’s house yesterday.”
“I guess her next of kin is her mother, Molly…”
I screamed internally, trying to make myself heard.No, no, no, she was dead to me.Finally, my voice broke through the barrier in my throat.
“No! You! You, Jim. Jim is my—Jim is my…” My throat was raw, but my voice was loud. I had to be heard. I flailed about, trying to reach the oxygen mask and pull it off to be heard.Jim is mine.
Hands grabbed mine. Warm, safe, secure.
“It’s okay, Daisy, I’m here. I’m your next of kin. I am.”
For a moment, there was silence ringing around me. Then Jim said, “I’m next of kin and I’m here.”
I sagged into unconsciousness. Safe, secure, with Jim.
46
Chapter 46: Jim
I sat beside her bed as she slept, monitors beeping next to her. Nurses bustled in and out, reassuring me that it was just a severe panic attack and she’ll recover. Fuck the club rules. Fuck this secrecy. Fuck this waiting until she’s ready to claim me. I wasn’t leaving before she woke up. People could talk all they wanted. I didn’t care if anyone saw us. She wasn’t Blaze’s, except by tradition. She hadn’t been his ol’lady for four years, since he abandoned her and Baby James. She’d still be away if Janie hadn’t told her about Matchstick. He treated her like shit. They all did.
I leaned my elbows on her bed and laced my fingers with hers. She was beautiful, breathing calmly now as she slept off the adrenaline. I hated hospitals, but at least this wasn’t the morgue. It so easily could have been. I lifted her fingers to my lips andpressed them together. I wasn’t going to lose her, not again. I would take whatever punishment they gave me.
47
Chapter 47: Bull
I went home. Daisy’s panic attack was something else. It was worse than even Bear’s bad days. I didn’t think her losing Matchstick would affect her this badly, but maybe I should have pushed Molly a bit more to involve her in the funeral…or maybe Molly was right to keep her away from it.
But something wasn’t adding up. This wasn’t normal for Daiz, even with the added stress of a funeral. Besides, she was the one who organized every bit of it except for the ride, and the eulogy. That was stolen from her by Molly.
Even though it was midday, I pulled the whiskey out from where Janie had hidden it, poured a few fingers, and then returned it. I sat down at the kitchen table to think. This was the center of my home. The place where my kids were fed and homework was done. Where I felt the happiest. I could work out the puzzle here.
