Page 37 of My Forever Soldier

“Luke!” She screamed his name as if she was fighting for her life.

And that’s when he saw Charlie.

She wasn’t fighting for her own life, but for their son’s.

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FEAR GRIPPED HIS THROAT and threatened to strangle him. Luke seemed to move in slow motion, his shoes filled with lead, his legs working hard to keep up with his mind.

Charlie.

His limp, lifeless frame hung from Ollie’s arms like a figurine. His little head lolled back, blond hair sticking damply to his forehead.

Luke fought to get through the door, his hands fumbling for the knob. He had to get control of himself. This was hisson. This wasCharlie. Luke stopped for a beat, no more than a second, and pushed his mind into work mode.

His job was to deal with critical situations, to save men and get them back home. Safe.Alive. This was exactly the same. He needed to focus, take charge and save a life. It was non-negotiable.

But if he’d accepted that job offer, not come home when he did…

“Ollie,” he called. The door was locked, and he only had one other option to get in.

Her eyes were wide, wild, unbelieving.

“Olivia!”

When she didn’t do anything he yanked off his sweat- shirt, wound it around his fist and smashed the window glass. He was beside her before she even seemed to register how he’d gotten in, and he moved fast to take Charlie into his own arms.

“Olivia!” he commanded. “Focus. Talk me through what happened.”

He carried Charlie into the living room and placed him carefully on the sofa, his hands tracing a pattern over his son. Touching his face, chest, pulse, all the critical steps. He tried to ignore the pained expression on his boy’s face, or the unnatural glaze in his eyes. He was alive, and that meant Luke had time to do something.

“Charlie, Charlie, stay with me, buddy.”

Olivia fluttered beside him, her hands limp at her sides, as if she had no idea what to do.

“His inhaler did nothing. I called the ambulance but…”

Wait. Inhaler? “He has asthma?”

She nodded. “Yes, he…”

“Olivia, listen to me,” Luke ordered. This he could handle. Asthma was something he could work with. “Get me the spacer.”

She looked at him, her eyes empty, her skin pale.

“The nebulizer?” Please, God, let her havesomethingfor him to use.

“We don’t have either. This hasn’t happened before. It’s never been bad like this.” She started to cry. “I should have been more persistent with the doctor, but they said I didn’t need to have anything other than an inhaler at home.

Luke let his mind work through the steps, thinking fast and logically.He could make one himself.

“Get me a paper cup and a knife.”

She looked at him but didn’t move.

“Now, Olivia. I need you focused.”

She jumped into action.

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