Page 38 of My Forever Soldier

“How long till the ambulance gets here?” he called.

“It should be here by now,” she yelled back.

He knew they didn’t have long. That asthma attacks of this kind were serious and required immediate care. He cradled Charlie’s head and started rubbing his chest in wide, circular motions. His son seemed so small, so fragile, so weak. Luke didn’t know what time the attack had started, but guessed Olivia had called the ambulance straight away. Every second, every minute counted. He knew that firsthand.

“What’s happening? Can I help?” Olivia’s voice lacked its usual strength. He wished he could comfort her, but he had to stay focused on what he was doing. She passed him the paper cup and inhaler.

“He’s suffering from acute hyperventilation, it’s a serious attack. He’s not getting even fifty percent of the oxygen he needs to breathe.”

Luke heard Olivia sobbing as she touched their son, but he kept his attention on Charlie. He took the paper cup and cut a hole in the bottom, then placed the inhaler through the hole.

“The more panicked he gets, the worse it will become, so I need you to stay calm, to talk to him.” Luke paused, moving slightly so she could kneel beside him. “How many times did you try his inhaler?”

“Uh, he took maybe four puffs, but he struggled, and I don’t know much he got. He usually only needs two when it’s bad.”

Luke nodded. “Charlie, I need you to listen to me. I’m going to make you feel better, buddy. You can trust me.”

Charlie was wheezing and heaving, his body crying out for air.

“I need you to feel my hands on your chest. They’re going to help you breathe. Think about how much fun we had at the park the other day and breathe slowly, in and out. In and out. Just keep thinking in and out as you try to breathe.”

Luke started to coach him, tried to get him thinking about his breathing, and listening. But Charlie couldn’t hear him, it was obvious. His little chest was struggling with the pain of each labored breath—short, choppy gasps that weren’t putting enough air into his lungs.

“I need you to take a big breath when I puff this, ready?”

Luke placed the paper cup over Charlie’s mouth and puffed the inhaler. He kept doing it, counting out four puffs and then giving him a rest.

“We need to do this every five minutes until the ambulance gets here.”

Olivia had calmed down. She was cooing to Charlie in her most soothing tone.

Luke knew Charlie’s pain. It was the worst kind of distress a human could experience, the feeling that you could no longer breathe. Knowing that there was nothing you could do but struggle to fill your lungs with the air they craved.

And he should know. He’d almost died from an asthma attack when he was a kid, only he hadn’t had someone who loved him fighting to save his life.

The ghostly wailof a siren pierced Olivia’s eardrums. For a moment she didn’t know if it was real or in her imagination, until the flash of a red light ricocheted against the windowpanes.

It was as if she was in a dream, her legs taking too long to move, her senses heightened. All she could concentrate on were the labored breaths of her son, and Luke—his quiet words and strong presence the only thing keeping her together.Keeping her sane.

“Olivia, open the door.”

She jumped to attention, resisting the urge to flee back to Charlie and take hold of him. The paramedics were rushing up the steps as she flung the door open.

“Please, come quick.” The words came out in a jumble, but they pushed past her and moved inside.

Olivia followed them, feeling numb. Charlie’s asthma had always been manageable. They used his inhaler when they needed to; he knew how to control his breathing; they went to the doctor regularly for checkups. So how had this happened? How had she come so close to losing her boy? If Luke hadn’t arrived when he had… It didn’t bear thinking about.

“He’s stable. Good work,” one attendant said.

Olivia watched the scene unfold. The female paramedic had her hands on Charlie. What was she doing?

“Luke, what are they doing to him?” Ollie’s voice was strangled. Had he heard her? “Luke?”

Tears fell steadily down her cheeks as he took hold of her. Clasped his hands on her shoulders and drew her back to him, tight against his chest and safe in his arms. She’d thought she was stronger than this, that she could cope, but the pain in her lungs, in her heart, was almost suffocating.Charlie was her baby and she’d almost lost him.

“Ollie, it’s okay. He’s going to be okay,” Luke soothed.

She twisted in his embrace, wanting to touch Charlie, to be there for him. But Luke held her firmly, not letting her interfere.

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