Page 80 of Dreaming About Forever

Knowing it was a fight eased some of Jordan’s worries about a spinal injury. Should he move his dad to the house to make things easier for the paramedics?

“They’re on their way. Clint and the paramedics,” Alicia said as she squatted beside him. She brushed a delicate hand over Jordan’s dad’s hair. “Mr. Taylor, help is coming.”

Jordan’s stomach rolled. His dad wasn’t a small man, and his body was formed from long hours of back-breaking work. Chuck must have blindsided him to do this kind of damage.

Alicia grabbed Jordan’s hand and lowered her head. “God, please help Mr. Taylor. Please ease his pain. Please let help come quickly. Please give us the strength to be what he needs.”

Jordan laid the coat back over his dad’s chest and echoed Alicia’s prayer. It was the first time he’d heard her pray out loud, and her cries for help eased the storm inside him.

The rumbling of an engine grew in the distance behind them. It was Clint followed by an ambulance and a police officer.

“They’re here, Dad. Hang in there,” Jordan said, lifting his dad’s cold hand and gripping it tight.

Clint and their mom jumped out of the truck first and ran over to him.

“Grant!” Jordan’s mom shouted. “What happened?”

“Chuck,” Jordan said.

His mom’s chin lifted, and her mouth pursed into the thin line she reserved only for blind fury. “What?”

Two paramedics jogged up behind them. “Mr. Taylor, can you speak?”

Jordan told one of the paramedics everything he knew, while the other crouched beside his dad with an open medical bag beside him.

When he’d answered all the questions, Alicia appeared at his side and slid her arm around his, holding tight against the fear and cold. “He’ll be okay. I have a feeling.”

Jordan wrapped his arms around her. “A feeling.”

“I felt it while I was praying. I just knew he’d be okay. It was like someone told me not to worry.”

Pressing his lips to the top of her head, he thanked the Lord for sending her into his life–to remind him where his focus should be, to bring him back home, and to show him how to be a better man.

A month ago, he’d been pointing her toward the Lord. Now, she was doing the same for him.

“Thank you for praying and for calling Mom and Clint.” He rubbed a circle over her back. He’d worked the farm with his family when he was young. He’d been a part of too many sports teams to mention, and he’d learned to trust his brothers in the Marines. Learning how to be a team and weather storms with Alicia was the most fulfilling adventure yet.

His mom came over and let out a heavy breath that billowed out in a cloud. “They’re taking him to Mercy Regional Hospital.”

“We’ll come with you. Do you want us to stop by the house and get anything for you?” Alicia asked.

“They said there’s a good chance he has internal bleeding. I don’t know what that means, but they said he needs to get to the hospital quickly. Can you bring me a bag of clothes and things in case I stay overnight?”

Alicia nodded. “Text us a list. We’ll gather everything up.”

His mom wrapped an arm around Alicia’s shoulders. “Thank you, sweetie. We’ll see you there.”

Jordan knew enough to suspect internal bleeding, and the urgency behind his dad’s transfer was starting to weigh on his shoulders.

Alicia grabbed his hand. “Hey.”

Her nose was bright pink, and she blinked rapidly against the cold wind.

“Let’s go,” she said, pulling him toward the truck.

There were few things that would make him step foot back into a hospital, and this was one of them. After spending months under the care of doctors and nurses and added months in rehab, the smell alone triggered flashbacks he’d hoped to forget.

But he’d be there for his dad, and he would help his mom with whatever she needed. He’d take over ranch duties and make sure things got done.

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