Tessa Teevan - Incinerate

He heads towards the nurses station, and I curl into a ball, missing the warmth and comfort of having him close. I’m going over the worst in my head when I finally feel his touch. It jolts me back to life as he crouches in front of me before wiping the tears from my cheeks.

“He’s still considered critical, but he’s stable now. They’re keeping a close eye on him until he wakes up.”

A small whimper escapes me, and I feel so weak. Clinging to Knox, I find the strength to catch my breath.

“Can I see him?” I ask once I finally get myself together. Knox nods and grabs my hand, pulling me out of my seat.

He leads me down the hallway and into a small room, where the sound of a remote beeping fills my ears. My hands cover my mouth the moment I see my dad, the strongest man I’ve ever knowing, lying motionless on the hospital bed, pale, lifeless, and I have to look away. I spot Olivia in the corner of the room, and she looks like she hasn’t slept in days. She’s immediately on her feet, and she throws her arms around me, catching me off guard.

“I’m so glad you’re here, Charlie,” she says, and I can feel her tears rolling down her cheeks as she embraces me.

“We got here as fast as we could,” I tell her.

Taking a page out of Knox’s book, I try to be strong for her as I rub her back, telling her everything will be okay and hoping that I’m right.

When she calms down, she takes a seat across the room, letting me take the one next to Dad’s bed. “What happened, Olivia?” I ask, needing the answers, needing to know what put him here.

She shakes her head, letting out a deep breath before she answers me. “He was complaining about chest pain when he got home from the gym, but he tried to say it was just acid reflux. You know your dad. He won’t go to the damn doctor unless he’s on his death bed.” She pauses, paling at her choice of words.

“It’s okay, Olivia. I know what you mean. It’s where I get my stubbornness. You’d think that as a doctor he’d be more prone to getting his checkups, but he claims his Army physicals are enough.”

Nodding, she looks relieved. “I happened to be working when I got the call that he was being taken to the emergency room. I won’t bore you with all the medical jargon, but after running a bunch of tests, they determined that he’d suffered a heart attack, which caused ventricular fibrillation, cutting off the blood flow to his organs. They believe he suffered sudden cardiac arrest, which is why he collapsed. If he hadn’t been in the hospital already when it happened, if the nurses hadn’t been able to immediately start CPR and get a defibrillator, they…they don’t think he would’ve made it,” she says, bursting into another round of sobs.

It’s too much for me to offer comfort anymore, now knowing just how close I was to losing him. It’s always been Dad and me, and the thought of him not being here any longer is more than I can bear. I think I’m in shock, because the tears won’t come. I watch as Knox hands Olivia tissues, and she pulls herself together.

“I don’t know understand. Dad’s still young. He’s fit. How did he have a heart attack?” I ask.

“Your father has what’s called Atherosclerosis. It’s a hardening of the arteries that can cause blockages and decrease blood flow, leading to heart attacks and heart disease. It can happen to anyone, no matter how healthy they seem, and symptoms don’t always appear. He was prepping for surgery when one of the nurses noticed he was sweating and that he kept holding his chest. When they asked him if he was okay, he said that he was, but it was only about sixty seconds later that he collapsed.” She pauses and looks at me. I’m guessing that she’s wondering how much of this I actually want to hear.

“He’s such a stubborn ass,” I tell her, and she smiles softly. “Then what happened?”

“They immediately started CPR when they couldn’t detect a pulse, and as soon as they got him on the table, they used the defibrillator to shock his heart. As soon as he had a pulse again, they began the tests. The echocardiogram determined that he had suffered a heart attack—they detected the arrhythmia with an EKG. They did an angiogram, which confirmed that he had a blockage. They immediately performed an angioplasty to restore blood flow to the heart. They had to put him under, so we’re still just waiting for him to wake up.”

The door opens, and a doctor walks in. I’m still overwhelmed from everything Olivia just said. I don’t know if I’m ready to hear more, but I rise, and he moves to shake my hand.

“Are you Dr. Davenport’s daughter?” he asks, and I nod. He begins to tell me everything Olivia just did. I’m thankful that I got it in her words because he’s using terms that are way over my head.

“Your dad’s extremely lucky that he was here when this happened. Sudden cardiac arrests has a very low survival rate, and the nurses did everything right to make sure that he’s still with us. I think he’s past the worst of it since we caught the cause right away, but we’re going to keep him for observation for the next couple of days to determine if he’s at risk for another arrhythmia.”

“When do you think he’ll wake up?” I ask, knowing I’m not going to be able to believe that he’s okay until I see him awake, talking, laughing.

“He could wake up any time now, but his body’s probably letting him rest after such a traumatic event. It could be morning before he wakes up. Speaking of,” he says, looking at the clock, “visiting hours are technically over, and Dr. Branch made me aware that you had to travel quite a ways to get here. Go home and get some rest. When you come back in the morning, I’m sure you’ll find your dad awake.”

I don’t want to leave Dad’s side, no matter how tired and drained I feel. “I’m fine. I don’t think I could sleep even if I went home,” I tell him, hoping he’ll let me stay.

Knox sees the stern look on the doctor’s face, and he rises, crossing to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Sweetheart, it’s been a long day. You’re not doing your dad any favors if you exhaust yourself. Let’s go home and get a few hours of sleep so you’re refreshed when you see him in the morning. You don’t want to worry him if he sees you drained.”

Looking back and forth between him and the doctor, I know he’s right, and I know I’m going to be kicked out anyway. Rising out of the chair, I lean down and give Dad a kiss on the cheek.

“I love you, Dad. Please wake up,” I whisper, taking one last look at him before allowing Knox to lead me out of the room.

Knox

CHARLIE’S SILENT on the ride home, and I’m lost in thought over everything that’s happened. The last nine hours or so have been a whirlwind, and if it weren’t for our clothes, I wouldn’t believe we were just celebrating Jace and Lexi’s wedding.

When Charlie got the call about her dad, my heart nearly stopped for her. Watching her as I made the drive from Florida to Tennessee, I felt helpless not being able to hold her, to comfort her. I wanted nothing more than to tell her right then how I felt, but I don’t even know if she would’ve heard me or even believed me. The thought of her losing the only family she has made me rethink Jace’s words, wondering just how long I will be willing to keep this less than serious. Life’s way too short, and if anyone’s learned that this year, it’s me. And Wade’s health scare solidified it.

When we get home, I round the car and pull Charlie out of her seat. She doesn’t even protest when I gather her up in my arms. As I make my way inside, I don’t bother turning on any lights before I head toward our bedroom. Setting her down on her feet, I unzip her dress, and she steps out of it. I grab clothes from my dresser and slip a t-shirt on over her head. Leaning down, I place a kiss on her forehead.

“It’s late, babe. Get some sleep,” I tell her. Then she climbs onto the bed and under the covers.

I take my time getting out of my uniform before moving to the bathroom to get ready for bed. When I join Charlie, I think she’s asleep, so I don’t move close to her. Lying on my back, I’m staring up at the ceiling, replaying everything over in my mind. I was so close to finally telling her how I felt, and I’m kicking myself for waiting so long. I’m pretty sure she feels the same. As much as I want to finish what I was saying to her at the reception, I think it’s best to wait for a happier time, a time when she’s not concerned or worried. Once her dad’s better, I’m finally going to tell Charlie I love her, and I’m really hoping it’s going to be sooner rather than later.

I feel the bed move, and Charlie scoots closer to me. She places her head and a hand on my chest as her body rests beside mine. Bringing my hand up, I stroke her hair as we lie in silence for a few minutes.

“He’s going to be okay, right?” she asks, her voice soft, almost timid.

“You heard the doctor. He’s out of the worst of it. They’re only keeping him to make sure he’s one hundred percent before they send him home,” I tell her, knowing she’s not going to be convinced until we’re back in the hospital and her dad’s awake. “Wade’s a tough guy, and you know Doc Branch isn’t going to let anything happen to him.”

Sighing, she absentmindedly rubs her hand over my chest. “I can’t imagine him being gone. My whole life, it’s been just him and me. I never had the chance to miss my mom because I never knew her. But Dad? He’s all I’ve ever had, and to think that he could have been taken so quickly from me?” She pauses, shaking her head against my chest. “I don’t even want to think about it. He still has so much life to live. I mean, he has to walk me down the aisle, be a grandpa to my kids… If he’s gone, who do I have?”

Wrapping my arms around her, I shift so that her back’s on the bed and I’m leaning over her.

“You have me, sweetheart. You always will,” I tell her, wiping away a lone tear that’s falling down her cheek.

Looking up at me, she slips her arms up my torso, stopping as a finger traces my tattoo. “Promise?” she asks so quietly I can barely hear her.

Nodding, I place a kiss on her lips before pulling back so I’m only inches from her face. “I promise. Always.”

Sliding her arms around my back and bringing me in closer, she closes the distance between us. “Show me,” she asks against my lips.

I try to pull away, but she holds me close. “Charlie, you need sleep. You’re exhausted,” I say, even though the feel of her skin against mine makes my dick a traitor as it hardens when her bare legs wrap around me.

“I need you, Knox. Show me. Please,” she breathes, almost begging.

And I do. Lifting her up to remove her t-shirt, I back away only to get rid of my boxers. Positioning myself in between her legs, I slide in slowly and set about showing her just how much she means to me, that I’ll never leave her, even if I haven’t been able to say the words. The entire time she clings to me, and for the first time, we’re not frantic, desperate for each other’s touch. Instead, it’s a slow burn as I make love to her at an unhurried pace. I’m trying to be tender, knowing she needs more than a quick fuck right now. She needs comfort and reassurance, not passion or heat. Her eyes are closed the entire time, and I’m wondering if she’s even here with me. It doesn’t really matter, because if this is what she needs to forget for a while, I’ll do it; I’ll help in any way I can. The room is completely silent except for our ragged breathing, and after a few minutes, her hands brace my ass.

“Harder, Knox. Please stop being so gentle,” she asks, and I pick up the pace, just a little bit, causing her to grind up against me. I want this to be different, to show her that I can be different, and it’s all because of her.

Reaching down, I begin to work her clit, stimulating her, and it’s not long before I can tell that she’s close.

“Open your eyes, baby,” I tell her, wanting her to see me, to have her undivided attention when she comes. She complies, and I reward her by finally speeding things up, pumping in and out of her rapidly until we’re both right on the edge of orgasm.

Moments later, when we’ve both found release, she pulls me down to her and places a kiss on my lips. She leaves the bed, presumably to clean up, and then comes back in. We settle into the bed together, and I move to my side but she grabs my hand and pulls me close.

“Hold me tonight?” she asks. I move in and slip my arms around her, pulling her close so our chests are touching.

“Get some sleep,” I tell her, not sure how either of us even has our eyes open at this point.