Status: Completed
Shake Me Awake
Chapter 2
“Hey, baby doll,” Dad finally meets us as we approach the entrance of the ambulance. “You look like you’ve had a rough night.” He’s always been the joker type. Dad is the Chief of Police at our local Department. He’s the strongest, toughest, and funniest man I know. He’s a total softie at heart, but because of his strong build, deep voice, and knowing eyes, that’s the furthest thing from someone’s mind when first meeting Chief.
“You could say that. I think Kasper got the worst of it though,” I said as I point in the direction of my once beautiful mustang. By now my voice has steadied and is mostly back to normal with a hint of pain here and there. “Dad,” I start slowly a moment later as he reaches for my hand and looks into my eyes. I don’t even need to finish for him to know what I was going to say.
“He’s going to fine, baby doll. He hasn’t woken up yet, but if he’s had as much to drink as we think, then he will be awake soon enough.” He continues as I stay silent. “This wasn’t your fault, Spencer.” Sure it was. It was always my fault somehow, or at least that’s what it felt like.
Before Kent and the other firefighters go to lift me into the ambulance I blurt out, “Oh, good luck lifting me up in there, boys. This should be fun.” I really should have lost some more weight before I went and got myself in a situation like this. I’m more on the curvy side, not necessarily huge, but big enough to be extremely self-conscious about it.
One of the several fire fighters at my side reply, “Ma’am, you do realize who you are talking to, right?”
“Yes.”
“We are used to lifting over 500 pounds for duty. You have nothing to worry about.” With that they easily lift me up into the ambulance. I can’t help but let out a small chuckle with the rest of the guys.
As I’m getting situated in the cozy back end of the ambulance I hear dad call out to Kent. I can’t hear any words, but the tone sounds serious enough.
After a few moments Kent enters the back as well. The paramedic who is helping me get hooked up to all of their fancy machines sees this and apparently does not approve. “Sir, you can’t ride in here.” His voice is boastful and matter-of-fact.
“Chief Vincent Blake asked me to ride with his daughter. Is that going to be a problem?” Kent replies with a stern tone. He didn’t need to specify just what my father is chief of. With this being a somewhat small, southern town, everyone knows who he is.
The paramedic sighs in defeat and finishes getting me settled before we pull away towards the hospital.
The ride is quiet for the most part, except for the occasional ‘How’s the pain?’ from both Kent and the not-so-chipper paramedic. I can’t help but try to remember just what happened. I don’t have any luck other than what Kent has told me.
Wait, Kent told me when I woke up that my dad was on his way. How did he know who I was?
“Kent,” I spoke up after a few moments of silence. “How did you know who my father was? I mean, when you woke me up you said he was already on the way. How did you know who I was to call him?
“Well, Spencer, we’ve met before; a few times actually.” His voice is calming, yet again. He stands up so that I can see him. Geez, this neck brace is not cool; not cool at all. I look at him confused. “Oh, you don’t remember, do you?” The look on his face isn’t necessarily disappointment, but it’s close.
“I… I’m sorry, Kent. I…” My voice trails off to just above a whisper as I remove myself from his gentle stare.
“Oh, sweetie, that’s okay. It was at a couple of your father’s events he planned. That and at Hogan’s funeral.” His voice gets quiet as he says the last part. Everyone loved Hogan, even the firefighters he worked with on seldom. He was just one of those guys. Dad didn’t take the news very well. It’s never easy being told that one of your officers was killed in the line of duty, but Hogan was a close friend to dad; to the whole family for that matter.
“Wait, I do remember seeing you at the grave site. Dad introduced us briefly.” He nodded in response and gave me a sweet smile as he sat back down.
Something is bothering me though. Why had dad asked Kent to ride with me? Dad knows the paramedics, right? I’m sure he trusts them. Why is anyone other than the paramedic with me? Why Kent? I’m trying to think of anything other than the fact that I’m sprawled out on a stretcher, injured. Oh great! I’m in my pajamas too! I realize this as I feel around with my left hand. This is just embarrassing. I was only able to move it slightly since they had pretty tightly strapped me down on this stretcher. Practically naked. How could this possibly get any worse?
“Kent?” I can barely get it out as a whisper. I motion for him to lean close enough to ask him something. “Would you mind making sure my shirt is pulled down? Its feel like it’s raised some. Please?” My eyes are pleading with embarrassment. I breathe a sigh of relief when he smiles and stands to reach over me.
“I’ll do you one better, sweetheart.” He pulls a blanket from the cabinet above me and places it over top of my legs, up to my waist.
This is the first opportunity I’ve had to get a good look at him. He’s tall with broad shoulders and a nicely toned body. His skin has a nice olive tone to it. I can tell he likes being outdoors, but he’s light enough to also tell he likes being indoors as well. He doesn’t look too much older than I. He has shaggy brown hair that hangs just over his ears. As he turns back to me I notice his eyes, his icy blue eyes that are now staring a hole right through me; yet somehow they are extremely gentle. My eyes survey his face. It’s round, but slender at the same time; and he has a light goatee. Wait, those eyes. I have seen them before. I saw them just before I woke up in my car. In my dream?
And he’s doing that smile thing again. Geez, what a smile.
“Better?” He asks, eyes glistening in the bright lights in the ambulance. Shyly I reply, “Much. Thank you. I really appreci--” As I’m finishing the last word, the vehicle jolts and my stretcher shakes. I reach for the first thing I can grab, which just happens to be his arms. Holy crap at the muscles.
I open my mouth to apologize for grabbing him like that when he stops me. “Don’t worry about it, babe. You are strapped in here pretty good. You won’t go flying anywhere, I promise.” As he goes to sit down we are jolted again. His hand is resting on the stretcher and without realizing it I grab it to try and help steady myself; even though it wouldn’t help any. I quickly realize what I have and let go. I’m trying my hardest not to make eye contact with him. I know he’s looking at me; I can feel his intense stare along with my cheeks flushing. He takes back hold of my hand, without saying a work, and gives me that smile that by now I know all too well.
A few minutes have passed so I know we must be getting close to the hospital. Suddenly my head starts pounding. I try to reach my left hand up to assess where the pain is but It’s pinned down. I let out a whence as the pain continues to get worse. Both Kent and the paramedic are up and at my side mumbling things to each other. As the lights start to dim, I hear Kent calling my name.
“Spencer! Spencer, stay with me.”
Everything goes black.
“You could say that. I think Kasper got the worst of it though,” I said as I point in the direction of my once beautiful mustang. By now my voice has steadied and is mostly back to normal with a hint of pain here and there. “Dad,” I start slowly a moment later as he reaches for my hand and looks into my eyes. I don’t even need to finish for him to know what I was going to say.
“He’s going to fine, baby doll. He hasn’t woken up yet, but if he’s had as much to drink as we think, then he will be awake soon enough.” He continues as I stay silent. “This wasn’t your fault, Spencer.” Sure it was. It was always my fault somehow, or at least that’s what it felt like.
Before Kent and the other firefighters go to lift me into the ambulance I blurt out, “Oh, good luck lifting me up in there, boys. This should be fun.” I really should have lost some more weight before I went and got myself in a situation like this. I’m more on the curvy side, not necessarily huge, but big enough to be extremely self-conscious about it.
One of the several fire fighters at my side reply, “Ma’am, you do realize who you are talking to, right?”
“Yes.”
“We are used to lifting over 500 pounds for duty. You have nothing to worry about.” With that they easily lift me up into the ambulance. I can’t help but let out a small chuckle with the rest of the guys.
As I’m getting situated in the cozy back end of the ambulance I hear dad call out to Kent. I can’t hear any words, but the tone sounds serious enough.
After a few moments Kent enters the back as well. The paramedic who is helping me get hooked up to all of their fancy machines sees this and apparently does not approve. “Sir, you can’t ride in here.” His voice is boastful and matter-of-fact.
“Chief Vincent Blake asked me to ride with his daughter. Is that going to be a problem?” Kent replies with a stern tone. He didn’t need to specify just what my father is chief of. With this being a somewhat small, southern town, everyone knows who he is.
The paramedic sighs in defeat and finishes getting me settled before we pull away towards the hospital.
The ride is quiet for the most part, except for the occasional ‘How’s the pain?’ from both Kent and the not-so-chipper paramedic. I can’t help but try to remember just what happened. I don’t have any luck other than what Kent has told me.
Wait, Kent told me when I woke up that my dad was on his way. How did he know who I was?
“Kent,” I spoke up after a few moments of silence. “How did you know who my father was? I mean, when you woke me up you said he was already on the way. How did you know who I was to call him?
“Well, Spencer, we’ve met before; a few times actually.” His voice is calming, yet again. He stands up so that I can see him. Geez, this neck brace is not cool; not cool at all. I look at him confused. “Oh, you don’t remember, do you?” The look on his face isn’t necessarily disappointment, but it’s close.
“I… I’m sorry, Kent. I…” My voice trails off to just above a whisper as I remove myself from his gentle stare.
“Oh, sweetie, that’s okay. It was at a couple of your father’s events he planned. That and at Hogan’s funeral.” His voice gets quiet as he says the last part. Everyone loved Hogan, even the firefighters he worked with on seldom. He was just one of those guys. Dad didn’t take the news very well. It’s never easy being told that one of your officers was killed in the line of duty, but Hogan was a close friend to dad; to the whole family for that matter.
“Wait, I do remember seeing you at the grave site. Dad introduced us briefly.” He nodded in response and gave me a sweet smile as he sat back down.
Something is bothering me though. Why had dad asked Kent to ride with me? Dad knows the paramedics, right? I’m sure he trusts them. Why is anyone other than the paramedic with me? Why Kent? I’m trying to think of anything other than the fact that I’m sprawled out on a stretcher, injured. Oh great! I’m in my pajamas too! I realize this as I feel around with my left hand. This is just embarrassing. I was only able to move it slightly since they had pretty tightly strapped me down on this stretcher. Practically naked. How could this possibly get any worse?
“Kent?” I can barely get it out as a whisper. I motion for him to lean close enough to ask him something. “Would you mind making sure my shirt is pulled down? Its feel like it’s raised some. Please?” My eyes are pleading with embarrassment. I breathe a sigh of relief when he smiles and stands to reach over me.
“I’ll do you one better, sweetheart.” He pulls a blanket from the cabinet above me and places it over top of my legs, up to my waist.
This is the first opportunity I’ve had to get a good look at him. He’s tall with broad shoulders and a nicely toned body. His skin has a nice olive tone to it. I can tell he likes being outdoors, but he’s light enough to also tell he likes being indoors as well. He doesn’t look too much older than I. He has shaggy brown hair that hangs just over his ears. As he turns back to me I notice his eyes, his icy blue eyes that are now staring a hole right through me; yet somehow they are extremely gentle. My eyes survey his face. It’s round, but slender at the same time; and he has a light goatee. Wait, those eyes. I have seen them before. I saw them just before I woke up in my car. In my dream?
And he’s doing that smile thing again. Geez, what a smile.
“Better?” He asks, eyes glistening in the bright lights in the ambulance. Shyly I reply, “Much. Thank you. I really appreci--” As I’m finishing the last word, the vehicle jolts and my stretcher shakes. I reach for the first thing I can grab, which just happens to be his arms. Holy crap at the muscles.
I open my mouth to apologize for grabbing him like that when he stops me. “Don’t worry about it, babe. You are strapped in here pretty good. You won’t go flying anywhere, I promise.” As he goes to sit down we are jolted again. His hand is resting on the stretcher and without realizing it I grab it to try and help steady myself; even though it wouldn’t help any. I quickly realize what I have and let go. I’m trying my hardest not to make eye contact with him. I know he’s looking at me; I can feel his intense stare along with my cheeks flushing. He takes back hold of my hand, without saying a work, and gives me that smile that by now I know all too well.
A few minutes have passed so I know we must be getting close to the hospital. Suddenly my head starts pounding. I try to reach my left hand up to assess where the pain is but It’s pinned down. I let out a whence as the pain continues to get worse. Both Kent and the paramedic are up and at my side mumbling things to each other. As the lights start to dim, I hear Kent calling my name.
“Spencer! Spencer, stay with me.”
Everything goes black.