man. We’ve called for an ambulance and the police. I’m turning your engine off.”
“Gracie. My wife. I can’t…” He tried to move again, tried to get to Gracie.
“She’ll be all right. Don’t move, the ambulance won’t be far away.”
“You don’t understand. She’s pregnant. We’re having a baby.” He felt a sob wretch itself from deep in his chest, felt grief tear through him. He couldn’t forgive himself if anything happened to Gracie. To their baby.
“I’m going to close your door and get in the back seat.”
Trent didn’t understand what the person was talking about. He heard people shouting, the groan of metal. Another door opened.
“Okay, man. We’re going to hold your head still.”
“No. You don’t understand. Gracie. Look after Gracie.”
“We’re getting there. Pete’s going to hold your head. I’ll help your wife.”
Trent heard someone moving in the backseat, a muffled curse. Two hands reached around the headrest, holding his head.
He heard someone gasp. It was Gracie. She was alive.
He tried to turn his head. “Is Gracie all right? What’s happening?
“Stay still,” another voice said. “They do this in the movies, in case you’ve got head or neck injuries. Your wife will be all right. I can hear the sirens.”
“She’s breathing, man. Got some color in her face.”
Trent closed his eyes and moved his hand, tried to find Gracie. He felt her sweater, squeezed her arm. He waited, squeezed again. She didn’t move. He started crying, sobbing.
“Calm down. Take a deep breath. It’s going to be fine. The police and the paramedics have arrived.”
“Gracie…”
“I know, man. You’re worried about her. Take another deep breath, yeah, that’s it. In and out.”
He held onto Gracie’s sweater, scared that if he let go he’d never see her again. He heard his door open. Felt cold air on his face.
“Hi, I’m Janet. I’m a paramedic. Can you tell me your name?”
Trent opened his eyes and stared at the woman’s face in front of him. “Trent. Trent McKenzie. I’m okay. You need to help Gracie. My wife.”
“She’s pregnant,” said a voice from the back seat.
“Another paramedic’s helping Gracie. I need to see how you’re doing.”
Trent waited while she ran her hands down his body, grunted when she pushed against his stomach.
“Okay, Trent. I’m going to put a brace on your neck and get you ready for the ambulance.”
He saw someone move on Gracie’s side of the cab, heard softly spoken words that he didn’t understand. She still hadn’t said anything. “How’s Gracie?”
Janet looked across the cab. “We’re looking after her. Hold still while we get this brace on.” She looked at the person behind him. “I want you to hold Trent’s head steady while I slip the brace around his neck. Are you ready?”
The paramedic moved. He heard Velcro being pulled open, felt the stiff support of the brace.
“We’re going to take you to the hospital now, Trent. Gracie isn’t quite ready. We’ll transport her in another ambulance.”
“No…I can’t go without her. She’s my wife. I can’t let her…” Panic raced through him. He needed to stay with Gracie, make sure she was okay. He couldn’t leave her here…
“Trent? It’s me. Dan.”
The paramedic had disappeared and his friend, Dan Carter, leaned in the truck. Dan was the Deputy Chief of Police.
“It’s okay, Trent. I’ll stay with Gracie. As soon as she gets to the hospital I’ll come and find you and let you know how she is.”
“I can’t leave her.”
“I’ll be with her the whole time.”
Tears streamed down Trent’s face. He gave Gracie’s arm one last squeeze before letting go. “I love you, Gracie.” The words choked out on a sob. Before he could take another breath, he was carried out of the truck and strapped into a stretcher.
The doors of the ambulance closed. He’d never prayed as hard as he prayed now. He prayed for Gracie, for their baby
“Gracie. My wife. I can’t…” He tried to move again, tried to get to Gracie.
“She’ll be all right. Don’t move, the ambulance won’t be far away.”
“You don’t understand. She’s pregnant. We’re having a baby.” He felt a sob wretch itself from deep in his chest, felt grief tear through him. He couldn’t forgive himself if anything happened to Gracie. To their baby.
“I’m going to close your door and get in the back seat.”
Trent didn’t understand what the person was talking about. He heard people shouting, the groan of metal. Another door opened.
“Okay, man. We’re going to hold your head still.”
“No. You don’t understand. Gracie. Look after Gracie.”
“We’re getting there. Pete’s going to hold your head. I’ll help your wife.”
Trent heard someone moving in the backseat, a muffled curse. Two hands reached around the headrest, holding his head.
He heard someone gasp. It was Gracie. She was alive.
He tried to turn his head. “Is Gracie all right? What’s happening?
“Stay still,” another voice said. “They do this in the movies, in case you’ve got head or neck injuries. Your wife will be all right. I can hear the sirens.”
“She’s breathing, man. Got some color in her face.”
Trent closed his eyes and moved his hand, tried to find Gracie. He felt her sweater, squeezed her arm. He waited, squeezed again. She didn’t move. He started crying, sobbing.
“Calm down. Take a deep breath. It’s going to be fine. The police and the paramedics have arrived.”
“Gracie…”
“I know, man. You’re worried about her. Take another deep breath, yeah, that’s it. In and out.”
He held onto Gracie’s sweater, scared that if he let go he’d never see her again. He heard his door open. Felt cold air on his face.
“Hi, I’m Janet. I’m a paramedic. Can you tell me your name?”
Trent opened his eyes and stared at the woman’s face in front of him. “Trent. Trent McKenzie. I’m okay. You need to help Gracie. My wife.”
“She’s pregnant,” said a voice from the back seat.
“Another paramedic’s helping Gracie. I need to see how you’re doing.”
Trent waited while she ran her hands down his body, grunted when she pushed against his stomach.
“Okay, Trent. I’m going to put a brace on your neck and get you ready for the ambulance.”
He saw someone move on Gracie’s side of the cab, heard softly spoken words that he didn’t understand. She still hadn’t said anything. “How’s Gracie?”
Janet looked across the cab. “We’re looking after her. Hold still while we get this brace on.” She looked at the person behind him. “I want you to hold Trent’s head steady while I slip the brace around his neck. Are you ready?”
The paramedic moved. He heard Velcro being pulled open, felt the stiff support of the brace.
“We’re going to take you to the hospital now, Trent. Gracie isn’t quite ready. We’ll transport her in another ambulance.”
“No…I can’t go without her. She’s my wife. I can’t let her…” Panic raced through him. He needed to stay with Gracie, make sure she was okay. He couldn’t leave her here…
“Trent? It’s me. Dan.”
The paramedic had disappeared and his friend, Dan Carter, leaned in the truck. Dan was the Deputy Chief of Police.
“It’s okay, Trent. I’ll stay with Gracie. As soon as she gets to the hospital I’ll come and find you and let you know how she is.”
“I can’t leave her.”
“I’ll be with her the whole time.”
Tears streamed down Trent’s face. He gave Gracie’s arm one last squeeze before letting go. “I love you, Gracie.” The words choked out on a sob. Before he could take another breath, he was carried out of the truck and strapped into a stretcher.
The doors of the ambulance closed. He’d never prayed as hard as he prayed now. He prayed for Gracie, for their baby