the shattered glass on the passenger seat to her. Then he was terrified to touch her. What if she’d been killed? For a moment, his sight blurred. But he had to know.
Swallowing, he reached out a wildly trembling hand. His pulse roared in his ears. God wouldn’t take her from him like He’d taken Nick’s father. He couldn’t be that vindictive a God.
Nick’s fingers touched Marisa’s neck, but he couldn’t feel anything. A sob rose in his throat. No! He moved his fingers an inch. There! Faint but steady. He felt a little lightheaded with relief and sagged against the seat.
“Nick! Nick!” Brian shouted nearly in his ear.
“She’s alive.” He couldn’t believe how weak his voice sounded.
“Thank God.”
Nick reached for her seat belt release.
Brian grabbed his arm. “What are you doing?”
Nick shook Brian off. “I’m getting her out of here.”
But Brian gripped his arm again and held on this time. “Nick, you don’t know what kind of injuries she has. Let us get her out with the Jaws of Life and ascertain if she’s hurt and, if so, how bad.”
It was just like when his father died. His fellow firefighters had held him back then too. Nick felt wild as he struggled with Brian. “I can get her out. We don’t need the Jaws.” He was an EMT. It was his job to save people. He’d failed to save his father, but he wouldn’t fail Marisa.
Brian got in his face. “Nick, you’re not thinking straight. Let the professionals handle it.”
“I am a professional.”
“Not now you’re not, buddy. Now you’re the man who cares about this woman. Go wait with the spectators and let us do our jobs.”
“I’m not leaving her.” God no. He wasn’t going anywhere until he knew she was all right.
Brian clamped his free hand on Nick’s shoulder and forced him to turn around. “What are the symptoms of shock, Nick?”
Nick could hardly think of anything but Marisa. Slowly he repeated, as though by rote, “Weak, rapid pulse, confused and disoriented, rapid, shallow breathing, dilated pupils.”
“Nick, you’ve got ’em. You’re in shock.”
He did feel disconnected, but right now, he only cared about one thing. “I’m not leaving her. Why don’t you go help with the Jaws of Life?” Why didn’t Brian understand how important this was to him?
Finally, Brian nodded and sighed. He released Nick’s arm. “Okay, but don’t get in the way.”
“I can help.”
“Not right now you can’t.”
Brian withdrew from the car. Nick hated feeling helpless. It was his job to help people, to save them. But ever since his dad had died, Nick had felt like he was losing more than he was saving. No matter how many hours he worked, he couldn’t save enough of them. Now Marisa needed his help. He needed to be on the other side of the car yanking the door open.
No, he needed to be here holding her hand.
Nick snaked a hand to Marisa’s neck again. Her wavy hair clung to him as he checked her pulse once more. It was stronger. He captured her hand and brought it to his mouth for a quick kiss.
The noises and voices outside the car rose and fell in a familiar, comfortable pattern. He’d worked hundreds of car accidents and knew the routine. He let the familiarity wash over him as Marisa’s pulse beat under his hand. He watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Eventually, his breathing matched hers.
“Nick. Nick?” Brian shook him.
“Yeah? Her pulse is steady.”
Brian thrust some material at him. “Nick, take these blankets and put one around her and the other around yourself.”
“She’s not cold. I’m not either.”
“Your breathing is rapid and shallow, and she needs to be protected from the Jaws. Can you do this?” Brian spoke slowly like he was talking to a child.
“I’m not helpless.”
Nick covered Marisa, using the action to probe gently for injuries. Not finding any obvious broken bones, he went back to breathing with her.
“Nick?” A woman’s voice. “Nick?”
He
Swallowing, he reached out a wildly trembling hand. His pulse roared in his ears. God wouldn’t take her from him like He’d taken Nick’s father. He couldn’t be that vindictive a God.
Nick’s fingers touched Marisa’s neck, but he couldn’t feel anything. A sob rose in his throat. No! He moved his fingers an inch. There! Faint but steady. He felt a little lightheaded with relief and sagged against the seat.
“Nick! Nick!” Brian shouted nearly in his ear.
“She’s alive.” He couldn’t believe how weak his voice sounded.
“Thank God.”
Nick reached for her seat belt release.
Brian grabbed his arm. “What are you doing?”
Nick shook Brian off. “I’m getting her out of here.”
But Brian gripped his arm again and held on this time. “Nick, you don’t know what kind of injuries she has. Let us get her out with the Jaws of Life and ascertain if she’s hurt and, if so, how bad.”
It was just like when his father died. His fellow firefighters had held him back then too. Nick felt wild as he struggled with Brian. “I can get her out. We don’t need the Jaws.” He was an EMT. It was his job to save people. He’d failed to save his father, but he wouldn’t fail Marisa.
Brian got in his face. “Nick, you’re not thinking straight. Let the professionals handle it.”
“I am a professional.”
“Not now you’re not, buddy. Now you’re the man who cares about this woman. Go wait with the spectators and let us do our jobs.”
“I’m not leaving her.” God no. He wasn’t going anywhere until he knew she was all right.
Brian clamped his free hand on Nick’s shoulder and forced him to turn around. “What are the symptoms of shock, Nick?”
Nick could hardly think of anything but Marisa. Slowly he repeated, as though by rote, “Weak, rapid pulse, confused and disoriented, rapid, shallow breathing, dilated pupils.”
“Nick, you’ve got ’em. You’re in shock.”
He did feel disconnected, but right now, he only cared about one thing. “I’m not leaving her. Why don’t you go help with the Jaws of Life?” Why didn’t Brian understand how important this was to him?
Finally, Brian nodded and sighed. He released Nick’s arm. “Okay, but don’t get in the way.”
“I can help.”
“Not right now you can’t.”
Brian withdrew from the car. Nick hated feeling helpless. It was his job to help people, to save them. But ever since his dad had died, Nick had felt like he was losing more than he was saving. No matter how many hours he worked, he couldn’t save enough of them. Now Marisa needed his help. He needed to be on the other side of the car yanking the door open.
No, he needed to be here holding her hand.
Nick snaked a hand to Marisa’s neck again. Her wavy hair clung to him as he checked her pulse once more. It was stronger. He captured her hand and brought it to his mouth for a quick kiss.
The noises and voices outside the car rose and fell in a familiar, comfortable pattern. He’d worked hundreds of car accidents and knew the routine. He let the familiarity wash over him as Marisa’s pulse beat under his hand. He watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Eventually, his breathing matched hers.
“Nick. Nick?” Brian shook him.
“Yeah? Her pulse is steady.”
Brian thrust some material at him. “Nick, take these blankets and put one around her and the other around yourself.”
“She’s not cold. I’m not either.”
“Your breathing is rapid and shallow, and she needs to be protected from the Jaws. Can you do this?” Brian spoke slowly like he was talking to a child.
“I’m not helpless.”
Nick covered Marisa, using the action to probe gently for injuries. Not finding any obvious broken bones, he went back to breathing with her.
“Nick?” A woman’s voice. “Nick?”
He
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