Chapter Sixteen

Cake, punch, party games, and an avalanche of opened baby gifts later, it was time to go.

Madge approached Karli and enveloped her in a huge hug.

“You two are so good together,” she whispered. “This is the most I’ve ever seen Jordan smile. And I am so happy to see you happy again too, Karli.”

“Thanks, Madge. Truly.”

“Call me if you need anything,” Madge said, and walked away.

Karli looked at the mound of gifts once everyone had left.

“No way all this is going to fit in my room,” she lamented.

“About that,” Jordan said as he came back in from putting another box in the bed of his truck.

“Why don’t you move in with me? Think about it. You’re at my place most of the time now anyway, and that second bedroom is completely empty. It would make a great nursery.”

She tilted her head and considered.

“You know what? Yes. Let’s do it.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” he grinned before he kissed her. “I’m the luckiest man on the planet, did you know that? And it’s because of you.”

“When do you want to move stuff around?”

“Well, maybe it’s just me being selfish, but I vote the sooner, the better,” he announced. “But for right now, let’s head back to my place, and I can unload all this stuff into the nursery.”

***

When she got back to Sarah’s apartment a couple of hours later and announced she was moving out, Karli was surprised that Sarah was not surprised to hear the news.

“Are you kidding me?” Sarah said as she hugged a smiling Karli. “I’m amazed it took you guys this long. He’s head over heels in love with you, you know.”

“I know,” Karli sighed in contentment. “And I’ve fallen for him, too.”

“So, when are you going?”

“He has to work tonight, so, probably tomorrow afternoon,” Karli confirmed.

“Sounds like we need one last chick flick and chocolate night,” Sarah pointed out. “Send you off right.”

“Deal.”

At two-twelve a.m., when her daughter began to bounce on her bladder once again, Karli lumbered out of bed and made her way to the bathroom.

As she began to get back into bed, she glanced at her cell phone on the dresser.

“Missed calls? How did I miss calls?” she wondered out loud.

Then she realized she had once again forgotten to turn the ringer back up to normal volume after an appointment.

“Ah, that’s how,” Karli said.

Stupid pregnancy brain. I thought people were making that up, but they weren’t. I can barely remember my own name.

She stared at her phone, frowning. Six calls, all in the past half-hour, from a number she did not recognize, but whoever had called her left no voicemails.

Intrigued, she called the unknown number back, and waited.

“Hello?” a male’s voice answered after just one ring. “Karli? Is that you?”

“Yes,” she said, confused. “Who’s this?”

“Thank God. I’ve been trying to reach you,” the man said. “This is Tim Fresco, Jordan’s rig partner. He’s been hurt.”

“Where is he?” she stammered as she grabbed clothes to put on.

“Medical City, just off Matlock Road,” Tim told her.

“I’m on my way.”

She hung up the phone, changed clothes as quickly as she could, then pounded on Sarah’s bedroom door.

“What’s wrong?” Sarah asked, eyes wide with panic.

“Something’s happened to Jordan,” Karli cried. “I need to go.”

“Give me two minutes to get dressed. I’ll drive you.”

Please, God, please let him be okay, Karli chanted again and again in her head as she wiped tears from her face. Please don’t take him. Please.

***

Within twenty minutes of the phone call, Sarah had pulled her car up at the emergency room entrance to let Karli out.

“Go on, I’ll find you in there,” Sarah urged.

When the attendants saw a crying, extremely pregnant woman walking in so quickly, they started to bring a wheelchair over for her, thinking she was in labor.

“No… no,” she sobbed, trying to wave them off. “Not me… Jordan… where’s Jordan?”

“Karli,” she heard someone call out, and she swiveled her head to the left.

A man in an EMT uniform with light brown hair and storm grey eyes was coming toward her.

“Hey. I’m Tim. Drove your moving van, remember? Come with me, Karli. This way.”

“Wait, Sarah’s coming,” she managed, and he nodded.

Sarah blasted through the door a few moments later, saw them, and paused for a split second before walking over to where they were standing.

“Take me to him, Tim,” Karli pleaded.

As they moved, Sarah quietly asked, “What happened?”

“We got called out to assist with some injuries sustained during a barfight,” Tim replied, running a hand over his worried face.

“Jordan was working on one guy who was drunk as hell and got combative. When Jordan went to strap him down on the gurney, the guy pulled a knife and stabbed him.”

Karli went ghost white and began to sway.

“Is he… is he…” she went silent, tears obscuring both her voice and her vision.

“They took him into surgery about five minutes ago,” Tim told her as he put his arm around her waist to help steady her. “We’re heading to the waiting room upstairs just outside the surgical unit.”

When they entered the room, Karli was stunned to see it was packed with police officers and emergency personnel. A few of the other firemen who had helped her move in the spring waved solemnly to her in recognition.

“Have a seat right here,” Tim offered, pointing to the chair that one of the officers immediately vacated when she walked in. “I’m going to see if I can get an update. Okay?”

“Okay,” she sniffled.

Dan, another crew member from Fire Station Number Two that she had met before, approached her with tissues and a bottled water.

“Hi, Karli,” he said gently as he handed her the items. “Jordan’s tough, all right? I’m sure he’s gonna be fine.”

She nodded, dabbing at her eyes.

“Hi Dan…I…hope so,” she wailed, her breath hitching.

“Karli look at me,” Dan said, crouching down in front of her and taking her hand.

“I know you’re upset, but I need you to try to breathe normally for me. Last thing you or your baby need is to work yourself up to the point that you go into labor early. All right? Come on, big deep breaths.”

Karli closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, even as she willed Jordan to be okay.

With each inhale she felt more and more certain that Jordan Baker had captured her heart, and with each exhale, she sent up a prayer for him to be spared.