Stand Of Redemption(66)

“What’s your point?” Nick asked roughly.

“Where did we always wait for Mom when we picked her up?” she asked.

Nick thought back to the few times they had been to their mother’s school. They were usually sent to the library. He and Melanie would play games on the computer until their mother was done working.

“The library,” he responded.

“Exactly. If we had been early that day, we would have been in the library and might have not known anything until after she died! Because you were late that day, we were able to spend those last few moments with her. The only reason she was able to tell us she loved us and we were able to say goodbye was because you were late!” Melanie started sobbing with the memories. “The last words she heard was us telling her we loved her.”

The flood of emotions going through him was overwhelming. Melanie leaned in to hold him for support and they held each other tightly. All the years of guilt and regret were being released in that moment.

The weight of it had been unbearable. Every time he had looked at Melanie and his father, he had taken the blame for her not being there anymore; instead of placing the blame where it belonged. On Matthew.

He and Melanie sat for some time, both lost in their own memories.

After the storm of emotions passed, he looked down at his sister who was leaning against his side.

“I still miss her.” His voice broke.

“I do, too. I feel her with me sometimes. Nicholas, please don’t blame yourself anymore.” Melanie wiped her tears away. “I love Zane. I’m winning my fights. I can feel how proud she is of me. If you give yourself a chance, you’ll feel her, too.”

Nicholas had tried so hard to not think of his mother because of the guilt and pain that he had lost her in the process.

“I’ll try, Mel. I’ll try.”





Chapter 24

Two Months Later



“Switch!” Ria said to Joe, the paramedic on duty with her. They had responded to a call for a teenage girl that had been underwater too long at the lake.

Ria had arrived on the scene first and had just finished several sets of breaths and compressions. Once Joe arrived with the AED, she let him take over while she set the equipment up. The girl had been unresponsive, and if they didn’t get her heart started soon, Ria was afraid she wasn’t going to make it. Fortunately, the lifeguard had been performing CPR until she had arrived.

Ria quickly attached the pads to her and gave Joe the all clear command. He lifted his hands from the girl as the AED ran an analysis and stated a shock would be applied. Ria watched the girl jerk, and Joe started to resume compressions. However, before he did, the girl started to cough.

Joe quickly turned her to her side as some additional water was expelled from her lungs. Ria heard the joy from those watching and couldn’t help but tear up. The girl was so young and had so much life ahead of her; it would have been hard watching her die. She appeared to be nineteen—the same age as Matthew when he’d died. She was glad this girl now had a second chance. Ria could only hope she made the most of it.

After she finished coughing and started to look around, the girl tried to sit up.

“Rest for now. I know I cracked at least a couple of your ribs.” Ria stopped the girl from trying to move around. “We’re going to take you to the hospital and let a doctor examine you. We’ll go get the stretcher now.” Ria and Joe went to unload the stretcher from the ambulance.

“Nice work,” Ria said to Joe. They had worked really well together today. There was no question of who played which role or any jockeying for the lead role. It had been perfect teamwork.

“Back atcha. That was a close one,” Joe replied.

She and Joe had worked together while Ria was still an EMT. He had been a paramedic for several years, always encouraging her to hurry up and become a paramedic. He had recently applied for medical school and had been accepted a couple months ago. He would be quitting his current job when school started in the fall.

Ria was going to miss working with him. He was tall, handsome, and was built like a Greek god. Ria had watched many of the new girls try to gain his attention, but Joe only had eyes for men. She had caught him checking out a man sitting at a table alone during lunch one day.

When she caught him, Ria told Joe he should go talk to him, and that it would help take his mind off the job for a few minutes. Joe had immediately stood, going to the other table, and started talking to the man.

Joe had came back to their table only a few minutes later. “No luck. He’s straight.” Joe sighed.

“What did he say when you asked him?”

“He told me he had a girlfriend,” he had answered, shrugging.