Page 36 of Secrets Bared
“Yeah, it’s pretty common to do community college first to save money.” Luke pulled off his apron and hung it on the hook next to the swinging door. “I’ll be right back.”
Maggie returned to the dining room to finish rolling the silverware she’d neglected for her breakfast. Not a minute later, Luke banged the restroom door open with a shout. “Maggie! Call an ambulance!”
She scrambled for her phone and dialed 9-1-1. After giving her location, the dispatcher transferred her to the local service.
“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”
“I’m not sure, my coworker said to call.” She ran for the bathroom door, where Luke was hauling the kid out of the bathroom, his limp arm around Luke’s shoulders. Pulling her phone away from her ear, she hit the button for speaker.
“Ma’am, what’s the emergency?”
Luke spoke into her phone. “Kid overdosed in my diner. Male, age nineteen.” He pushed his charge into the nearest empty booth, away from other diners, and laid him on his side. “Come on Mikey, stay awake now.”
She put the phone back to her ear and gave the dispatcher their location.
“Ambulance is five minutes out. Please stay on the phone until they arrive and clear a path.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Maggie hurried to prop open the door to the diner as a chilly wind blew through. “Sorry about the cold, folks.” Worried faces greeted her. The child at table four had climbed into her mother’s lap on the other side, her chicken forgotten.
And there were the sirens. “I think I hear the ambulance.”
“Yes, that should be them. Stay on the line until you can see them.”
She did as she was told, and when the ambulance roared up to the front door, lights flashing, she directed the EMTs to the booth where Luke stood guard. Shaking, she poured herself a glass of water, her throat suddenly parched.
Luke joined her behind the counter, his face ashen and his eyes rimmed in red. Without thinking, she opened her arms to him, and he accepted her hug, clinging to her.
The EMTs wheeled Mikey out on a gurney, with an oxygen mask strapped on. The lead paramedic strolled up to Luke and Maggie with a grim look on her face.
“Are you familiar with the victim?”
Luke stood up and nodded. “Yeah, I used to babysit him.”
“We administered Narcan. He’s breathing, but still not responsive.” She named the hospital they were taking him to, and Maggie flipped out her tablet and wrote it down.
Luke reached out a hand. “I’ll call his parents. Thank you.”
She clasped his hand professionally and patted him on the arm. “You called us in time.”
Luke just nodded as she turned and strode through the door. As the ambulance drove away, he leaned over the counter onto his elbows. Maggie hurried to close the doors.
“Sorry for the interruption, folks,” she called out cheerily. With a tug on Luke’s elbow, she led him back into the kitchen.
“Luke, do you want me to call his parents?”
He shook his head, coming out of his daze. “No, I need to be the one to do it.”
“I think we should close early. Or ask Shorty to come in early.”
Luke nodded. “Yeah, let’s get Shorty. Can you go into the office and call on the diner phone? I need… I need to call Mikey’s parents.” He choked on a sob and she hugged him once more.
“You saved his life.”
Luke glared into the distance, and his growl shocked her. “It never should have been in danger in the first place!”
Maggie jumped away from him, her heart in her throat, and he winced. When he reached for her hand, her gaze dropped to the floor.
“I’m not angry at you. I’ll explain later. Let me get this call over with.”
