Page 37 of The Final Storm
I know I’ve seen images that give me hope, but when my baby looks so unwell, when she struggles to breathe, I don’t trust my sight. My mind lies and I can’t hide from the reality in front of me.
Nurses remove Lori from Luke’s side after hours of her lingering. He’s at a precipice of the illness, and I know they don’t want her laying there if he passes. He needs time, and if he makes it through the night, he might survive. It’s a fifty percent shot, and they tell us it’s best if we leave and get some rest. No one will sleep, but we agree. She’s a corpse of a person, expressionless and empty, unable to fight their command anymore.
I ask the nurse if I can get the radio again and speak with Sam before we leave. She brings it over to me and I punch the buttons I’ve memorized by heart.
I speak as soon as I hear Sam click on. “Are you on your way back yet?”
“Today I think,” he replies. “She had the baby late last night, and Caleb’s already made all the trips back.”
When Sam and Caleb arrived, they convinced the islanders to come to the Galene with them. My momentary relief turned into a nightmare when a woman on the island went into labor as soon as everyone was ready to go the next morning. She insisted she have the baby on the island, scared of the unknown, and Gemma wouldn’t leave her side.
Caleb brought groups of people back to the Galene while they waited, and with every passing hour, I prayed this woman would have her baby, but her labor dragged on.
“Luke’s at the fork in the road,” I whisper into the receiver. “I don’t know if he’s going to make it.”
There’s static on the other side, and then Sam clicks back. “He’ll make it.”
“Can I talk to the boys?”
“I wish,” Sam chuckles. “But they’re taking their chance to get a last round at the slingshot.”
“Be careful,” I tell him.
“Any sign of…” he trails off.
“No, I haven’t seen or heard from Cecilia,” I bite out.
More static and Lori rises from her seat and walks out the door on rigid legs. She says nothing as she turns, picking up her pace down the hall.
“Any sign of the visitors?” I ask.
“No. Nothing. I’m not complaining, though.”
“Hey, I’ve got to go,” I say. “Lori just left, and I don’t want to leave her alone.”
We say our I love yous, and I toss the radio back to the nurse, chasing after Lori.
I step out of the room, but I’ve already lost her. Lori disappeared into the maze of secret rooms and hallways, and I search until my feet drag and my body refuses to keep walking. I don’t want to leave Lori by herself, but I return to the medical unit, afraid to leave Morgan and Luke alone for too long.
I rest as best I can for a few hours and go back out into the halls, looking for her once more in all the places we’ve been, calling her name as I go. Passengers think I’ve lost a child, and I describe her to them, hoping someone has seen her. After another failed search, I decide she’ll have to wander her way to me when she’s ready. I crawl onto a cot next to Luke, exhausted and frustrated.
I try to focus on the good memories and see if I can summon a happy vision. I need that more than anything, but all that comes is the same flash of this room with blood on the floor and machines blaring. Chaos in the medical unit doesn’t mean that Luke will die. That’s what I tell myself.
I questioned Luke’s loyalty for a time, convinced he was in Dean’s pocket. Looking back, I realize my assumption was wide off the mark. Ridiculous, even.
In our first encounter, he helped me despite the chaos boarding the Thalassa. Unsure if he would get into trouble, he took the time to carry Sam’s body to a rescue boat and smuggle me a medical kit. He volunteered for the two hundred stowaways and did what he thought made him a good serviceman. He loves Lori and Tank, and we need him.
No new visions come while I stare at him, forcing myself to stay awake throughout the night, thinking about all we’ve been through. It’s the same images that don’t help me understand our future.
A nurse enters the room, and my eyes look for a clock. Morning should be soon, if not already here, and he’s still alive, machines still beeping with each pump of his heart. I flash a weak smile and step over to Luke’s bed, running my fingers through the knots in my hair.
“Hi,” she whispers. She moves a stray hair behind her ear and looks me over.
“How’s he doing? It’s almost morning. I… think.” I find the clock, but I can’t focus my eyes on the blurry numbers.
“He just might surprise us,” she says, looking over the equipment by his side. “Where is your friend, Lori?”
“I can’t find her,” I admit. My shoulders slump at the thought of spending another minute alone.
