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Unexpected friends can be the hardest to let go.
Ever since her mother passed away from cancer, Amanda’s been determined to save every life she could. But her goal seems thwarted when she becomes a home nurse to Hector, a retired army chaplain who is equally determined to give up on this life and see his late wife in the next. Hector and Amanda clash instantly, but as they learn to open up and listen to each other, they realize they have more in common than they first thought.
Carry Me Home is always 99 cents!
Keep scrolling to read the first chapter of this book.
ONE
“NINE-ONE-ONE, what is your emergency?”
Amanda snapped into action, tangled thoughts swimming through her ocean of medical knowledge. Constructing a professional barrier, she scolded her pounding heart, and spoke with authority.
“I need immediate medical assistance to a residence at 432 Walnut Street in Kingston. I have an unresponsive patient. Her breathing is shallow. Pulse, weak.”
She whipped the blood pressure cuff away from Greta’s arm and slung it into her nursing bag. “Blood pressure is 140 over 90.”
When the dispatcher inquired about the patient’s age, Amanda pressed her lips together and lied.
“I don’t know. Send an ambulance now.”
She could have said that Greta was eighty-two and this would be her fifth trip to the hospital in as many months, albeit the first by ambulance. But, she’d bet anything that the emergency personnel would move with more haste if that information never touched their ears. From her crouched position on the floor, Amanda’s gaze flicked upward to the elderly woman slumped over on the lilac sofa. Stay with me, Greta. You won’t die. Not tonight. I can’t let you. Amanda answered more questions about vitals and prescriptions while she grasped Greta’s hand. As she observed the falling snow outside, she clenched her teeth. The weather better not cause any delays.
Amanda cringed when the dispatcher asked the question. “Are you a doctor, ma’am?”
She swallowed hard, lowered her head, and answered in an exasperated tone.
“No. Just an RN.”
“Okay, the paramedics should be there momentarily. Please stay on the line until they arrive.”
Amanda heard sirens wail in the distance. Familiar red and blue lights pierced the darkness outside Greta’s window.
“They’re here.” She shoved her cell phone into the pocket of her scrubs and raced to the entryway off the kitchen. The paramedics—two men and one woman—appeared with equipment in tow.
“Where is she?”
“On the couch.” Amanda led the medical team into the living room. “I came to do my rounds and I found her like this. I checked her vitals and—”
“Thank you, miss. Please step aside.” All three paramedics pushed past Amanda and squatted beside Greta’s motionless form. The younger man lifted the tiny, wrinkled wrist dangling at Greta’s side. Amanda pushed her palms together and tried not to hover.
“Forty beats per minute. Get the gurney.” At the command, the blonde woman, who looked no older than fifteen, sprang to her feet and rushed outside to retrieve the rolling bed. The older man affixed an oxygen mask to Greta’s somber face. The elderly woman appeared to be merely asleep, but the loud commotion in her home did nothing to disturb her slumber.
Amanda bounced on her toes and rubbed her arms. Not able to hold herself back any longer, she approached the two men. “She has a history of stroke and congestive heart failure.”
The older man stared at her as if she’d materialized out of thin air. “Are you a relative?”
“No. I’m her—”
The gurney rolled in, and the two men twisted in a flurry of movement.
“Up on three. One, two … three.” The paramedics strapped Greta’s body on the cot and rolled her outside within a few seconds. Amanda tailed them, intending to climb into the ambulance along with the paramedics and offer aid during the trip to the hospital.
As she approached the vehicle, the younger woman held up her hand and spoke in an apologetic manner. “Please, family only. Hospital policy. You can meet us at Vermont General.” With that, she secured the doors, and the trio left Amanda to pace on the asphalt driveway. She shivered at the bitter New England wind. Her pulse was still racing, and her limbs felt jumpy and jittery from the unexpected adrenaline rush. A few breathing exercises helped her head clear and her muscles relax. She tipped her face toward the cloudy night sky. At least the snow had stopped for now. She fingered her cell phone once more and hesitated. How would Greta’s granddaughter respond to another hospitalization?
Amanda scrolled through the touch screen to find Rachel’s number.
After three rings, a strained voice greeted her. “Amanda? Is everything okay?”
Amanda pressed the back of her hand to her forehead. “I had to call an ambulance for Greta. It doesn’t look good. They brought her to Vermont General. She’ll arrive in less than fifteen minutes. I’ll meet you in there as soon as I can.”
Rachel didn’t respond right away. Probably telling her young family they’d have to take another trip to the hospital when they should be preparing for the holidays. Dishes and silverware clanged in the background.
“Thanks Amanda, but you can go on home. We’ll take it from here and keep you posted.”
Amanda hung up without a word. The icy November breeze whipped her dark hair around her face and flying bits of snow stung her lips. She wondered if Bill was at the house yet. Her phone’s clock read 5:20. The night was still young, and he could still be at the office working on the big project his father had assigned him. Logging into her “Find Your True Love” app, she punched in his cell number and located his GPS signal. 70 Rockport Lane. Must have left work early for a change. She slipped her phone back into her pocket and decided to drive back to the house as well.
She needed to gather her things and lock up. A few brisk strides led her inside to water the plants before she flipped the light switch and closed the door. Greta would appreciate the gesture if she ever recovered from this episode and returned home. Amanda allowed a hot tear to escape from her lashes while no one was around to watch. This was the worst part of the job—being ignored. She could have helped stabilize Greta before the ambulance reached the hospital if they’d given her the chance.
No one would needlessly die on her watch. That wouldn’t happen again. The locket tucked underneath her shirt scorched her skin.
Unbidden memories fluttered to the surface of her mind, but Amanda thrust them down.
Scrutinizing the mistakes of the past wouldn’t make her feel better, not when history was about to repeat itself.
Amanda locked up the house and pulled her jacket close to her still-shivering body. She started her blue Camry, cranked the heat on full blast, then switched off the radio. Silence better suited her mood. She let out a long breath and started for the interstate.