Page 30 of Married to a SEAL

She slowed to a stop as the light changed red, her eyes scanning the empty intersection. It was kind of eerie to be driving alone this late at night. Her finger slid to the automatic lock, checking to make sure she hadn’t forgotten to lock the car doors.

Seconds ticked by, and she yawned again, watching the desolate streets around her. Everything looked scarier at night, but she was just being silly, she admonished herself. She was exhausted and letting her imagination get the better of her.

Everything was perfectly fine.

Finally, the light changed to green, reflecting off the inky black asphalt.

She pulled forward and drove through the intersection, jumping in her seat as her phone suddenly vibrated from inside her purse.

Had something happened with Alison and the baby?

The number flashing on the screen was one she didn’t recognize, and a feeling of dread washed over her.

“Hello?”

“Rebecca? It’s Captain Ryan Mitchell.”

Rebecca swerved, her hands fumbling with the phone and steering wheel as her chest seized in fear, and she quickly pulled to the side of the road. She automatically put her car in park, trying to remember how to breathe.

A thousand thoughts flashed through her mind. There was no reason for Ryan to call her in the dead of night unless it were a dire emergency. Her heart felt like it was about to pound out of her chest it was beating so hard, and she could barely muster a few incomprehensible words.

“What?” she asked again, her ears ringing.

“Are you driving? I’m at the hospital looking for you. You need to pull over.”

“I did. I just pulled over.”

“There’s been an accident,” he said bluntly.

She gasped, her vision beginning to tunnel. Cool air blew from the vents on her car. The radio played dimly in the background. The rest of the world kept on turning. But just like that, in a flash, her life would never be the same.

She gotten a similar call when her husband had been killed years ago.

An accident.

A middle-of-the-night phone call.

Hot tears slid down her cheeks as she took in a gasping breath.

“What?” she whispered, realizing that Ryan was still talking.

“Patrick was injured and is being medevac’d to a hospital in Landstuhl. I was trying to catch you in person but figured I’d better call because I need to get back to base.”

“What happened? Will he be okay?”

“I don’t have the details yet. I just received word about the injury. I went over to Patrick’s house, assuming you were there with the kids.”

“No, Sarah is watching them.”

Ryan cleared his throat. “Yes, I spoke with her while I was there. I’m at the hospital Alison is staying at, but the nurses told me you’d already left.”

“Oh my God,” Rebecca whispered, fresh tears beginning to fall.

“Rebecca, we don’t know anything else yet. We don’t know anything about his status or condition other than that he’s alive. Go home and wait there with Sarah. I’ll try to find out more and update you as soon as I can.”

“Oh my God,” she said again. “This can’t be happening. It can’t. He promised me that he’d be okay. He promised he’d be okay!”

“Rebecca. Hell, I shouldn’t have told you this over the phone,” he muttered. “Do you need me to come get you? I’ll drive you to Patrick’s house then head back into base. You can wait there with Sarah.”

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