Page 77 of Come Back to Me

The firefighters from Station Three show up around seven p.m. with enough food to feed a small army, and they let us know that they’d like to take turns sitting with Jack at night, if it’s okay with his family.

Around nine, a young couple approach us hesitantly, accompanied by a hospital chaplain.

“Excuse me, are you the family of the firefighter who was brought in earlier today?” the woman, her eyes rimmed red, asks meekly.

“Yes, ma’am, we are,” Ben speaks up on behalf of the family before introducing us and telling them Jack’s name.

“It was my mom and our son that were rescued from the fire. We… we lost my mom about an hour ago to her injuries, but…” she says, choking back a sob.

Her husband pulls her into his chest as she’s unable to finish speaking. “The doctors said that if Jack hadn’t put his oxygen mask on our son, James wouldn’t have made it. Jack saved our son’s life, and we will be forever grateful to him. We’ll be praying for him and when he’s recovered, we’d like to thank him personally, if that’s okay,” the husband finishes saying.

Jack’s father speaks up now, “We’d like that. Thank you for coming to talk to us. None of us are surprised by what Jack did and know he’d do it again if he needed to.”

After the young couple leave us, I offer to take Gracie to my house until Jack is better, because he has to get better. The Donleys agree that it’ll be best for Gracie, and Jack would be happy to know she’s with me and Beanie. Shayna and I make a plan for her to go pick up Gracie and her food and bring her to my house.

We head out around nine-thirty and when Gracie andShayna arrive, Beanie and Gracie both go wild, tails wagging and licking each other’s faces.

But Shayna and I can’t figure out why Beanie keeps going to the door and sitting, crying intermittently. We’re able to distract him for a minute or two, but he just does it again. Then it hits me.

“Oh my God,” I say, putting my hand over my mouth and trying to stop the tears that threaten to come. “Shayna, Beanie hasn’t seen Gracie since Jack and I broke up. I think he’s expecting Jack to come through the door,” I whisper.

Just like that, we both fall apart again right into hot blubbering messes.

I couldn’t sleep muchlast night so I arrive back at the hospital at five a.m. and relieve the firefighter, one I haven’t met yet from A shift, who is sitting vigil at Jack’s bedside.

I can’t help but wonder if Jack would still want me here. I know Iaskedhim to not contact me, but the fact that he actually listened is making me wonder where I stand with him. Maybe he really gave up on us and let me go.

I tell myself that all that matters is that he gets through this. If he wakes up and doesn’t want me anymore, I’ll have to be okay with that.

He just needs to wake up, though.

He can’t talk back to me and can’t hear me because of the sedation he’s on, but I talk to him a little, anyway.

“Hey, Jack, it’s me, Annie. I’ve got Gracie and I’m taking care of her for you. Don’t worry, I won’t give her too many treats… for now, anyway. If you don’t get better quick, I swear to you I will fatten her up so much that you’ll have to take up running with her to get the weight off,” I tease.

After clearing my throat, I continue, “Seriously, though,you have to get better, Jack. I realize that… that I asked you to stay away, but this… this can’t be how our story ends. Please come back to me.”

Jack’s mom arrives around seven and smiles when she sees me at his bedside. I stand to leave, but she stops me, asking me to stay with her.

We’re both there when the doctors come in for their rounds. Dr. Robinson, the lead physician on the team, gives us the updates.

“Good morning, Mrs. Donley, Annie,” he starts. “Jack’s lab work and chest x-ray look good today. There is no sign of pneumonia, which is something we worry about with smoke inhalation. The swelling in his throat doesn’t appear any worse, but it’s also not improved yet. We’re going to continue giving Jack breathing treatments, high-dose steroids, and keep him sedated on the breathing machine for a few days to give the swelling a chance to go down.”

“Will he be okay?” Rose asks, not able to stop herself.

“I’m optimistic, ma’am. But it’s too early to tell for sure. The next couple of days are critical,” Dr. Robinson tells her, as honestly as he can.

I assure her that this is all good news, the best we can really expect at this point.

Around eleven, I decide I should probably go back to the house to take the dogs on a walk and spend a few hours with them. Rose makes me promise to come back by dinnertime to eat with the family, and I can’t say no to her, so I agree.

After I’ve spent most of the afternoon with the dogs, I get them ready for one more walk before heading back to the hospital.

As I’m taking them outside, I find that Julie and the twins are taking advantage of the gorgeous fall day and playing in the leaves. When I explain to Julie what happened on Friday, she’s stunned.

“Annie, I’m so sorry. The kids and I are happy to keep the dogs when you’re ready to go back to the hospital, so you don’t feel you have to rush back home,” Julie offers.

“Are… are you sure? I don’t want to impose on you all.”

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