Page 19 of Clear Shot (Lauderdale Knights #9)

Hana

The storm rages the entire day. Howling wind and rain that’s coming down sideways. Debris flying through the air and the walls of the house rattling. Then, like someone flipped a switch, it’s over. I wake to complete silence and roll over in alarm.

“Aiden?”

His eyes pop open. “What? What’s wrong?”

“It’s so…quiet.”

He frowns for a moment and then sits up. He pads over to the window and peeks out.

“The sun is out,” he announces.

“Oh my God.” I practically jump out of bed and join him at the window. “It’s over.”

“Thank fuck.” He turns and kisses me, our mouths moving together sweetly.

“As much as I wish we could kiss all morning,” I say, “I think we need to see if there’s anything we can do to help Remy clean up.”

He nods. “Let’s get dressed.”

We quickly freshen up and put on clean clothes before heading downstairs.

Everyone else is already up, drinking coffee and talking.

Remy has opened some of the shutters and though the sun is shining brightly, the devastation outside is gut-wrenching.

“Oh my God.” I stare out at what was once a beautifully landscaped yard. Now there’s nothing but fallen trees and debris. Where there were once gorgeous bushes, flowers, and trees, now there’s nothing. Just damage and heartbreak.

That’s the only way to describe it.

And based on what we’re hearing on the news Remy just turned on, we were lucky.

Entire neighborhoods washed out.

Roofs completely ripped from the studs.

Roads underwater.

Hospitals overwhelmed.

And death.

At least twenty people have reportedly died and they’re finding more bodies as the day goes on.

“What can we do?” I ask, staring at the television screen.

“I’ve got a dozen cases of water in the garage,” Remy says. “I’m going to drive around and see if anyone needs help.”

“What about here?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “The house is fine, all things considered. I want to help people who didn’t fare as well.”

“I just heard from Vaughn,” Jordan says. “They could use some extra hands at the hospital. The ER is overwhelmed and they need help clearing the parking lot so emergency vehicles can get in.”

“I’ll go with you,” Aiden says.

“Me too,” I offer. “I may be able to help inside, even if it’s just keeping people calm.”

Everyone comes up with a plan and we head in different directions.

Aiden and I get on his motorcycle and make our way to the hospital. He drops me off by the emergency area and then drives around looking for a place to park. The parking lot and emergency bays are filled with debris, and there are a handful of people doing their best to clear the mess.

Instead of waiting, I head inside and look around.

“Excuse me, I’m looking for Chloe. Er, Dr. LeBlanc.”

An exhausted looking nurse nods. “She’s here but we’re all swamped. If you want to just find a seat we’ll get to you?—”

“No, I’m here to help.” I look around. “There must be something I can do.”

The nurse sighs. “I don’t even know where to start—Chloe! You have a visitor!” She points and I see Chloe.

“Are you hurt?” she asks, hurrying over to me.

“No. Aiden and I came to help. He’s outside trying to move some of the debris in the ambulance bay. Is there anything I can do?”

“We’re beyond capacity and doing our best to deal with people who are critical… everyone else just has to wait. If you really want to help, there are some kids in the waiting area whose parents we can’t find. If you can keep them entertained, that would be great.”

“Of course.”

She points toward a couple of little girls who can’t be more than four or five. They’re both dirty and disheveled but don’t appear to be hurt so I approach them cautiously. I get down on my haunches in front of them and smile.

“Hi. My name is Hana. Can you tell me your names?”

The one who’s slightly bigger nods. “I’m Kelly and this is my sister, Becky.”

“Do you know where your mommy or daddy is?”

Kelly shakes her head. “No. Mommy got losted in the her-cane.”

“Mommy!” Becky starts to cry and I gently put my arms around her, hugging her tightly.

“We’re going to try to find your mommy,” I whisper, wishing there was more I could do. I’ve never felt more useless, and it’s a humbling experience.

I recognize how lucky I am.

And not just because of Aiden.

I know that Johan would have moved heaven and earth to get me out of here or, at the very least, made sure I was safe either with Mr. Knight or at the arena.

On top of that, I literally have nothing to lose other than my car.

I have money and a family. I can literally pack up and go back to Bratislava, or move in with Johan, and don’t have to think about damage to my home or where my next meal is coming from.

I’m a little ashamed of my privilege, and though I understand that I work hard and don’t expect any handouts, I came through this disaster unscathed.

Which is more than many of the people here in this emergency room can say.

I’m not sure what else I can do to help others, but I’m going to try my best to give back to those who aren’t so fortunate.

“Hana!” Aiden’s voice gives me pause and I turn, startled to see him hurrying inside, a limp child in his arms. “I need help!”

“Aiden!” Chloe hurries in his direction and gets to him a moment before I do. “What happened?” she asks.

“I don’t know. I found him in the dumpster all by himself.”

“In the dumpster?” Her eyes widen and she looks around. “We don’t have any gurneys—can you carry him for me?”

“Sure.” Aiden and I follow her as she leads us back to a hallway that’s already overrun with people on gurneys, in wheelchairs, or simply sitting on chairs. We go around a corner and into what looks more like a lounge than an examination room.

“Lay him down here,” she says, motioning to a small couch. “There’s literally nowhere else.”

Aiden tries to put the boy down, but he immediately screeches, arms snaking out and winding around Aiden’s neck.

“Okay, buddy, I’m right here,” Aiden says in a soothing voice, kneeling in front of the sofa. “If you lay down right here, my friend Chloe is going to take care of you, okay?”

The boy shakes his head. “I want you.”

Aiden looks up at Chloe questioningly and she shrugs. “If your presence calms him, I’m all for it.” She squats down next to them. “Can you tell me your name, sweetie?”

The boy shakes his head.

“My name is Aiden,” Aiden says. “How can we be friends if I don’t know your name?”

The boy’s face and clothes are filthy, streaked with tears and dirt and who knows what else, but when he looks at Aiden, a crooked smile breaks through. “I’m Donny,” he whispers.

“Nice to meet you, Donny.” Aiden smooths his hair out of his eyes. “Do you know where your mom or dad is?”

Donny shakes his head.

“Did they put you in the dumpster during the storm?”

Donny nods.

As they talk, Chloe is surreptitiously examining him, checking for what I assume are cuts, bruises, and broken bones.

“I think he just needs a bath and food,” Chloe murmurs.

“His parents must have put him in the dumpster because that was the safest place for him.”

“It’s one of those that are clamped down,” Aiden says. “On the side of the hospital.”

“Jesus, we put all kinds of crap in those.” Chloe scrunches her nose in distaste. “But he seems to have come through unscathed. I’m going to send someone in to clean him up and then call a social worker. I don’t know what else to do.”

“Aiden?!” Donny’s eyes widen in alarm but Aiden just smiles.

“Right here, buddy. I’m not going anywhere, okay?”

Donny looks nervous but then nods.

“Is there something we can use to clean him up?” I ask Chloe. “I might be able to work on that, at least his face and hands, while we wait.”

“Let me show you where the supplies are.”

I follow her to a small closet that’s almost empty and she grimaces. “Here.” She hands me some packages of what look like wet wipes. “Anything you can do until I can get a social worker down here. But there are a lot of unaccounted for children and missing parents. We’re all overwhelmed.”

“I’ll see if he’ll let me clean him up and then I’ll go back to the waiting room to see what I can do.”

She smiles. “Thanks. That’s a huge help. And by the way—watching your new husband with that little boy must set the old ovaries on fire.”

I flush.

Because she’s right.

Seeing how Aiden treats a child he doesn’t even know is enough to make me yearn for things I shouldn’t even consider. But he doesn’t want kids, even though it’s obvious he would be a great dad, so I put it out of my mind.

“You guys thinking about kids?”

“Uh, no. Not really.” I try to keep my tone light. “That’s not on the radar.”

“Totally get it. Jude and I aren’t either. We’re both way too busy. And there’s nothing wrong with prioritizing your career, you know?”

She continues to chatter as she gathers up some supplies for me—a towel, a few alcohol wipes, and some other random items she puts in my arms.

“Thanks,” she says when someone calls to her. “I have to run.”

I go back into the room where I left Aiden and Donny, and find them on the couch, Donny on Aiden’s lap, head against his shoulder, seemingly fast asleep.

Despite what I’d just told Chloe, my heart flutters a little when I see them.

Aiden looks right at home holding the little boy in his arms, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.

And it breaks my heart a little to know that he’s going to deprive himself of something so beautiful.