Page 160 of The Compass Series

STELLA

I couldn’t get ahold of Damian.

At first, I figured he was just at work late, finishing up some paperwork, yet it wasn’t normal for him not to respond to my text messages.

I rang his phone a few times and received no answer.

When nightfall came, and he still wasn’t home, my anxiety rose even more. What if he was in a car accident? He was a new driver, and Los Angeles drivers could be a bit aggressive on the roads. What if he was hurt? What if something terrible happened?

Oh, my goodness, something happened.

I knew it did. My mind was spinning as I lay in the bed. I wasn’t supposed to get up, but I couldn’t think of what else to do. So I called Grams.

She didn’t answer, either.

My nerves were shot as I pulled myself up from the bed.

My ankles were swollen, even though they’d been up on pillows for the past few weeks.

I tried my best to keep my thoughts as calm as possible because I knew my anxiety would raise my blood pressure, and I couldn’t have that because it would put my baby girl at risk.

Still, I was scared. I’d been scared for so long that I wasn’t even sure what to do with the fear anymore.

I slid my slippers on and headed out of the house to go over to Grams’s guesthouse to check in. It was late. I was certain she was probably just sleeping. Still, I needed her help to find Damian. She’d know what to do. She always knew what to do.

As I walked up to her door, I knocked a few times before using the key Grams had given me years ago.

Coming and going from her home was second nature for me.

I walked into the living room, which was dark, and was prepared to go straight to her bedroom to crawl into bed with her for comfort, but my heart dropped as I looked down the hallway and saw her motionless body lying on the floor.

“Grams!” I shouted, rushing over to her, bending down. I shook her body, trying to wake her up. “Grams, get up! Grams!” I cried out as panic shot through me. I pulled out my phone and called 911. My hand shook as I spoke into the receiver. “Hi, yes, it’s my grandmother. She’s unconscious.”

They asked me to check for a pulse.

It was there.

Faint.

Faint.

Faint…

She was still breathing, but her breaths were short and low.

An ambulance showed up, and they hurried us to the hospital. They took Grams toward the back, but I wasn’t allowed to follow. I yelled, I screamed, and I cried, but I wasn’t allowed to follow.

I was placed in the waiting room to wait.

Wait.

Wait.

Wait…

My stomach was in knots as I sat, tapping my fingers against my thigh. I needed Damian. Where was he?

I walked over to the receptionist’s desk. “Hi, I have a question. I was wondering if you could search a name in your system to see if they have been admitted to the hospital.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, I’m not really allowed to do that.”

“Yeah, okay, but see”—I placed my hands around my stomach, feeling out of breath— “my grandmother is in the ICU, and I am supposed to be on strict bed rest, but I cannot get ahold of my husband, and my husband isn’t one to ever go missing, so my head is spinning, and I am panicked and scared and?—”

Tears streamed down my cheeks as the receptionist reached across to me and placed her hand on top of mine. Her eyes were filled with care. “What’s his name, sweetheart?”

“Damian.” I swallowed, wiping at my eyes. “Damian Blackstone.”

She began typing on her computer and frowned. “He’s not here.”

Then where are you, Damian?

“Thank you.”

I went back to the waiting room and sat down with shaky legs and swollen ankles.

Hours passed, and Grams was still unconscious. They wouldn’t tell me anything because she wasn’t my grandmother by blood, and sometimes, family by heart wasn’t enough to pass.

I tried my best not to fall completely apart as I kept texting Damian.

Stella: Where are you?

Stella: Grams is in the ICU. She’s unconscious.

Stella: I’m freaking out. Are you okay? Please call me. Or text. Anything.

Stella: Please, Damian, I need you. I can’t do this alone.

Stella: Call me.

Stella: I love you. Please call.