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I didn’t wait I was out of the car and inside within seconds I ran to the lady at the sign in sheet "Dixie Monroe She was brought in by Life Flight Do you have information on her? "

The lady casually looked at her couht This was no big deal to her She’d been desensitized by other people’s night "She’s adh She’s in the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit"

I had no fucking idea what that h "Where is that?"

"Go left around the large turn, then take the elevators on your right to the fifth floor Take a left then and go straight until you see the waiting room"

Bray was inside now The four of us headed in the direction ere told I knew that, even without telling theive hiether, stood with the sure everyone was taken care of Not no, they were standing withwere to happen to her, I’d fall apart She wasroo in front of it He ran his hand over his balding head and the tense lines of his face were obvious even from afar Charlotte saw us first She stood up and walked toward"She’s alive," she whispered in both relief and desperation Because that didn’t mean she was okay

"What happened?"

"She justcollapsed Her heart stopped There’s the doctor," she said lettingover to Luke as already there in front of the o somewhere private?" the doctor asked

Luke looked back at us, atthere "No This is her faenital heart condition called Long QT Syndrons or sy their life It aloes undetected until it’s too late Dixie was lucky Heruntil the paramedics could revive her Most aren’t that lucky I want you to understand the severity of what she’s been through and that she isn’t in the clear just yet We have put her in a drug induced co her temperature down In two days, ar her out of the coma She will be in it for about four days total I have done this before and it’s been successful And I’ve done it and it hasn’t been But ill do our absolute best to bring her through this She’s a fighter Once she’s brought out of the coma, ill then fit her for an iulate her heartbeat"

Her heart had stopped Dear God, she could have died Today I’d have never gotten to hold her again We wouldn’t grow old together She’d have never grown old The idea of it rocked me I sank down onto the closest chair and buried my head in my hands She didn’t die She was alive The coma they had put her in scared the fuck out of me She had to open her eyes and look at me She had to let ive her everything she ever wanted, everything she deserved It wasn’t over yet We still had a lifeti against the sun now co across from me She had her knees pulled up under her chin and her ars She had no makeup and her hair was in a messy knot on top of her head, but she was still the sa redhead that had almost torn my brothers apart She was Dixie’s best friend and I was happy she was here I just hoped Brent and Bray weren’t back anyti up, I yawned and stretched She dropped her knees and straightened She looked like she was ready to be told to leave, or worse

"Someone must have knohere to contact you Dixie will be happy you’re here"

My words seeht," she said

"Good"

She was quiet for a fewdown at her hands "Ion those chairs"