His Heart's Desire

43

Alice

Nick and I continue laughing and telling jokes as we walk down the empty road that leads to his house.

Nick spins me around and I giggle.

Our arms swing back and forth as we approach his house. Nick slowly comes to a stop and I look up at him.

"Why'd you stop? Let's get to your house it's cold." I say laughing.

His hand that was laced with mine loosens and he pulls his hand out causing me to frown.

"Alice," Nick says suddenly serious looking down at me.

I bite my lip as he places his hands on my shoulders.

"I-I" he starts with a stutter but quickly clears his throat to cover it up.

"Everyone has been telling me lately... well it was my idea I wouldn't do it if someone else told me to- that's not it I just really like you and... the thing is...I want you to do me the honor of being my g-" he says nervously and my lips part in anticipation. But he gets cut off by a loud cry.

"N-N-Nichola-as" The familiar voice of Logan whimpers loudly behind us in the dark. Nick and I are quick to face him.

"Logan? It's almost midnight why are you out bud?" Nick says calmly but I can tell something horrible happened even before he speaks.

My eyes glance back and forth from Logan's small house to the crying boy.

"M-mommy fell." He says in hysterics. Sobs racking his body and tears falling into the gravel road by his feet.

I feel Nick goes stiff from behind and everything happened so fast.

"Alice watch Logan and call an ambulance!" Nick yells tossing me his phone and running inside.

I feel my eyes well with tears and my heartbeat picks up as Nick's retreating back runs into Logan's home. I need to be strong. I grab Logan's hand and walk him to the curb.

I sit him down while I dial 911. I put the phone to my ear and my fingers shake as I fiddle with my coat.

"911 what's your emergency?" A woman through the phone asks and I explain the situation as fast as I can.

Pulling off my coat I drape it over Logan whose shivering in only his pajamas. I tell the woman on the phone the address.

"Yes, we need an ambulance," I say and the woman on the phone calmly but quickly arranges it.

"Help is on the way please remain outside if possible." The woman says and I toss Nick's phone on the grass and pull Logan into my arms.

"She's gonna be okay. She's gonna be okay." I whisper rubbing his shaking back.

My heart breaks for this small boy as he holds onto my waist so tightly as if he was afraid I'd leave like his mother.

His tears wet my shirt and I continue to soothe him the best I can.

I hear a loud bang and jump. I look up and see Nick holding Kathy in his arms. She's limp and lifeless and I make sure Logan doesn't see.

After awhile the faint sound of an ambulance comes closer and Logan cries harder.

"I'll ride with Kathy in the ambulance and you take Logan to the hospital. Here are my keys." He says quickly and I nod taking his keys from him and lift Logan into my arms.

Logan is drowning in my coat crying as the ambulance pulls up. The lights are blinding and the siren hurts my ears but I race to Nick's truck with Logan in my arms no matter how hard it was.