Fragile Hearts (Poplar Falls #4) - Amber Kelly Page 0,59

put him straight into the truck and came straight here. I flew so maybe fifteen minutes or so. His face started swelling and he was breathing funny. Panting. He threw up in the truck on the way here too. Please don’t let him die,” she sobs.

“Bellamy, set up an IV; I need to get fluids started right away. Also, pull a vial of antivenin,” he instructs and I hurry to get everything started.

Hawkeye starts seizing on the table and Sophie become hysterical. I go as fast as I can to assist Brandt because I know I need to also help comfort Hawk’s very pregnant, distraught mother or we are liable to have two emergencies on our hands if she goes into early labor.

“He’s in shock, let’s get the fluids in him,” Brandt says calmly as he lays Hawk on his side and places a pillow under his hind legs to elevate them. Then he begins to examine his gums and gently tugs his tongue to clear his airway.

I get the bag hung and insert the needle to get the IV going quickly, and then I set the syringes with the medications on the tray by the table. Once I have everything set up for Brandt, I make my way over to Sophie and guide her towards the door of the exam room.

“I don’t want to leave him,” she cries.

“I know, but I promise he is in good hands. Dr. Haralson will take good care of him. Let’s get you some water and call Braxton,” I suggest as I carefully tug her into the hallway.

She is shaking and I’m afraid she will fall, so I keep my hands on her back as I lead her to the break room.

Once I have her sitting down, I bring her a bottle of water and then go retrieve her purse from the truck. I grab my cell off the desk on the way out to call Braxton. There is no way I’m letting her drive herself home.

Braxton doesn’t answer his phone, so I try Walker’s.

“Hello, beautiful, what can I do for you?”

“Is Braxton near you?” I ask as I make it to Sophie’s truck. Groceries are slung all over the place. Ice cream is melting, eggs broken and fruit rolling around the backseat and the smell of Hawk’s sickness fills the cab.

“Yes, he’s up on the tractor, why? Don’t tell me she already popped,” he says and I can hear his breathing increase as he starts running.

“No, but it’s not out of the question. Hawk was bitten protecting Sophie from a rattlesnake and she drove him to the clinic. Brandt’s working on Hawk, but I don’t know if he’ll make it or not. Sophie is frantic and she needs Braxton in a hurry. Also, her truck needs a cleanup from puppy vomit,” I tell him.

“Ten-four,” he says and I can make out the muffled conversation as he relays the message to Braxton before coming back on the line.

“We’re both on our way.”

The line goes dead and I take Sophie’s purse to her and let her know her husband is on his way. I make several more trips out to her track to bring the groceries into the clinic and put them in the fridge. By the time I make my last trip, Walker’s truck pulls up and Braxton bounds out and runs to the door.

“She’s in the break room down the hall on the right,” I call to him as he enters.

“Here, let me have those,” Walker says as he approaches and relieves me of the bags.

“Thank you,” I say as I give him the weight, “I’ll lock it up.”

“Nah, leave it open and I’ll get to cleaning it as soon as we get these in. I’ll get as much as I can now and then I’ll drive it back to Rustic Peak and give it a good bath and Brax can drive Soph home in my truck.”

Sophie is in Braxton’s arms weeping when we make it inside. He is rubbing her back and murmuring soothing words into her hair.

“I’ll go check in and see what’s happening now that you have her,” I tell him and he gives me an appreciative nod.

Brandt was able to get Hawkeye settled and the antivenin going in time. After about half an hour, his breathing settled and his heart rate returned to normal.

“I gave him pain meds to help him sleep. I want to keep him here overnight, so I can keep an eye on him. I’m going