“I don’t know.” Archer dragged a hand through his hair and reached for Mateo.

Mateo fell to his knees next to them and followed the same motions Archer had—checking her pulse, listening for her breath, searching for any encouraging signs. “Has she moved at all?” he asked.

“Just an eyelid.” Archer picked up Eileen’s fallen sun hat and clutched it with white knuckles.

A few more curious onlookers gathered, then Mrs. C arrived, carrying a first aid kit.

“She’s breathing,” Archer told her. “Barely.”

Mrs. C checked her over, as well. “Poor thing,” she murmured, brushing Eileen’s hair off her forehead. “She mentioned before that she has poor circulation. I wonder if that has something to do with it.”

“I don’t know,” Archer said, his voice rough. “Is there anything else we can do?”

“They’ll be here soon, Archer. Eileen knows you’re here with her.”

They finally heard the ambulance approaching, and then the siren cut out once the ambulance pulled into the long drive. A minute later, two EMTs came into sight walking down the main path with a stretcher. They waved the crowd back and set their cases down.

“Archer?” one of them asked.

“Yes,” he nodded, mouth dry.

“I’m Caroline and this is James. We are emergency medical technicians and we’re here to help Eileen.”

“Yes, please,” he said, letting go of Eileen’s hand and gripping Mateo’s instead as they moved back.

Caroline and James knelt next to Eileen’s small figure.

“Eileen, can you hear us?” Caroline called.

Eileen’s eyes fluttered again.

“Eileen?” Caroline gave her shoulder a shake.

Her lips moved, as if she were mumbling something, but Archer couldn’t hear any words.

Once their assessment was complete, they lifted Eileen onto the stretcher. Archer, Mateo, and Mrs. C followed the medics up the path.

Eileen’s eyes drifted open as they approached the ambulance. “Archer,” she croaked when she saw him.

“Eileen!” Archer took her hand again. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know,” she breathed. “I was walking up the path and…” Her voice faded and her eyes closed again.

“It’s going to be alright,” Archer said, doing his very best to keep his voice calm. “The paramedics are here, and they’re going to take you to the hospital.”

She looked so small and frail in the back of the ambulance, surrounded by medical equipment and sterile white walls. Her eyes opened again. “Will you stay with me, Archer?”

“Of course I will.” He turned to Mateo. “I’m going to go with her. I’m sorry, I know—”

Mateo cut him off. “I’m coming too.”

“What? No! Mateo, it’s the final show.”

“I don’t care. I need to be with Eileen. And you.”

“Okay.” Archer nodded, relenting. Of course Mateo would want to go. “Thank you.”

“Do you have a car?” Caroline asked.

“You can take mine,” Mrs. C offered.