“I know,” I choked out. “It’s okay. We’ll get you all fixed up, okay? You’re good, baby. You’re fine.”

“Get me out,” she said, panicking as she finally realized where she was. “Get me out of here.”

“We just have to wait a couple more minutes,” I said, holding her still as she tried to shift out of her seat. “Stay right there, okay? Don’t move yet.”

“Why?” she asked, her breathing turning frantic. “Why?” Her eyes scanned the crowd around us as she began to sob.

“You were in an accident,” I said, putting my face near hers. “You’re okay.”

“Get me out,” she said again. “Get me out. Get me out.”

“You have to stay still until the paramedics get here.”

“Alex,” she said, the fear in her voice almost bringing me to my knees. “Get me out of here.”

“Sir,” a voice said behind me. “Please step back.”

“Fuck off,” I replied, shrugging off the hand on my shoulder.

“Sir, you have to let us help.” There was something about his tone, or maybe the firm way his hand met my shoulder again, that got my attention.

I turned my head to find a fireman and a paramedic standing side by side, waiting for me to move. I took a step back, making Sarai call out my name in a panic.

“It’s okay,” I told her, moving back just enough to let them reach her but staying close enough that she could still see me. “They’re going to help you.”

It seemed like it took hours for them to get her out of the car, but it must have been only minutes. I hated the way they moved with calm efficiency. Didn’t they realize that she was my life? Why were they moving so slowly?

I let them speak to Sarai, calming her down in a way that I hadn’t been able to. I took a step back as they helped her out of the car, but when she sat down on the stretcher so they could buckle her in, I lost all feeling in my legs.

I’d been to war. I’d seen things that would never leave me, things that had given me nightmares, things that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. I’d lived through them and done my best to move past them. But nothing in my life had prepared me for the sight of the blood covering the back of Sarai’s light-gray pants.

“She’s pregnant,” I choked out as my knees hit the pavement. “My wife’s pregnant.”

*  *  *

“You did a number on these,” the doctor said as he added another stitch to my arm. “When I’m finished with this one, I’m also going to put a couple in the cut near your elbow.”