She crawled right onto the bed with him. “What happened?” she managed to ask through her tears.

Even though Sydney felt like she was intruding on an intensely private moment, she needed to hear what Mac had to say, so she waited.

He told them about the boat and the accident, adding in a much louder voice, “And no one will tell me how my father is!”

“We’re checking on him for you, Mr. McCarthy,” the nurse said in a long-suffering tone that indicated she’d already told him that a few times.

“Are you hurt?” Maddie asked, her hands traveling from his face to his chest.

“I’m fine, but apparently I have to stay here until Dr. Maitland says I can go.”

“Should just be a few more minutes,” the nurse said.

“What about Luke?” Sydney asked, holding her breath in anticipation of whatever she might hear.

“He sprained his ankle, pretty badly, I guess.”

“And that’s it?”

“That’s all I heard.”

“He was waiting to have an X-ray, last I knew,” the nurse said. “I could take you to him, if you’d like.”

“Yes,” Sydney said, sick with relief. “Please.” To Maddie, she said, “Will you be okay?”

Snuggled into her husband’s embrace, Maddie closed her eyes. “I’ll be just fine.”

As Sydney followed the nurse, Mrs. McCarthy, Janey and Stephanie came into the ER, looking undone and teary-eyed. Sydney pointed the way to where they could find Mac.

Janey hugged her on the way by.

“I’m praying for your dad,” Sydney said.

“Thank you,” Janey said as new tears spilled down her cheeks.

“I’ll check on you after I’ve seen Luke.”

Janey nodded and followed her mother into Mac’s room.

The nurse led Sydney down a long hallway to the X-ray room. “Right in there,” she said, pointing.

Sydney’s heart raced as she walked into the darkened room to find Luke on a gurney, his foot propped up on pillows and an ice pack covering his ankle.

“Hey,” he said, extending a hand to her.

Sydney had promised herself she wouldn’t cry, but the instant she saw him alive and well and talking, she lost the battle.

“I’m okay, honey. Come see for yourself.”

Just like Maddie, she crawled onto the bed and into his arms.

His lips brushed her forehead. “I’m okay.”

“Scared me.”

“I’m sorry. I hated knowing how worried you’d be. My phone is in my truck so I couldn’t call you.”

“I heard you were quite the hero.”

He shook his head. “Mac was the hero. He jumped in after his father and got him breathing again while they were still in the water.”

“Mac said his father’s hurt bad.”