Never Forever by L. R. Johnson Read Free Book Online

panting coming from Callum’s mouth. His breathing, while heavy, rolls out an unchanging rhythm. Focusing in on his steady, fervent breathing, I am able to remain in some kind of control. Laying my head against his chest I begin counting each one of his breaths, as I focus intently on the embroidery of his thin sweater. I notice every cross stitch and detail of the thread used in forming it. Each movement his chest makes lulls me deeper into a state of hypnosis. The intense pain is still pushing down on me, but following his breathing is allowing me to endure each wave of contractions.
    I try to put the fear of the situation out of my mind as he hastily cuts his way amongst the main section of the campus. Suddenly I hear him yell towards someone, “Here we are. She’s in a lot of pain. You’re going to need to rush her there.”
    Another set of hands grab onto me, attempting to take me from Callum. Wrapping my arms even tighter around Callum’s neck I hold on for dear life, refusing to let go, “No! Don’t touch me.”
    “Breanna, it’s okay. These are the paramedics. They are going to take you to the hospital,” he breathlessly adds, as he tries removing my hands from around his neck.
    My fear completely takes over me. The only thing that has helped me remain in some sort of control has been focusing on Callum’s steady breathing, and now he wants to take it away. I wrap my hands even tighter around his neck as I bury my head into his firm chest. I can’t do this. I can’t do this all alone. Waves of intense cramping intermingled with a deep surging anguish, flood my body. The echo of my life I once had calls to me from the corners of my mind, leaving me to only feel the want that will never come. As I grip even tighter onto Callum a wave of comfort radiates from his enveloping arms. This familiar sensation triggers in me some kind of feeling of security amidst the abandonment I am succumbing to.
    “I can’t do this alone. I can’t!” I forcefully mumble, as my tears freely fall. Everything I have been holding in now explodes, allowing the deep anger and pain to release from me like giant flood waters overpowering a dam. My tears saturate his sweater as I begin sobbing uncontrollably. My breathless and shaking voice vibrates against his chest while I keep repeating over and over, “Don’t let go of me. Please don’t let go of me.”
    Callum places his hand firmly against the back of my head, holding onto me tightly. Bending down he whispers softly into my ear, “I promise I won’t let go of you.” Turning towards the E.M.T. he utters fervently, “I am bloody going with her.”
    The paramedic gazes towards us with a firm, annoyed expression, “I can’t mate, not unless you are a family member or the baby’s father.”
    Callum’s muscles tighten around me as I bellow in agony with another onslaught of contractions forming within me. “Look ‘mate,’ she is not about to let go of me and I am most definitely not about to let go of her. So, either you let us both in this bloody ambulance or I am going to run her there myself,” his livid voice resonates throughout the whole vicinity, causing a large herd of students now forming around us to jump back in shock.
    The emergency worker looks all around at the crowd, taking in every reaction that is now being verbalized. Turning his head sharply towards Callum he states flatly, “Fine, but when we get to the hospital you can be the one to tell them who you are. As far as I am concerned, for the sake of this girl, you are family.”
    They open the back of the ambulance, allowing Callum to gingerly maneuver his way in while still carrying me in his arms. Lying within the small but safe boundaries of the ambulance is a narrow gurney off to one side. A thin white sheet lay over the top of it. At three different locations there are thick black straps to hold a patient firmly against the stretcher. On the opposite side of the gurney are two single seats,