Last Night's Kiss by Shirley Hailstock Page A

he raised his head. His body fell back against the seat as if it were a grocery bag shifting from a sudden stop.
    “Bailey,” she shouted. “Open the door.” His movements were sluggish, but he eventually touched the button and she heard the click as the locks released. Yanking the door outward, she touched his head and looked him over, trying to see if he had any visible injuries. “Are you all right?”
    He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. A moment later he tried again, but the words came out garbled. She remembered quickly that Adam had told her he’d had a heart attack. And Bailey had said he had a bad ticker. He was having another one now. Rosa recognized it. Her mother had had a heart attack, too. Rosa hadn’t been in the room when it happened, but she knew the symptoms. Her mind raced as she tried to remember what to do. She had a brother and a sister-in-law who were doctors, but none of their medical training had rubbed off on her. What should I do? she asked herself. Then she remembered her sister-in-law Stephanie. Aspirin. Rachel had given her mother aspirin. Rosa didn’t have aspirin. She usually took Tylenol and she had none in the car.
    “Medicine, Bailey?” She controlled her voice, forcing herself not to shout. “Do you have any medicine?”
    He said nothing. She rifled through his pockets frantically, but came up empty.
    She needed to get him to a hospital. And fast. Seconds could mean the difference between living and dying.
    “Move over,” she ordered.
    He didn’t budge. He couldn’t. She wasn’t going to be able to lift him or carry him or get him around to the other side of the truck. And she couldn’t get him out and into her car. Releasing his seat belt, she pushed him over as far as she could, then climbed into the driver’s seat, thankful that she was a skinny girl . Rosa turned the key. The engine groaned, but didn’t catch. She tried it again. This time it started, but the moment she moved the gearshift, it sputtered and stopped.
    “Come on,” Rosa coaxed, trying to get the truck to start by the force of her will. She tried the key again. The motor roared loudly. Rosa tapped the accelerator several times, giving gas to the engine.
    Gingerly putting the truck into gear, she pressed the accelerator. The tires spun on the unpaved surface; then suddenly the truck leapt forward.
    Rosa quickly moved her foot from the gas pedal. She didn’t want the truck to die on her again. She followed the uneven ground until she got the four tires on paved road.
    She could drive anything. Growing up with her brothers, she and her sister Luanne had learned a lot about driving. Rosa had tackled everything from a minibike and a tractor to a big rig. Rosa pulled out of the ditch and scuttled around her own car, then headed toward town as fast as she dared.
    The truck needed overhauling. The engine chugged and Rosa couldn’t get much acceleration out of it. She pushed the pedal closer to the floor. The truck groaned in protest and she backed off. She couldn’t afford for the engine to cut out on her before she found the hospital.
    Her mind raced to remember where she’d seen the sign with the huge white H on it. Where was the hospital?
    Bailey groaned. Rosa wasn’t sure if that was due to the position he was in or if it was his heart. She spoke softly to him. “It’s going to be all right,” she said. “I’m getting help. Just hold on. We’ll be at the hospital in no time.” All the while she was praying the truck kept going.
    She put a hand on his back and rubbed it soothingly while continuing to drive as fast as she could. Finally she saw the sign. Turning, she had to use both hands on the steering wheel of the big, unfamiliar truck. She pulled into the circular driveway below the lighted EMERGENCY ROOM sign. Jumping down, she rushed inside and yelled, “Heart attack! I need help.”
    Within seconds the place was filled with people rushing toward the door. Rosa followed them. She