Roses Are Red

Chapter Eighteen

Everything is okay, baby. Everything is going to be fine.

Two or three horrifying minutes passed like that. Everything wasn't okay, though, not even close; everything was as terrible as it could be, as terrible as it had ever been.

Jannie's lips had turned bluish, and she was drooling. Then she lost control of her bladder and peed on the floor. She still couldn't speak.

I had sent Damon upstairs to call for help. An ambulance arrived less than ten minutes after Jannie's seizure ended. So far, there hadn't been another one. I prayed there wouldn't be.

Two EMT attendants hurried down to the basement where I was still kneeling on the floor beside Jannie. I held one of her hands; Nana held the other. We had propped a pillow from the couch under her head and had covered her with a blanket. This is crazy, I kept thinking. This can't be happening.

"You're okay, sweetie," Nana hummed softly.

Jannie finally looked at her. "No I'm not, Nana."

She was fully conscious now, scared and confused. She was also embarrassed because she'd wet herself. She knew something strange and terrible had happened to her. The EMTs were gentle and reassuring. They checked Jannie's vital signs: Temperature, pulse, and blood pressure. Then one of them inserted an IV in her arm, while the other brought out an intubation box," breathing aid.

My heart was still pounding, racing terribly. I felt as if I might stop breathing too.

I told the EMT workers what had happened," She had violent spasms for about two minutes. Her limbs went stiff as boards. Her eyes rolled back." I told them about the shadow-boxing and the punch that had landed above her left eye.

"It does sound like a seizure," the lead person said. Her green eyes were sympathetic, reassuring. "It could have been the blow she took, even if it was a light hit the angle of attack. We should take her to St. Anthony's."

I nodded agreement, then watched in horror as they strapped my little girl on a stretcher and carried her out to the waiting ambulance. My legs were still unsteady. My whole body was numb and my vision tunneled.

"You have to use the siren," Jannie whispered to the EMT techs as they lifted her into the back of the ambulance van. "Please?"

And they did all the way to St. Anthony's Hospital. I know. 1 rode with Jannie.

Longest ride of my life.