Jerk It by Lani Lynn Vale

CHAPTER 21

Just wing it. Life, eyeliner, everything.

-Facts of life

MAVIS

“He was dead on the table the moment that I opened his chest…had to be revived eight times…given up…heart didn’t want to work…”

I didn’t want to hear the rest of the words.

In fact, I’d all but shut down and collapsed against the wall while he explained everything that went wrong.

I was so wrapped up in the utter and complete grief—in the knowledge that I wouldn’t see Murphy again—that at first I didn’t hear Dr. Battle’s words.

“He’s alive.”

My eyes blinked open, and I stared warily at him as if he’d just spoken in a foreign language.

“What?” I croaked.

Dr. Battle smiled warily then. “He’s alive.”

I never thought to hear those words.

In fact, I was so in awe of what those words had evoked in me, that at first I didn’t notice the other words he was speaking before he said, “There’s still a high chance he won’t make it. He was in way worse shape than we thought he would be.”

I cleared my throat. “Today…tonight. I think he’d given up. I think today was the day that he was calling his last. He wouldn’t have woken up this morning.”

Dr. Battle nodded. “I could tell when I told him that he wouldn’t make it much longer that he was defeated. I’m glad that we could get it today. Despite where the heart came from.”

With that last comment, he then told me what I could expect over the next few days, not giving me a chance to question him.

“He’ll be in the ICU for the next week or so. We’re going to keep him sedated.” He continued to talk, telling me when I could and couldn’t visit. What I was allowed to do. When I was allowed to do it. And ultimately ending on, “But don’t get your hopes up, darlin’. He has to want to live first.”

Then he left, leaving me without a single doubt in my mind that it was a good thing Dr. Battle was on Murphy’s side. Because I had a feeling Murphy wouldn’t dare die after Dr. Battle had put that much work into him.

The next few minutes were spent with me trying to compose myself.

When I realized that Murphy had made it through surgery and died so many times that he shouldn’t be alive, and lived anyway…well, let’s just say that I had a feeling that he wouldn’t leave me again. He’d fight hard.

I walked down to the lobby and took the very first breath that I’d taken in a very long time. One that felt like it reached my soul.

Even the chaotic nature of the ER didn’t dim my happiness.

There were people milling about everywhere. Uniformed cops. Plainclothes. Hell, when I glanced outside, I could see reporters out there.

What was going on?

I passed by a couple of very upset looking police officers and moved to where I’d told my sister to wait for me.

I found her standing there, Vlad asleep in her arms, looking forlorn.

I frowned. “What’s wrong?”

I wiped the happy tears from my eyes as I looked at the woman that I not only counted as my sister, but my best friend.

“Don’t you know?” she asked, looking warily behind us.

She was staring at Taos.

Taos looked…bad.

Really bad.

Like, he looked like his guts had just been ripped straight out of his stomach.

“What?” I asked, all of a sudden understanding that there was something more going on than my happiness at my husband getting a heart.

A dawning sense of horror started to rocket through me.

I wasn’t liking what I was adding up.

“The person who died. The one that you got the heart from. It was Jasper.”

• • •

I read the post on social media and felt my stomach dip further and further.

With each word I read, the farther my heart would fall once more.

At 12:54 AM, a local police officer was offering crowd support and control, as well as protection for country music star Bayne Green.

A stalker of Mr. Green proceeded to come into the arena where the officer, Jasper Madden, and Bayne Green were located and attempted to burn down the building with them inside.

Firefighters were able to rescue both Bayne Green and Officer Jasper Madden from the structure, but Officer Madden later succumbed to his injuries.

Bayne Green is in critical condition in a burn ward in Dallas after being life-flighted there after being seen at a local hospital.

Officer Jasper Madden was with the Paris Police Department for three years. He was an exemplary member of our team, and he will be deeply missed.

At this time, we have no further information to release. When we do, we’ll be updating this page.

Please keep Officer Madden’s family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

Chief Jenkins.

The sobs were back.

That ache that was an ever-present feeling in my chest was once again firmly lodged into place.

And my eyes were once again swollen.

The chair creaked beside me, and I looked over with my watery eyes to find Madden sitting there.

He looked…broken.

I sobbed harder. “I’m so sorry.”

He leaned back in his chair, then reached for me.

I had no other choice but to bury my face into the chest of the man that’d just lost his son. The same son that had allowed me to get Murphy back.

Yes. Broken was a normal feeling for me, I guessed.