Fidelity (Infidelity #5)(19)

Each of their deaths had been different, yet I was the common link. Russell had been business—duty—and Adelaide’s was unintentional. Yet if the move from Magnolia Woods was the trigger, it was my doing.

Could I ever make our children believe that if I’d known, I never would have moved Adelaide? I never would have forced this trip.

The cabin again filled with the high pitch.

This time I watched as her petite body jumped, landing upon the hard floor.

The doctor and I both sat motionless, waiting for the box to talk.

“Shock ineffective. Begin CPR.”

Eva turned my way. “Come here. You do the chest compressions while I administer epinephrine.”

I didn’t know what the medicine she mentioned would do, nor did I know what I was doing. Nevertheless, I did as she instructed. Kneeling where Eva had been, I held my hands together and placed them over Adelaide’s sternum. Before I compressed, I turned to the doctor. “I don’t want to hurt her.”

Her expression was solemn. “She can’t feel it.” Eva reached for my shoulder. “Fast and hard. She needs you to do this.”

I did as I’d seen, using my own weight to depress her breastbone. I understood the science, the necessity to compress the heart muscle enough to express the blood and give her body the oxygen it needed. But as my body pushed, noises like cracking cartilage and breaking bone filled my ears. With each snap and crack, the bile I’d tried to hold back rushed upward.

Swallowing quickly and repeatedly, I pressed with all my might, bouncing up and down as Eva filled a syringe.

My count had only gotten to the number ten when Eva injected the contents of the syringe into the port on Adelaide’s IV and the box spoke again.

“Stop CPR. Analyzing.”

In the few seconds that followed I recalled my vow. Alexandria could hate me forever, because it wouldn’t only be her father and mother whose deaths would be on my hands. It would be her stepfather’s too. Singlehandedly, I’d be responsible for the loss of her entire family.

We both scooted back as the high-pitched noise rose higher and longer, echoing throughout the cabin. Again Adelaide’s body flopped. I poised myself to continue the CPR. The procedure was more taxing than I’d imagined, but I didn’t give a damn. I’d keep doing it until we landed if I needed to.

“Shock successful. Monitor respirations.”

My eyes opened wider as I looked to Dr. Rossi. The box had spoken a different message.

“What does that mean?”

She lowered the stethoscope to Adelaide’s chest as her facade shattered and she let out a long sigh. “She has a heartbeat.” The doctor inclined her head lower, her cheek near Adelaide’s face.

Without missing a beat, Eva plugged Adelaide’s nose, tilted her chin upward, and blew into her mouth. Two breaths and she’d stop. With each breath Adelaide’s chest rose and fell.

“Go get the oxygen.”

“I-I didn’t find it.”

“Look!” she shouted just before her lips again covered Adelaide’s.

Near the front of the cabin was a slender closet. If I’d been thinking in my right mind, I’d have assessed that it would be the obvious location for oxygen. After all, the tank was tall and slender, a green cylinder. Attached and wound together in a plastic bag was a clear mask with a big ball and plastic tubing. The cylinder was on a stand with wheels and a handle, similar to a one-handled wheelbarrow.

As quickly as I could, I moved all of it to Dr. Rossi. She was no longer breathing into Adelaide. Instead she concentrated on listening with the stethoscope. I waited until she removed the earpieces.

She reached for the plastic bag and freed the mask. As she placed it over Adelaide’s mouth and nose, she said. “She’s breathing on her own, but the oxygen will help. We should get her back on the couch. It’s safer in the air. We can seatbelt her in. Her heartbeat is steady.”

I nodded. “Do you want me to lift her?”

“Yes. Let’s get her secured.”

For minutes upon minutes the doctor adjusted the IV fluid, only to listen and readjust. It wasn’t until she was satisfied that we both sat back in our seats and I looked her in the eye.

“There aren’t words. I wouldn’t have known what to do.”

Her cheek rose in an uneven smile. “I became a doctor because saving lives has never been the focus of our family.” She shrugged. “I thought maybe it would be good if the next generation changed that.”

I remembered hearing how Eva’s father had thought it unnecessary for his daughter to attend medical school. That hadn’t lessened his pride in her success.

“You’ve made this member of the family proud and thankful.”

She looked at her watch. “We should be landing in another hour. Tell me you have an ambulance scheduled to meet us at the airport.”

“I do.”

“I’d like to stay with her for the next twenty-four hours, at least. If that’s all right with you, Mr. Ferrari?” Her smile lifted both of her cheeks with the use of my fake name.

“My wife and I would appreciate that.”





THOUGH THE PEOPLE on the tarmac were waiting, we all sat transfixed, reading the text message from Oren.



“LANDED. SHE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME IN FLIGHT. I’LL EXPLAIN LATER, BUT FOR NOW SHE’S STABLE AND EN ROUTE.”