Down Too Deep (Dirty Deeds, #4)(113)

I no longer needed to wish for something similar.

“Hey, Nate,” I heard Oliver say.

“What’s up, bud? Pretty great surprise, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s cool. Mom, can I get some of those little hot dog things now?” Oliver tugged on my arm when I didn’t respond. “Mom.”

I watched my brother and Sydney kiss, and answered, “Sure, baby, go ahead.”

Oliver squeezed around me. The song began playing again when Sydney loudly requested, “One more time! I’ve been waiting too long for this!”

Brian laughed and spun her around. They kissed. The crowd swooned and sighed.

“Oliver! OLIVER!”

I jolted at Nathan’s voice. It pierced through the air as he tore through the crowd.

“Move!” he shouted.

For a moment my vision blurred. I blinked. I gasped in air and held it. Someone bumped into my shoulder as the crowd pushed around me in panic.

The music cut off.

“Oh my God!” someone yelled.

I frantically shoved my way to a clear spot, and that was when I saw Nathan standing behind Oliver near a table with his arms around his waist. He was thrusting his fist against Oliver’s stomach.

I stopped breathing.

My son was choking. His eyes were open, but he wasn’t looking at anything. He clawed at his throat with rigid fingers. His lips were turning blue.

“Oliver!” I screamed, lunging forward. “Oh my God,” I rasped. “Oh my God.” I elbowed people out of my way and pushed to the front. I reached out. Strong arms caught me around the waist and jerked me back.

“Jen, wait,” my brother said in my ear. “Nate’s got him. He knows what he’s doing.”

I didn’t fight Brian’s hold. He was right, after all. Nathan appeared to know the steps, the method.

Unlike me. What would I have done?

“I’m calling 911!” I heard Tori yell.

Nathan switched to back blows and began alternating between the two. He kept talking to Oliver, telling him to cough it up and spit it out. Travis was beside him giving instruction.

When Olivia ran over to me, wailing, I gathered her into my arms. Brian held on to us both.

“Mama! What’s the matter with Ollie?” Olivia cried.

“It’s okay. He’s okay,” I said. I didn’t know what else to tell her. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t do anything besides stare at Oliver’s face and wait.

I felt helpless.

Everyone was gathered around, inching closer. Jamie, Stitch, and Cole hovered around Nathan. Their girls flanked my side.

The crowd stirred in distress when Nathan laid Oliver on his back.

“Oh my God.” My heart crawled up into my throat. I reached around and grabbed at Brian. “Oliver!”

His eyes were closed now. He looked lifeless.

I collapsed onto my knees and screamed so loud, it terrified Olivia. She clung to me and wept. Sydney collapsed at my side and held on to us.

Travis bent down and said something to Nathan, but Nathan pushed him off and roared, “I got him! I know!” He began chest compressions, thirty of them. He breathed twice into Oliver’s mouth.

Nothing. Oliver didn’t respond.

“Ollie!” Olivia cried.

“Oh no,” someone said behind me. They were already at the end. They had given up.

Nathan wouldn’t. I knew he wouldn’t.

“Come on, baby. Come on,” he begged. “COME ON!” He hit thirty. He breathed. He positioned his hands again on Oliver’s chest.

Oliver coughed harshly and wheezed, his eyes shooting open. His limbs kicking out with life.

The room breathed in relief.

“Oh my God, thank God!” I shifted Olivia off my lap and crawled across the floor as Oliver coughed and gasped for air.

Nathan rolled him onto his side and scooped a finger into his mouth, fishing out the obstruction—a barely chewed crescent-wrapped hot dog. He wiped off Oliver’s face, and when he began to cry, Nathan picked him up and hugged him. They clung to each other.

“Baby, come here. Come here.” I reached them on my knees and pulled Oliver into my arms and against my chest. I was shaking. We both were.

“Mom!” he wailed against my neck.

I kissed him and cried. “You’re okay. Shh, you’re okay now.” I rubbed his back.

We were swarmed then by our friends and family. Olivia pushed her way through the group and latched on to her brother. I hugged them both, and then I passed Oliver off to Brian when my brother urgently requested it. I’d never seen Brian look so worried before.

I wiped my face as I got to my feet and fielded hugs from Tori, Syd, Shay, and Kali. I smiled at the kind words given by Cole and Stitch and from the strangers who filled the room. Everyone was happy Oliver was okay. They were grateful.

“Travis needs to check him out, Jen,” Brian said.

Jamie stood beside my brother with shock and worry in his eyes. He wasn’t relieved yet. “He’s just gettin’ his stuff out of the car. The ambulance just got here too.”

“Okay.” Of course he would need a doctor to look at him. He’d just had CPR performed. Oliver seemed okay now, but was he?

“I want Nate,” Oliver said. He wasn’t crying nearly as hard anymore.