Chapter 9
Eddie hadn’t heard from Buck in a few hours, and he was slightly panicking. Buck said he would check in every couple of hours and the last time he heard from Buck was when the man had stopped at a rest stop about two hours into his journey. Eddie knows he’s being ridiculous, but he can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong.
He grabs his phone from the coffee table and immediately dials Buck’s number, the phone rings and rings and eventually goes to voicemail. Eddie calls two more times, the last time Buck answers, and Eddie lets out a breath of relief.
“Eds.” Buck groans on the other end of the phone, Eddie tenses immediately. Something doesn’t sound right.
“Buck? Are you okay?” He asks.
The other man lets out a bitter broken laugh. “No.” he tells him, and Eddie waits for an explanation. “There was an accident.” Buck tells him and the other man closes his eyes, holding his breath. “I’m pinned to my seat; I can’t feel my legs.” He sounds like he’s crying, and tears fill Eddie’s eyes as well. “I’m sorry I didn’t answer the first two times you called; I had a hard time grabbing my phone.”
“Don’t you dare apologize for not answering me.” Eddie tells him. “Are you okay?” He repeats his earlier question. “Like, are you going to make it out?”
Buck lets out a shaky breath. “I don’t know.” He mumbles and Eddie shakes his head, looking around for his truck keys. He had no idea where Buck was, but he would try to find him even though he knew it was ridiculous. “There’s blood and I have no idea where it’s coming from.” The man admits and Eddie feels his heart beating even faster. He couldn’t lose Buck like this. He couldn’t lose him at all.
“Where are you, Buck?” Eddie finally asks.
“I honestly have no idea.” Buck huffs out a laugh. “Don’t try to come find me. You don’t need that stress, not with the baby and you need to stay there for Chris.” Buck says and Eddie lets a few tears fall down his cheeks. “Listen, I have a few things I want to say if I don’t make it.”
“Don’t.” Eddie says sternly, sitting back down on the couch, a hand resting on his belly. “You’re going to make it, you can say whatever it is you need to say when we see each other.”
Buck just shakes his head even though Eddie can’t see it. His breath becomes short and shallow. “I love you, okay? I’m in love with you and I wanted everything with you.” Buck admits and Eddie’s heart breaks. “Tell Chris I love him and make sure baby girl knows that I loved her just as much. And please tell Maddie I didn’t suffer.” Buck’s crying now, Eddie can hear it. “I love you Eds.” Suddenly, the line goes dead, and Eddie lets out a sob.
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He doesn’t know how long he’s sitting there, tear-stained cheeks, until his phone rings and brings him out of his trance. He frowns when he sees Maddie’s name flash across the screen. “Maddie? Please tell me he’s okay.” Eddie’s voice breaks.
“He’s at the hospital in Arizona.” Maddie says and Eddie doesn’t say anything. “I’m headed there now, it’s going to be a few more hours until I get there, but I’ll let you know what I find out. I just know he’s in surgery.”
“Okay.” Eddie whispers.
“He’s going to be okay Eddie.”
“He better be.” Eddie says softly.
Maddie lets out a sad sigh. “I love you Eddie, I’ll call you as soon as I know something. The hospital is supposed to call me when he’s out of surgery if I’m not already there.”
“Okay. Thank you, Maddie.” Eddie says and sighs heavily as Maddie hangs up the phone, leaving Eddie alone with his thoughts again.
He looks at his call log and it had been two hours since he last talked to Buck. He hoped they got to him in time, that he would be okay.
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Maddie called Eddie when she got to the hospital, updating him on Buck. He had been out of surgery; it was touch and go for a while, but he made it out of surgery okay. Eddie still felt like he couldn’t breathe.
“Is Buck going to be okay?” Chris comes out to the living room at some point to ask.
Eddie sighs and looks at his son. “I hope so Chris, I hope so.”