The Parent Trap

Chapter 54

Chase Jacobs

POV

By the time we reached the outskirts of the city, I have been thinking about everything that could go wrong. I tried to pray the entire way, but my mind kept wondering to the worst.

When we got to the abandoned farmhouse, the entire property was nearly burnt down, the fire was mostly put out but the smell of smoke still lingered in the air. The barn beside the house was completely caved in.

It was starting to get dark out and I couldn’t see my daughter. There was police, ambulance and firefighters on the scene.

I jumped out of the car before Michael even stopped the car.

"Stella!" I shouted running toward the farm house.

A firefighter caught me and stopped me. "Sir you can’t go in there, the structure isn’t stable. It could collapse at any second..." he says.

"But my daughter!" I roared trying to get away from him.

"Sir we’re doing everything we can to save both your daughter and the woman with her, but we can’t do that if we need to save you too..." As he says that a section of the roof collapses and crashes down.

My heart stops as I watch it happen. "Stella! Stella!" I scream fighting even harder to get in there.

Stella needed me. I needed to make sure she was okay. All I could picture was Stella being trapped under that area and needing me. I needed to save my daughter. I needed to get there. I kept picturing her calling out for me and I couldn’t hear her because of the chaos around us.

Then someone shouts out. "We’ve got one out!"

I pause as I watch two firefighters rush out of the building holding a tiny body in a fire protective blanket.

"Stella!" My eyes light up.

She was out!

I rush after them as they run toward the paramedics.

I watch in relief as the paramedics put a mask on her face and watch them work around her.

That meant she was still breathing right? Right?

"Is she okay?" I ask softly. I was scared and hopeful at the same time.

The paramedic nods checking her pulse. And hooking her up to the monitors. "We need to get her to the hospital." the paramedic says.

I look toward the house, Carly was still in there.

I feel like I should stay, but that the same time I need to be with Stella. What if she wakes up and she’s all alone?

I was torn, I didn’t know what to do.

"Go..." Michael says from beside me.

"But Carly..." I tried to argue.

"Go sir. I’ll stay with Carly and I’ll meet up with you at the hospital..." He says practically pushing me into the ambulance.

I nod truly grateful. "Thank you Michael..." I say before getting into the ambulance.

On the way to the hospital. I held my daughter’s hand whispering encouraging words. I wasn’t sure if she could hear me. But I think I was saying it more for myself than for her.

I was worried about Carly as well. I wanted her to be okay. I know my daughter couldn’t lose her mother after just meeting her. Carly’s a part of the family and my daughter loves her. Even my picky mother loves Carly.

I look at my daughter’s blonde hair now black from the soot of the smoke. Her little face too black.

I didn’t care she was still the cute little girl she was this morning. When she woke up, I wouldn’t even try to force her to eat her vegetables. I just wanted her to wake up, to be the bright little girl she’s always been.

Once we’re the hospital she’s wheeled away by doctors and for what feels like hours, I’m stuck in the waiting room.

Cole arrives soon too.

"How is she?" He asks.

"I don’t know. I’m still waiting to hear back from the doctors..." I tell him.

I still couldn’t believe this happened. I’d just spoken to Stella and Carly, they were both so happy.

Cole wraps his arm around my shoulders. "Don’t worry she’ll be okay..." he tells me.

I nod tears falling before I could stop them. "She has to be okay... She has to be..."

"Of course she’ll be okay... Stella’s a fighter..."

I nod. God I prayed she was.

"How’s Carly?" He asks.

I bite my lip before speaking. "I don’t know. I left once they got Stella in the ambulance. I’m still waiting for Michael to come with her. I hope she’s okay..." I tell him.

He smiles. "Wasn’t she through so much worse than this?" He asks.

Carly hasn’t told me about all her memories, but the scars on her body told a story about how much she’s been through exactly.

Cole was right. Carly was a fighter.

"Did you know Stella was meant to be a nickname..." I say softly trying to distract myself from terrible thoughts.

"What?" He asks.

I nod. "Yeah, Carly remembered her name is actually Estralla..." I tell him.

He smiles. "Estrella..." He says it like he’s testing it out. "It’s a cute name. It reminds me of this one Russian woman..." He says with a bright smile.

I slap him across the head.

"Sorry..." He smiles sheepishly.

"Mr. Jacobs?"

I stand up so quickly my chair scraps against the tiled floors.

"Your daughter is going to be fine. She’s asleep right now." he tells me.

Relief washes over me. I close my eyes and thank God for saving my daughter. I knew the chances were slim, but I still prayed she’d be okay.

"The smoke inhalation she sustained was minimal." the doctor says.

"Minimal?" How was that possible? She was trapped in a burning building.

I didn’t know all the details yet, and we had no idea how long her and Carly was stuck in there for.

"From the report I got from the paramedics, she had a damp clothe over her covering her nose and mouth, it prevented her from inhaling most of the smoke..." He explains.

Only one name came to mind when I heard his explaination.

Carly...

She must been protecting Stella.

"And burns?" Did she have any burns?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "No, no burns other than a few scrapes and bruises she’s fine..." he tells me.

I let out a sigh of relief. "Can I see her?" I ask.

He nods. "Of course. She’s asleep right now.."

I follow him to Stella’s room.

I stop at the door as I see her on the bed.

She looks so tiny. A tiny bandage on her hand where she was hooked up to an IV. Her hair was blonde again, someone must have washed the soot out of her.

I walk up to her, I brush the hair off her forehead and kiss it lightly.

"You scared me Stella..." My voice cracked. Seeing her this still broke my heart.

"Please don’t do that ever again. I don’t think daddy’s heart can take it..." I tell her.

She didn’t even move.

"Don’t worry Stella daddy’s here now..." I take her hand in mine and kiss it.

"When you wake up, I’ll take you all the places you’re always asking me to take you. I’ll cook all your favourite foods. Just wake up please Stella..."

I don’t know how long I sit with her, talking to her, hoping she’d wake up, when there’s a knock on the door.

I turn to see Michael standing in the doorway. Hope fills me.

"Carly?" I ask.

He hesitates. "They got her out..." he says softly.

I sigh in relief.

"She’s in intensive care right now..."

The relief I just felt vanishes into thin air. "What happened?" I ask standing up.

I walk over to him and we walk out of Stella’s room.

Once we’re in the hallway he explains.

"Stella and Carly was in the basement of the farmhouse. The stairs were damaged and it seems like it was tampered with, the firefighters are still investigating that and the cause of the fire. The firefighters explained when they found Stella and Carly. Carly was protecting Stella with her body, they were both passed out. There was a damp clothe over Stella’s mouth. But because Carly was protecting Stella, she suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation. Right now the doctors are saying things aren’t looking good. They’re monitoring her, but they’re not optimistic." he says.

I bite my lip.

Tears well up in my eyes. The thought of losing Carly leaves me feeling empty.

I’ve been telling myself Carly was just a friend. That she was the mother of my daughter. But Since I’ve remembered the night we met, I can’t stop thinking about how I felt that night. How she didn’t approach me because of who I was. But because she genuinely found me attractive and didn’t even know my name.

It was refreshing and I liked how we’d spoken the entire night about everything and anything. We connected in a way I’ve never with anyone other than her. That’s who Carly is to.

I didn’t want to admit I had feelings for her because once I do I’d admit I wanted her as more than just Stella’s mother and a friend. Then I think about what happens if we don’t work out.

And then Stella suffers.

Now losing her would be worse. Losing Carly would leave a huge hole in my heart.