Prologue
Iroll my eyes behind my mom’s seat, where she can’t see me, and my dad catches me in the rearview mirror. He gives me a slight grin, but it quickly disappears. He warns me with his eyes not to disrespect her. If it comes to it, he’ll always pick her side.
I understand where she’s coming from, but I can’t help but be annoyed. I’m barely an adult, but I need to make my own decisions, especially this one, because she doesn’t have all the information. She’s only interfering because she loves me. It took one mistake for me to shake the foundation of our family, but love is always there.
If only I could admit how terrified I am. My parents would only support me, and my best friend would hold my hand through it all. Instead, I put on a brave face, hoping I don’t look weak and unsure. My entire life has changed, and there's more to come.
The three of us sit silently until my phone pings with an incoming text. I smile as I exchange messages with my best friend. Her point may be the same as what my mom had tried to convey, but the tone feels totally different.
A chorus of honking horns drags my eyes up from my phone in my hand. I look around to see through the windshield and find out what’s happening. The headlights of an oncoming car blind me.
It’s heading straight at us.
My mom screams.
My dad shouts.
The car jolts to the side.
The smash of metal. Shattering of glass.
Then…
Blackness.
Chapter 1
“Ican get it myself, Blake,” my mom snaps as I take the handles of her wheelchair. I let go and hustle in front of her to open the door for her to move herself into her doctor’s office.
Six years ago, a drunk driver stole my mother’s ability to walk away from her. He also took my dad from us. The accident left us broken in more ways than one. She had a spine injury that has kept her in a chair. I sustained a broken pelvis and femur, both requiring many surgeries to fix, as well as a mild head injury. We’ve both healed physically as much as we’ve been able, but our emotional wounds would never go away.
I follow my mom to the desk, where she checks in. Then I take a seat in the waiting room. Mom rolls herself up next to me.
“I’m sorry. I want…” she trails off.
“To be independent. I get it.”
One of the hardest parts of this journey has been watching this strong and capable woman struggle to find herself in this new life. I feel for her so much. It’s hard to believe that it only takes a split second for your life to change completely.
“Mrs. Knox?” a nurse calls out.
I stand, but Mom waves me back. “I’m okay. You stay here.”
Without arguing, I sit down and take my phone out of my pocket. While mindlessly scrolling through social media, a notification from my best friend, Emma Lane, pops up on my screen.
Em: Coming over tonight?
Me: Yes. Is after dinner okay?
Em: Perfect, see you then. Love ya.
Me: Love ya more.
It makes me giddy to think about spending time with some of my favorite people. I don’t have much outside of my job and mom, but I treasure my relationship with Emma because I now know what it’s like to lose the most important parts of life.
I drive over to Emma’s house after Mom goes to bed. She and her husband, Matt, recently bought a small bungalow a few blocks from where I live. It only takes me a few minutes to get there/ I need some girl time and a snuggle with my niece. I make it just in time to read a bedtime story and rock Cora gently to sleep in my arms.
Emma holds out her arms to me so I can hand over the quietly snoring bundle I hold, “Here, I can take her to her bed.”
