Just as we exited the elevator into the parking garage, my phone started to ring. Penny was on the other line. She was in tears, and I instantly knew something was wrong with Maybelle.
My heart hadn’t stopped dropping since. All rational thought left me. I was a problem solver. I fixed things. I protected. I was organized but as I listened to Penny sob on the other line… I was lost.
My mind scattered like water droplets on a searing pan.
Thankfully, Bear overheard the call. He explained to Williams and Larson, and they knew what I wanted—what I needed. In seconds, we were piled into Bear’s truck and racing down the road.
“Turn left up here,” Williams directed.
Bear obeyed.
“How far are we?” I managed to choke out.
Larson leaned up from the back, pointing past the windshield. “We’re here.”
The truck swerved up next to the closed off road. Red and blue lights lit up the night. Bear didn’t park. He slowed, letting Williams and I jump out as he came to a stop.
I rushed forward, ignoring the signs, tape and vehicles, standing between me and my forever.
“Hey, you can’t be here!” I heard someone holler, but I paid them no heed. Williams trotted up behind me. That’s when I saw the wreck. There was a massivesemitruck… and a small car. The right side of the smaller vehicle was crushed.
Not again, I thought as I sprinted past cops and paramedics.
“Trey.”
I slowed as Williams jogged up next to me.
“Is that her?”
I followed his pointing. Three paramedics surrounded a gurney, raising it in through the back of an ambulance.
I took off.
“Maybelle.” I lunged for the gurney, not sure what my plan was. The air was knocked from me as a hand caught my chest.
“What the hell are you doing?” A big man, a paramedic, judging by his uniform, pulled me away.
My mouth wouldn’t work as I ripped his arm off me. In my head I was screaming. While on the outside all I could do was stare wide-eyed as they settled Maybelle inside and one of the medical personnel yelled, “Shut those doors. We gotta move.”
“That’s my girl,” I finally got out over the chaos.
The man’s eyes strayed from me to Maybelle then back to me.
My mouth formed the word, “Please.” But I wasn’t sure any sound came out.
Despite that, the paramedic asked, “Can you keep out of the way?”
I nodded fervently.
He gestured me forward, showing me a seat in the corner of the ambulance. “This one’s family,” he shouted but the others barely spared me a look. They were yelling stats and commands at each other.
Just before the vehicle doors closed, I caught sight of Williams.
“We’ll meet you there,” he said, and I nodded.
The doors clapped shut and the ambulance jostled offwith us inside. She was right there, just within reach, but I never felt so far away.
Blood painted her face. Her beautiful hair was matted, and her eyes were closed.
