Everything (18 page)

“What?” I had stopped walking, and Riley bumped into me.

“Okay, just stop walking, sure.” He caught himself before he lost his balance.

“Miss Harper, are you there?” Officer Parks asked.
 

I had gone silent. Had he said my parents? “What did you say?” I breathed.

“Your parents were in an accident, on Bluebank Road just past Champion Highway.”
 

I knew the road. It was over by Dad’s shop.

“Dacey, are you okay?”

I must have looked funny because Riley was in my face looking concerned.

“Miss Harper, they were taken to Shaddy Groves Memorial about fifteen minutes ago in critical condition.”

“Um, okay. I understand, thank you.” I hung up in a daze. My parents were in an accident? Critical condition? What did that mean? Who was I supposed to call in a situation like this? Oh god, Aria. I had to find her. I had to...

“Dacey!” Riley yelled, snapping me out of my internal rant. “What happened? You look pale, like you’re about to throw up.”

“My parents were in a car accident! They are in the hospital!” I heard myself say.

“Oh my god. Okay, let’s go.” He started walking fast.

“I need to find Aria. I don’t even know what class she has right now.” I followed him blindly.

“Text her.”

I took out my phone with shaky hands and sent her a text asking what class she was in right now.

She replied two second later with her room number.

I relayed the message to Riley, and we set off to Aria’s building. I’m not sure how long it took me to get there. I was moving on a kind of warp speed. I kept telling myself that they would be okay and that I had to show no fear for Aria’s sake because she would lose it.
 

Her class had barely begun when I opened the door and motioned for her to come out. She gave me a funny look but got her stuff and came. When she saw Riley, she looked between us two and assumed it was about the audition.

“Did they say something already?” she asked hopefully.

“A,” I sighed heavily, not wanting to do this.

“Oh, no. I didn’t get the part, did I? That’s why you’re both here.” Her face started to fall.

“No, it’s not that. It’s Mom and Dad. There’s been an accident,” I rushed out, trying to get it over with.

“What are you talking about?” She paused.

“They were in a car accident, A, and taken to the hospital in critical condition. We need to go. Now.”

She didn’t respond at first. She looked at me with her impossible huge brown eyes, and I watched as they began to fill with tears, then the questions. Were they okay, what did “critical” mean, what were we going to do, who were we going to call, and the scariest question of all—the one I didn’t want to think about—what if they didn’t make it?

“Don’t think like that. Let’s just get to the hospital.” I hugged her to me.

“But what if they don’t, Dacey? What are we going to do?” She cried harder as people started to stop and stare.

“Come on, I’ll drive you guys,” Riley offered, which I was thankful for because I didn’t think I could drive at a normal speed all the way there. He led us to his car, and I clutched Aria to my side, still crying the whole way. A few of her friends tried to stop her to ask if she was okay, but Riley politely shooed them away.

Aria and I piled in the back seat of Riley’s car as he held the door for us, then he ran around to the front and got in and sped off toward the hospital. Aria put her head in my lap and whimpered, begging to no one in particular over and over for them to be okay. All the while I stroked her hair and tried to hold it together. If I showed her how scared I was, then she would lose it. I was the one she leaned on, so I had to be strong for her.

When we pulled up to the hospital, Riley let us out at the emergency department and he went to go park. Aria and I went to the front desk and gave the receptionist our names and who we were there for. The receptionist gave us directions to a different part of the hospital. We had to go to the trauma unit, give our names to another receptionist, and tell her whom we were there to see. Then we had to wait, and wait, and wait. Riley found us about ten minutes later, and we were still waiting.

The receptionist said that the doctors were working on them. I didn’t know what that meant, but Aria let out another small cry. Finally, a short man in green scrubs and a medium-sized woman in purple scrubs approached the reception desk and spoke to the receptionist, who pointed us out to the two doctors. The doctors came over and introduced themselves to us.

“I’m Dr. Bradley,” the male doctor said, extending his hand to me, then Aria.

“I’m Dr. Albertson,” said the woman, doing the same.

We each shook their hands politely, and they sat down next to us. It was never a good sign when doctors sat down, I thought idly.
 

Aria gripped my hand tighter. She hadn’t let it go since we left school.

“You’re Mr. and Mrs. Harper’s children?” asked Dr. Bradley.

“Yes, I’m their oldest, Dacey, and this is Aria,” I said.

“I’m sorry, but your father died on impact,” Dr. Bradley said with no preamble.

Aria started sobbing loudly and held a death grip on my hand. I hugged her to my side and looked at the doctor.
 

“What about our mom?” I asked with a sense of dread.

“She was brought in with a spinal injury, and we operated, but she had some internal bleeding and we lost her on the operating table. We are sorry,” said Dr. Albertson.

Aria then lost it, her eyes overflowed with tears and she looked at me. “Dacey? They’re not coming back?” she asked tearfully.

Looking into Aria’s overflowing eyes, I shook my head. I couldn’t speak. I looked over at Riley, and he was pale.

“There are a few forms you have to sign, but take your time and see the receptionist when you’re ready. Again, we are sorry for your loss,” said Dr. Bradley, and he and Dr. Albertson left.

“Wait!” Aria cried, standing, “Can we...can we
see
them?” she asked meekly.

“When you’re ready, let the nurse know,” said Dr. Albertson.

Aria collapsed to her knees, and I went to her and put my arm around her. She started sobbing uncontrollably.

“Are they really gone?” she wailed, and it tore my heart out.

All I could do was nod my head as she clung to me and I cried with her because I didn’t know what else to do. Normally, I would go to Mom when something like this happened, but now she was gone and I didn’t know what I was going to do. I didn’t know how to comfort Aria. I didn’t know anything at the moment, so I hugged her tightly and we cried.
 

A hospital grief counselor came over and ushered us to a small private room and asked us if we had other family members whom we wanted to call.

I hadn’t thought about calling anyone. I didn’t think I could form thoughts, let alone words. Riley must have sensed this, as he said he would do it and asked for my cellphone, which I handed it to him gladly and went back to hugging Aria. I heard him call Trevor, then I heard the words “parents died” and I tuned out. I didn’t want to hear any more. I focused on Aria, who had begun to shake even though it wasn’t cold in the hospital and it had stopped raining. She wasn’t talking anymore, just kind of staring off into space, and she wouldn’t let go of my hand. She had stopped crying but was making that painful hiccup sound.

“I’m ready,” she said softly.

I knew what she meant, and I had to brace myself to make sure I was ready. I couldn’t say I wasn’t ready—it was now or never. So we went over to the nurse and told her we were ready to go back, and she led us back through several sets of doors and down a long hallway, where we finally stopped outside of a hospital room. The nurse said we could go in when we were ready and, once we were done, to leave the way we came and let her know. Aria had started crying again, and I realized I was hyperventilating.

It sucked that we had to do this. It sucked that Aria had to do this. We should not be doing this. I wanted to take this away from her. I didn’t want her to have to do this, and I was about to suggest not doing it when she pulled me by my hand and pushed the door open.
 

We went into the room. There were two hospital beds, and Mom and Wally were laying in each bed.

“Oh god, oh god!” Aria cried loudly, stopping at the door.

At first glance, they just appeared to be sleeping, and for years to come, I would always think to myself that’s what they were doing. Going closer, we stood in between them both. I saw the slight evidence of the accident on Mom’s face and the bruising on Wally’s. Wally, who had loved me in his own way, was now gone, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. I wasn’t sure about any of this right now. I looked at them, and they were so pale. I had never seen someone so pale before. Beside me, Aria had put her hand on top of the sheet over Mom’s stomach.

“She’s so cold. Oh god, Dacey.” She wailed again. She let go and turned into me, putting both her arms around my neck like she used to do when she was a kid and she was really afraid of something. She cried into my hair about wanting her momma and daddy back.
 

I told her that I knew and I did too. Again, we cried and clung to each other for I don’t know how long. I told her it would be okay. She asked me how, and I said I didn’t know but it would.

Eventually, we broke apart and we left, casting one final glance at our parents, then walked hand in hand back the way we came to a waiting room full of people.

Chapter 9

Riley had seemed to call my entire list of emergency contacts in my phone because sitting in the waiting room when Aria and I walked in were Trevor, Aunt Opal, and Mrs. Delgado. They immediately surrounded us, Opal grabbing us both up in a hug and crushing us to her bosom.

“Hush now, chiles. It’s gone all be alrigh’.”

Aria had started crying again, and when Opal hugged me tighter, I broke. I hadn’t realized how badly I needed someone to hold me. We clung to her, flinging our arms around her neck and crying into her hair. All the while she stroked our backs, repeating soothingly, “There, there, chiles. Opal’s here. Opal’s got you.”

We all wound up back in the small private room somehow, and everyone was seated around Aria and me with their faces somber. Opal had gone to talk to the nurse about what paperwork we needed to sign, and Riley had gone to get us something to drink. I was sitting in between Trevor—who had just grabbed my hand when I sat down and began stroking my hair without saying a word, seeing that I needed the silence—and Aria, who still wouldn’t let go of my hand. Mrs. Delgado was seated across from us, patting her eyes.

“Justina is on her way up. She called me when Riley called her. I was in town dealing with house stuff.
Aye dios mío...
” she trailed off and dabbed at her eyes again.

I had vaguely wondered why she was here but still hadn’t found my voice to ask before she explained.
 

Riley returned, offering water to Aria and me, and coffee and tea to everyone else. The water was like dry ice to my throat, raw from crying, and I gulped it down. Aria took the cup Riley offered to her but didn’t drink it. She hadn’t spoken a word since we had left the hospital room.

Riley cleared his throat. “Your uncle Mick said that he would be on the next flight out,” he announced.
 

I didn’t even correct him on calling him my uncle. I simply nodded my head. Aunt Opal and a nurse carrying a clipboard walked in and motioned for me to come over. I tried to pry my hand away from Aria, but she held firm.

“A, do you want to come with me while I talk with the nurse about Mom and Dad, or do you want to sit with Trevor and Mrs. D?” I looked at her meaningfully.
 

Aria seemed to understand and shook her head, letting my hand go.
 

I stood to go with the nurse, and Trevor stood and gave me a kiss on the forehead. Mrs. D took my seat and scooted Aria close to her, putting her arm around her.

I followed the nurse, and as Opal went to follow me, the nurse advised her it wasn’t necessary, to which Opal replied, “Now, Ruthann, this here my niece. I’m not lettin’ her do this alone.” Opal gave her a challenging look.

The nurse didn’t say anything but gave an apologetic look and took us into another small room. She gestured for me to sit at a small table.

“I’m so sorry for your loss. I know this is a difficult time for you. This will just take a minute. I just have a few forms I need you to fill out, being the surviving relative.”

“Ruthann, stop being so formal. I changed your diapers,” Opal spouted.

“You know her?” I asked, finding my voice.

“Your aunt pretty much knows everyone in this town, but yes, she used to babysit me,” Ruthann replied abruptly.

“Yeah, so stop being so formal and get on with it so she can get on home.”

“I have to explain things to her, Opal, so she understands what happens next,” the nurse said in a clipped but professional tone.

“Pssh, we all know what happen next, just let the chile sign the papers so she can get her sista home.” Opal was getting upset.

“Auntie, please. It’s okay,” I said wearily. The last thing I needed was for Opal to get upset and out of control.

“These are just release forms, for your parents...for their...well, for them to be transported to the mortuary,” she flustered.

“The mortuary?” I asked, dazed.

“’Course, chile. For the funeral,” Opal said softly.

“I don’t know how...I don’t know how to do that,” I faltered stifling a cry.

“The mortuary makes it really easy and will take care of most of the arrangements for you. Someone will be in contact with you in the next few days.” Ruthann slid a paper over for me to sign.

I signed the paper in a daze, not knowing how to even go about planning, let alone pay, for a funeral. How was I supposed to bury my parents? I was only twenty-two! Yesterday I was out with my boyfriend eating pizza, and now I was sitting in a room signing a piece of paper releasing my parents over to a mortuary. Life was a bitch.