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His mother had been crying. His dad stood and greeted me with a handshake. Then he said, “She’s in a coma right now. They are running tests, so we haven’t seen her yet.”
They didn’t want to see her until the blood was cleaned off her face. I wasn’t sure that I would ever forget how Abby had looked. I could see that Tyson was thinking the same thing. Their mother ignored us when we sat down across from Mr. and Mrs. Gardener.
“What happened?” Mr. Gardener asked.
Ty and I exchanged glances. I knew he wasn’t up to answering his dad. “She said she wanted a drink,” I explained.
“A drink?” His father asked for clarification.
“There wasn’t any alcohol at the party Dad.”
He nodded.
“The cheerleaders,” I swallowed thinking about the image of Delia straddling Abby. My girl was taller, but Delia was scrappy. Abby was not. “There’s a video from the James’ security cameras they have in the house. Delia Art the head cheerleader pushed her out into the garage and knocked her down. Before Abby could get up, she beat her.”
I covered my face the images rolling through my head so fast that all I could see over and over was the one of her head bouncing on the concrete.
I didn’t know how hard. I assumed Delia was jerking on the front of her shirt and slamming her down. I rubbed my fingers hard into her eyes.
“Who found her?” Mrs. Gardener asked.
“I did,” I replied. “I realized she had been gone too long, so I went looking for her. I looked everywhere.”
Then I faced Mrs. Gardener. She was stone-faced staring back at me. “As I walked back to the kitchen, I saw the garage door ajar, so I checked there for her. She was on the garage floor.”
“How many?” She asked me.
“Only Delia actually hit her, but six other girls stood around and watched. They arrested four of them at Johnny’s. I don’t know what they will charge them with.”
“What about the others?” Mr. Gardener asked.
I shrugged. “They might have slipped out before the police arrived, but Johnny identified them all from the video.”
“Was she conscious?” Mrs. Gardener was about to cry. I shook my head no. I didn’t want to believe anything other than Abby would be fine.
She refused to look at Tyson making the atmosphere in the waiting area raw and uncomfortable. It was an hour or more before a doctor came out to speak to the Gardener’s. I stood back and listened, hoping for good news.
“Abby has some swelling on her brain. We want to go in and release the pressure.” That is what he started with which made me swallow. “Her brain activity is good. We’re keeping her in the coma for now giving her a chance to heal. I can take you all back with me so you can see her for a moment before we take her to surgery.”
I hesitated. Mr. Gardener patted my back. “Come on Cal. I know you want to see her too.”
She looked better, although her face was more swollen, it was no longer covered in blood. Her stillness unnerved me. Her mother’s tears brought tears to my own eyes. Mr. Gardener tried to comfort her, but she shook him off. I didn’t understand why she didn’t want him to touch her.
Tyson leaned over the bed and kissed Abby’s cheek. “I’m sorry Abs. I should have been there with you to protect you,” he told her then he stepped back.
I stepped forward and kissed her forehead. I didn’t care who heard me. I told my girl that I loved her. I’d be here until she woke up.
We left the room then. Abby was going to surgery where part of her skull would be removed to allow the swelling to go down. Later, when her brain healed the doctor explained it would be put back where it belonged.
She had a long road to recovery. I was being selfish, if she recovered, I didn’t care what else happened. I just wanted Abby with me again. I wanted to see her smile and hear her laughter. I wanted to hold her in my arms. I wanted to hear say she loved me.
In the surgical area waiting room, we took chairs for the long haul. Mrs. Gardener wasn’t going to sleep. Mr. Gardener leaned his head against the wall while I stared at the ceiling. Tyson nodded off quickly.
At two a.m. Mom texting me caused me to jolt awake. I had nodded off after all. Mrs. Gardener was still wide awake. Tyler sitting beside me snored softly. Mr. Gardener was walking around.
I glanced at my phone.
I heard about Abby. I assume you are at the hospital.
