AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When she woke in the morning, she’d survived the night of screeching tires, grinding metal and flashing sparks. The only screams were for loved ones. To help them, to be the one rescuing them. Not pain. Could those who ride block out the pain of the world? Did they process horrors in a different way?
Maybe not working in the ER was a good thing. When on the trauma team, you saw things and had to separate yourself. Even when they brought the head shrinker down for a debrief days later, had moved on in your own way. Amber had to find peace in the fact she eased their pain, it was the bystanders that she couldn’t settle with. The cry of the mother who dropped to her knees. The wife, trying to be stoic or the man who refused to understand his love wouldn’t be waking up.
Her phone woke her the dream state, the one between consciousness and slumber when your body is paralyzed, but you can hear the branch scratching at the window. The ring of bells sending a signal to her nerves to move and she reached for the phone. “Hello?”
“I’m sorry, did I wake you up?” a sweet woman’s voice asked.
“No, of course not.”
“This is Roadkill, um Nova, Red said you could pick up Lil’ Bit for us,” Nova said.
“Yes, of course.”
“Thank you, we’re outfitting his mother’s place with a ramp for her and getting a room set up. Their apartment won’t be any good.”
“I have to go up there to get the kids anyway.”
“Wonderful, the nurse’s station said she should be done being released around noon, they’re hoping to get her a knee cart, she’s going to hate it,” Nova warned.
“I get it, no pressure on the foot,” Amber said. “I can handle rueful patients.”
“That would be Lil’ Bit.” Nova laughed. “Amber, there’s something else. She’s got a thing.”
“Not being touched,” Amber said. “She told me. I’ll do my best to hover, but not help.”
“Perfect. Lil’ Bit’s getting better, but she’s not there yet.”
“I’m supposed to get my kids at six, do you think that will be an issue?”
“No,” Nova said. “As long as you’re willing to sit with Baldy in the ICU, she’d love staying for a few more hours. And if you text me your address, we can send someone to get her from Berrington. No reason to have the kids out later, it’s saving us time.”
* * *
The stretchof road showed little beyond tire marks from the day before. Maybe in the ditch a taillight had left its case, her gloves were there she assumed. Tossed in a frantic need to move on, but stay sterile. Now as she cruised going seventy-five, it seemed as if the day before had never happened.
Walking into the hospital, she approached the information desk and realized she didn’t know their real names.
“Can I help you?” The lady at the information asked, the position held by volunteers and enough years had passed this woman was a stranger to her.
“I’m looking for someone with the last name Baldy?”
“Baldy?” the woman said, her eyes squinting and head turning to the side.
What did McCarthy say? “Wait, Allen.”
“We have two Allen’s actually,” the woman said.
“Kristy,” Amber said with a bit of pride and surety in her voice. “Kristy Allen.”
“She’s in on our Med-Surg floor,” the woman said, writing down the room number on a piece of paper. “Room two-twenty-four. Do you need directions?”
“No, I’m good, thank you.” Amber headed for the elevator, nervously her thumb repletely flicked the tiny scrap of paper she had between her fingers.
Having maneuvered the hospital enough, she moved past the nurses’ station and found the room with no issue. With a light knock, she stepped into the room.
“Finally,” Kristy’s voice met her, the woman was standing, her left leg cocked at the knee, trying to balance on the other. The boot on her foot had to be weighing her down as she stood in just pair of panties and a t-shirt.
“Heard you were a trouble,” Amber said. “Hi there. I don’t know if you remember me, but I helped with you yesterday.”
