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“No! Of course not.” What was she getting at? I tried to sit up, groaning from discomfort. I yanked on the thin sheets, noticing the bruises on my legs. Thank God I hadn’t needed a breathing tube.
“Oh, la la. Then you have a secret admirer. Would you look at those roses? There must be three dozen and they’re perfect.”
“Let… me see.” I was determined to try to get my life back, managing to sit up.
“I’m going to need to get a nurse. You’re not ready for this yet.”
“Give me the card. Please?”
I barely had time for my friends. I read the card then pulled back, a series of tingling sensations slithering all the way to my toes. It was almost the same feeling as I’d had in the dream.
Or had it been real?
I read it again and this time, a cold chill trickled down my spine.
My sleeping beauty
I will await your recovery. Then it will be our time of exploration, to share in the joys of togetherness. Until then, sleep well…
“There’s no signature,” I said quietly, turning the plain white card over several times. The words were written in cursive. While I was no expert, I’d say it was a man’s handwriting.
“That’s what makes it so romantic.” When she noticed my expression, she frowned. “Maybe it’s one of the people you work with? Hell, your dog walker? He is pretty cute.”
The chill remained as I pushed myself to remember. Did this have something to do with the accident?Think. Think.
Then I remembered a few details. “Angie. I was rushing to the hospital. I was… Oh, no. There was another car. Oh, God. Wasn’t there a fire? What happened?” I could hear the monitors going haywire as my blood pressure rose. Images started to rush into my mind, my stomach twisting from revulsion.
“You need to calm down. Come on. It’s going to be okay.” Carrie stood, wrapping her hand around my arm.
“What happened? There was another car. Are they alive?”
“You’re right. You had an accident. The ice. The conditions were horrible. You’re lucky to be alive. The doctors said that. You almost died. We’re all so glad you’re here.”
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
Oh, God. I could feel death all around me.
“Tell me!” I was close to being hysterical, but at this point I didn’t care. I had to know. “There was one person in the other car. Yes, a man. I saw his face. Is he alive?”
She shook her head, trying to look away from me. I slapped my hand on hers, digging my nails in.
“Tell me what happened.”
“I’m sorry, honey. The driver of the other vehicle was killed. It’s not your fault,” she said softly.
As the air was sucked out of the room, tears slipping past my lashes, I turned my head away, staring at the most beautiful roses I’d ever seen.
It had been my fault. I was certain of it. If only I’d started the car earlier there wouldn’t have been any fog. If only I’d paid more attention. If only I’d taken another route.
If only…
CHAPTER4
“Athousand moments I had taken for granted, mostly because I’d assumed there would be a thousand more.”
—Morgan Matson
Sarah
