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I came barreling through the ICU doors.
“Where’s my mom?” I yelled out to the receptionist who looked at me with sympathy.
What the fuck is going on?
“Aubrey,” Mom called from behind me.
I ran to her side. “What’s going on? You just hung up on me.”
She looked all around the open room and then back at me.
“Honey, last night…” She rubbed her forehead and then at her temples. “There’s been an accident. Austin and Alex have been in an accident.”
My eyes widened. “Oh my God,” I breathed out. “Please don’t tell me…” I couldn’t finish my sentence. My heart felt like it had broken into a million different pieces, only being able to think of the worse.
“They’re alive, but they’re in bad shape,” she explained.
“Are they going—” I stuttered, tears started rolling down my face.
“Austin is in much worse shape than Alex, he flew out the windshield. We had to put him in a medically- induced coma after we operated on his brain with the hope that it would help the swelling decrease. He’s suffered severe trauma to the head, honey, with several broken ribs, burns and deep cuts on his face and chest from the airbag and windshield. He’s going to need a lot of therapy, but it’s not impossible.”
My hand went to my mouth, my eyes filling up with tears.
“And Alex?” I asked, my voice breaking.
“Alex’s brain was swollen from her head busting the window, but we didn’t need to operate, it should go down on its own. But she’s still in a coma and should eventually wake up. We just have to be patient, head trauma is very serious and both of them will be under close watch for a while. She had to get some stitches on her forehead and lip. Other than that, she suffered minor cuts on her face, her arms and around her body. She’s bruised everywhere, along with a few broken ribs. I’m telling you all this because I don’t want you to be surprised when you walk in and see them,” she warned.
I shook my head not believing what was happening. “I don’t understand. How did this happen, Mom?”
“Austin was driving drunk and he ran into a tree. His alcohol level was .092, and Alex’s was .16, they’re lucky to be alive. It’s just a waiting game now. They have the best doctors taking care of them.”
“Are the boys—”
“Yes,” she interrupted.
I didn’t know what hurt more. That my friends were both fighting for their lives or the fact that Dylan didn’t even call to tell me. He obviously didn’t need me here to support him and that was the hardest pill to swallow.
“Lucas is in Alex’s room. He hasn’t left her side and Dylan and Jacob have been going back and forth between rooms. I believe they’re all in Alex’s room right now.”
“Is Lucas’ dad—”
“Yes, Dr. Ryder is here. His wife took Alex and Austin’s mom to get some coffee. They’re in room 702.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
“Come on, I’ll take you down there.”
I nodded again not able to form words. I barely felt it when she wrapped her arm around me and we walked side-by-side to Alex’s room. The boys didn’t even notice that we were standing at the doorway. Lucas was sitting in a chair in the back corner, Jacob leaned up against the wall and Dylan was sitting by her bed holding her hand.
I cried harder, seeing them all torn up with my best friend lying on a hospital bed, nearly unrecognizable. I couldn’t imagine what Austin looked like.
They all looked in my direction when they heard my sobs, Dylan didn’t even bat an eye that I was there.
“I’m so sorry,” I wept. I didn’t know what else to say.
“She’s going to be fine,” Lucas stated with a stern tone, I don’t know if he was trying to convince me or himself.
“Of course she is,” I replied, hugging my arms around my torso, trying like hell to hold it together.
