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My world stills, and I turn to Ash, whose face is drained of all color. “There’s been an accident.” I assume Caitlyn is working, calling Ash to tell me about my brother.
I say, “Liam has been in an accident.”
His next words nearly bring me to my knees. “So has Tia.”
38
Ashton
Dave drivesus to the hospital, dropping us off in front of the ER. “We got this. Just go be with your family,” Dave insists, having left Greg to hold down the fort.
It makes no sense, how both Liam and Tia were in the same accident, unless they were together.
My eyes fall on Evelyn and Carl at first. “What’s going on?” I ask, and Carl, a big man, falls into his son’s arms. Evelyn’s eyes are so swollen, I can barely see them.
“We don’t know. Caitlyn is trying to find out, and Ash—” Evelyn turns to him. “Tia was with Liam, when a car hit them head on. The driver’s side took the brunt of the impact, and Tia was in the…”
“The passenger seat,” Carl explains. “She was awake and aware, when they brought her in, but Liam wasn’t.”
I know my husband better than myself, at times, and right now, his mind is trying to play catch up with our reality.
I open my arms to catch him. Noah can’t live this life without his twin brother, his other half.
I’m holding him as he openly weeps in my arms. After twenty minutes, the blonde hair and the familiar way she carries herself catches my attention. My mom is rushing toward us. “Noah! I need you to come with me. Liam needs a blood transfusion, right now.”
“What’s going on, Caitlyn?” Evelyn asks, slowing my mom’s speed down a little bit.
“I don’t know much. I was clocking out when a nurse recognized Tia’s name and came and got me. I saw Liam right afterward, and called Carl, but...”
“Just tell us, please,” my husband pleads.
“He’s lost a lot of blood.”
“Tia?” I ask.
“She’s sedated right now. In a lot of pain, but nothing life threatening.”
Evelyn stands in front of Noah, blocking his path. “Wait, I’m his mother. I should give him my blood.”
“Do you know your blood type?” she asks of Evelyn and Carl. They both shake their heads
“Liam is O negative. Meaning he is a universal donor, but he can only receive O negative blood. You all should get tested in case Noah’s not O negative. Either Carl or Evelyn will be O negative, but I’d say Noah stands a better chance.”
“Can’t they use what’s in the blood bank?” Evelyn is very concerned about Liam’s blood, questioning the hospital’s procedures. But Carl is shaking his head emphatically, agreeing with her.
“With an O negative blood type, they can only receive O negative blood. We try to use a blood donor from a relative. It’s policy, to keep the supply up.”
Noah is halfway through the hospital when Evelyn breaks down, a hysterical wail escaping her lips. She wasn’t this upset until now. I guess grief really hits us in waves.
* * *
Evelyn paces the floor.She doesn’t sit down. As many times as Carl comes to her side, she refuses. Her head whips to the door every time the emergency room opens. They’ve both had their blood drawn, but Noah doesn’t return to wait with us.
I hope to see my sister, but with mom’s brief explanation, she’s not the person to worry about. It’s touch and go with Liam. I’ve not seen Noah in almost two hours, and it’s the last time I’ve seen Mom. I try to text her, but I can’t get through.
My phone rings, and I pick it up immediately. It’s Greg.
“Hey, man. I hate to do this to you, but Lainey is really upset. She thinks something has happened to you or Noah. We can’t calm her down, and no matter what we say, she’s frantic.”
