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“I wish you could just stay with me,” he says. I squeal as he picks me up and throws me over his shoulder.
“Bye, guys!” he calls as he carries me out to the truck and stops, putting me down to kiss me.
“Just a few more months,” I say as we get into the truck, and I slide my seat belt on.
We head down the road, and music plays softly in the truck.
We don’t even see it coming, but all of a sudden, a deer runs across the dark road, and the truck headlights dance off its white chest and antlers.
“Deer!” SJ screams as he instinctively slams on the brakes, throwing his arm across my chest and pushing me back as the truck hits the deer head-on. Headlights are coming at us from the other direction, and there’s squealing of brakes from the other car as thumps and cracks make their way through the cab of the truck. I scream, and everything goes dark.
* * *
“Callie! Callie, wake up. Open your eyes, Callie,” SJ pleads with me. I can tell he’s crying. I want to tell him that I’m okay. But suddenly, I realize that I’m not okay. I’m hurting, and everything feels like it’s in slow motion.
“Dad, I need help!” SJ screams into the phone. “I hit a deer on the highway by the inn. Callie’s unconscious.”
“Hurry, Dad,” SJ sobs.
I hear EMTs and people calling my name. “Don’t call my parents,” I mumble.
“Callie, Callie!” SJ calls over the noise.
I feel the jostling as I’m loaded into the ambulance, and my arm hurts so bad. Pain shoots through my body.
“Alright, let’s get her looked at.” The EMT knocks on the front of the cab, signaling to go, and the doors shut.
“Have you had anything to drink?” the EMT asks, shining a light in my eyes.
I shake my head. “No. My arm…”
“You’re okay. We’re almost at the hospital,” the EMT says as he takes my blood pressure on the arm not hurting as bad.
The ambulance doors open, and there are my parents. My mom is yelling at Sam. He’s standing off to the side with his arm around SJ, who holds his fist to his mouth with worry.
“This is your fault!” My mom shrieks at SJ, whose eyes are red from crying.
SJ says nothing, and Sam whispers something to him while glaring at my mom.
“Get out of here,” my dad yells at Sam and SJ. “Where’s security?” he demands.
The entitlement of my parents is just astounding. We’re both hurt, and he somehow blames SJ and doesn’t think he even deserves to be at the hospital, too.
Sam and SJ watch me and say nothing and don’t move as my stretcher is pushed inside. They quietly follow next to me, making it clear they’re not leaving. My dad leans down, and I can smell the booze on him. Great.
* * *
Several hours later, I’m able to go home, and my mom drives us. My dad has passed out in the back seat. She says nothing, pretending this is all perfectly normal.
“What were you thinking, Callie? I just don’t understand why you keep throwing your life away for that boy,” she snaps. “He’s dangerous. He could have killed you.”
I say nothing. My pain meds make me sleepy, and I doze off against the cold and comforting window of the car. I just want to sleep. There’s nothing that I can say anyway. SJ can do all the right things. My parents can do all the wrong things. None of it makes any sense.
now
“Dr. McGraw, a delivery came for you,” Ramie calls as I turn the corner. “Look.” She motions to a gorgeous bouquet of yellow roses on the desk.
I smile, knowing they’re from SJ. He always used to get me yellow roses and knows they’re my favorite. I open the card and read his words, scripted in his familiar handwriting that’s barely legible.
