Susan and I brought our tickets for the Harry Potter finale to the front of the line, starting our hour long wait for the next showing of the movie we had been talking about for months.
"John's calling." Susan took the call. Most likely, as it always happens, my cell was turned down too low so John turned to my companion to get in touch with me. "Wait, what? John? I can't understand what you're-" She checked the display. The call had dropped. "I have no idea what he said."
Pulling out my own cell, I dialed his number. "He's probably telling us he's in the area or something." Sprite and John were on their date night, their tradition whenever I had friends in town or had a girls' night. The line picked up. "John? Where are you?"
The line was alive with noise, John's voice raising up a decibel more to be heard. "We're at the McDonald's entrance in front of the town center. We had an accident. The van is totaled. I need your help."
My stomach dropped. "We're on our way."
******************
Running across a crowded parking lot to Susan's car, manuevering through heavy mall traffic to get to the scene, not even a half mile away, seeing the strobing red and blue halos light up the sky behind the McDonald's. Knowing that John and Sprite were at the center of it.
*****************
"Hi, baby, are you okay?" My voice took on a falsetto as I tried to control my own emotions, not wanting to stress her out further, but desperate to hold all of her, verify each movement with a mental checklist.
"Mommy, look at my dolphin! His name is Mater." She shoved the stuffed pillow pet under my nose. "We got in a accident."
"I know," I murmured, reaching out to hug John to me. "Are you okay?" I directed my next question at him.
"My chest hurts from the airbag," he answered. "Jen, I didn't have a chance."
*************************
Walking to the front of the van to take in the severity of the impact, feeling Sprite stiffen in my arms as she howls a cry of shock at seeing her beloved blue car in ruins. Cursing my own stupidity at enforcing the exposure and turning her over to my best friend so I can help John with the paramedics.
************************
"That's a sexy look on you."
John looked up into my eyes, obviously uncomfortable from the back board, but the answering smirk told me he appreciated my attempt to alleviate the heavy urgency of the situation. "Thanks. I'll try to remember that."
The officer walked over to us. "What does your shirt say?" he asked John.
"Meh." We both tried to explain the slogan plastered across a Facebook blue background.
The officer smiled. "For a second there, I thought it said 'meth'."
*****************************
Collecting details from witnesses, dragging Sprite's carseat and any valuable insurance paperwork out of the van, still caught in the glow of emergency lights, sneaking glances of my husband, still prone in the street, being hovered over by men he had never met before.
****************************
"Why are they putting a seatbelt on Daddy?"
I paused in my answer, not sure how exact I should be. Life lessons under pressure are not my forte. "They're putting him in a bed to take him to the hospital and be checked out. The seatbelts just keep him on the bed, that's all. Daddy's fine."
"Can I go with him?"
"Sorry, sweets, there's only room for Daddy. We moved your car seat to Aunt Susan's car. We'll follow them to the hospital so we can bring Daddy home."
"What about the blue car?"
I sighed. John was right. The blue car was totaled. "We'll have to find another blue car."
****************************
Driving through the night, updating concerned parents, arriving at the hospital only to be told the other county hospital has him, even though that hospital is a farther drive. Loading an exhausted child back into the car, her pleas to go home a reminder of the weirdness of the situation. Leaning on one of my closest allies through it all as I navigate the directions to the next stop of the evening.
************************
My cell rang with an unfamiliar number.
"This is Lieutenant Kinicky." (Spelling has been changed.)
"Yes, sir."
"I've met your husband at the hospital and provided him with the other driver's information. The other guy is getting charged with 'failure to yield right of way'.... Are you on your way?"
"Yes, we thought it was another hospital. Healthpark says hello, by the way."
"Are you sure you're okay to drive? You haven't been drinking?"
"No, sir. My best friend is driving and I'm not drunk."
"Okay, then. I'm leaving the hospital now. And tell your husband to lay off the meth."
A voice raises in the background.
"I DON'T DO METH!"
***************************
Reaching the right hospital, leaving Susan and Sprite in the car so I can find out where exactly John is. Standing in line for the triage nurse. Watching as a young man walks out of the back rooms and into the waiting area.
**************************
"Is she okay? We heard the machines are breathing for her," the woman in front of me addressed him.
His eyes looked vacant. "It's worse than that."
He walked past, the other four following him to the double doors and collapsing against each other in cries of despair.
My eyes wide, I turned back to the triage window and spotted the nurse watching me with a bored expression.
"Next?"
****************************
"Can you tell me the nature of the accident?" the desk representative clacked his way across the keyboard, inputting our insurance information into the system.
"Um, my husband was Southbound on Ben C. Griffin and another vehicle blew a stop sign into his lane causing him to impact the other car."
"Did airbags deploy?"
"Yes."
"Any other- hey!"
I turned my head to follow his gaze and viewed a man's body facedown on the floor. Security, closest to the man, didn't move as the same bearer of bad news from earlier walked over and helped him up, rousing him from his faint. They walked towards the outside area.
Looking back at the rep, I noticed his sardonic smile. "Happens all the time," he remarked, then caught himself back up to speed. "Do you have an attorney?"
"An attorney?"
"Yes, for this accident."
The same accident that had just happened two hours ago?
"Um, no."
"Well, let me give you the number of a great one. Helped me out a lot." He snatched the digits from thin air and pushed the paper to my side of the desk.
******************************
Being led to John's "room". Walking past half-opened curtains of other tales gone wrong. Hearing laughter to my left, observing police officers guarding a room to my right. Watching me as much as I'm watching them. Finally seeing John's face and hearing the doctor tell him to expect a few days of soreness, but otherwise fine. Being reminded over and over just how lucky John and Sprite were to walk away from the wreck.
****************************
"Sorry we ruined Harry Potter for you," he murmured, walking out with me to meet up with Susan and our sleeping daughter.
I grasped his hand tightly, holding myself back from giving a snarky answer, saving my anger for the next morning when the impact of tonight would hit us once more.
*************************
John and Sprite are both okay. Despite some complaints of a hurting back which was immediately checked out by her pediatrician, and some regressive fears such as driving in the dark still rearing its head, we're finding our way back to normal. And Sprite has a new blue car that she loves, even if this one doesn't have DVD.
