Page 39 of A Brilliant Spring

“911, where is your emergency?” a calm voice on the other end answers. Another scream breaks from my mouth and I try to breathe.

“We’re on the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto. Near the Yonge Street exit. We crashed into the wall. My friend is out cold, she was driving —” a scream breaks my words as another sharp pang ricochets through my body. “…and now she’s…she’s…passed out. I’m five months pregnant and something is wrong. Another car slammed into us as well.”

“Okay, ma’am. Please stay with me. I have a few questions to ask you. Can I please get your name?”

“Riley Jaimeson.”

“And your friend’s name?”

“Elissa Black.”

“And how did the accident happen?”

“Ahhhhh.” A groan rumbles from my lips. “I-I-I think we hit a patch of black ice. I-I’m not s-sure.” Breathe, Riley. Breathe through the pain. “I was asleep in the car when we started spinning, but it’s so icy outside and we just kept sliding.”

“Okay, Riley,” the 911 operator says calmly. “The ambulance is on its way now. I’m going to stay connected to you while we wait. They’re only one minute out. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on with you?”

I grunt before answering as I breathe through another sharp pain. It feels like it’s radiating through my middle to my back. “I…I don’t know. My stomach hurts. I think something is wrong with the baby.”

“And why do you think that?”

“Are you joking me? The pain is horrendous. It hurts to even —” Another pain comes shooting across my midsection. “— breathe.” In the distance, I can hear multiple sirens, and they slowly grow louder until I can finally see the glowing lights flashing. The sirens are deafening as the ambulance pulls up beside us and I say goodbye to the operator and hang up the phone. The driver’s door is being pried open, and a paramedic sticks his head in.

“We’re going to extract the driver right now. We’re working on moving the other car out of the way of your side of the car so we can get you out. It’ll be a few minutes.” I thank them and breathe patiently through the aches.

When they’ve finally moved the other car, I open my door and the paramedic hollers at me to stay still until they remove me from the car. I’m in so much pain, I’m clutching my stomach and just trying to focus on my breathing. A hand stretches out in front of me, and I grab it and allow the paramedic to hoist me out of the car. His powerful arms wrap around my back and behind my knees as he sets me on a stretcher, buckling me in. When we get into the back, he starts pulling my shirt up and strapping all kinds of wires and bands across my stomach and chest.

“I’m just putting a few things on you to monitor yours and the baby’s heart rates,” he explains, his voice velvety calm. I nod solemnly and pluck up some courage.

“Where’s my friend? Is she okay?” His face is blank, giving nothing away.

“She’s in excellent hands. They left a few minutes ago, and we’ll be following them in a second. Just try to stay calm and relaxed.” Well, thanks for that. A lot of information that was. The ambulance jerks as it pulls away and I can see the wreckage as we drive off. Elissa’s poor car is damaged beyond repair, and the front end looks crumpled like a piece of paper.

I still feel my heart racing in my chest and my breathing becomes a little more ragged. As the crash site gets smaller as we drive away, my anxiety increases. “Are you okay?” the paramedic asks. But I can’t reply. My breathing is rapid, and I feel like I can’t suck in enough air. There’s too much pain ripping through my stomach.

“Ahhhhhhhh…” I scream. The paramedic focuses on the screen hooked up to me, and then turns around, rummaging through the cupboards in the rig, finally extracting a needle and a vial. “Wh-wh-what are you d-d-d-oing?” I say through stuttering breaths.

“Don’t worry. This is just something to help you calm down,” he says gently. He pushes the needle into the IV port that he’s hooked me up to and presses the syringe down. A gradual calm overtakes me, lulling my senses to sleep. Lulling me to sleep. I feel every muscle in my body relax, and even though there’s pain, I’m finding it easy to let everything go. Slowly, I drift off to sleep.

•••

I wake up and am surrounded by bright white, even though the lights are dim in the room. The last thing I remember was being in the ambulance.

I bolt upright.

Where’s Elissa?

I look around the room and notice I’m at the hospital, still hooked up to a bunch of machines and this big, bulky belt is wrapped around my midsection. I’m in a private suite and Elissa is nowhere to be seen. I press the call button on the side of the bed, and moments later a nurse rushes into the room.

“Oh, Ms. Jaimeson, you’re finally awake! How are you feeling?” I rub my eyes and think about her question. Things are coming to me foggy, and jumbled.

“Uh, a little groggy. I’m not quite sure what happened. But where’s my friend?” I look to the nurse and her pinched nose, crinkled eyes, and pursed lips give nothing away. She’s a middle-aged woman with fine lines rimming her mouth and eyes. She looks a bit crotchety, but sounds pleasant.

“I’m sorry, sweetie. I’m not sure right at this moment, but let me see what I can find out for you. Okay? You’re in the maternity ward and she’s in another part of the hospital. How are you feeling?” she asks me again.

“Better now.”

“No more pain?”

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