Page 5 of Buried Dreams

“What a fucking mess,” another voice adds. “Three-car accident. One man struck on the side of the road.”

“How many in this car?” a woman asks as I hear shouting coming from far away, and then the sound of more sirens fills the night. Red lights flashing cut into the darkness of the truck for a couple of seconds, but I don’t have time to look around before it’s dark again.

“We have three in the back and two in the front.” That doesn’t sound right. How are there three in the back? I wonder if Jennifer or Autumn fell onto the floorboard.

The sound of metal clunking feels like it’s right outside my door. I wince as my head throbs. “We got you,” I hear right after the sound of clunking is done. The weight on my side is gone, and when I open my eyes, I see they got Brock out. “We got him out.”

I feel hands touching me. “We’re going to get you out.” I hear the soft voice and look at the man dressed in a firefighter uniform. “We got you.”

“I don’t think I can move,” I say as he puts a white plastic thing around my neck.

“I’ll carry you.” He puts one hand under my knees as he tries and pulls me away from Jennifer.

“My friend Jennifer. She must be stuck somewhere,” I say as he moves an inch at a time. My leg suddenly cries out in pain, but I push it away from me. “She’s in here. We are six people in the truck.” My eyes get heavy as the light shines on my face, making me close them as I feel like I’m floating on air now.

“She said there were six in the truck,” the man reports, and I try to open my eyes. “Where is the other person?”

“There are only three people back here,” a man says softly, and I want to open my eyes to tell him it’s a mistake, but right before the darkness takes me away again, the man says, “Unless she’s under…”

“Turn left at the stop sign,” the GPS tells me, and I come out of the memory of the night that changed not only my life but everyone’s life irrevocably. It's not that I need the GPS at this point, but it’s been on since I started driving, just to tell me how far away I was.

I don’t even notice my face is wet with tears as I pull up to the hospital parking lot. I grab my phone and my keys before rushing into the emergency room, where I find Mrs. Gregory sitting with a coffee in her hand. “Oh, thank goodness you got here. She just woke up.”

I put my hand to my chest. I’ve never heard sweeter words before in my life. I mean, only three other ones have been sweeter. “Can I see her?” I ask, and she gets up, nodding.

She walks with me to the nurses’ desk. “This is Ms. Maddie’s daughter,” she informs them, and the woman smiles at me.

“Can I see her?” I ask, my hands shaking. “Please, just for a minute.”

“You can.” She gets up and motions with her head to follow her. I follow her to the back, past two swinging doors. The only lights on are the lights at the nurses’ station in the middle of the corridor. Most of the doors to the rooms are open, and you can see in each of them with the big windows giving you access.

She stops beside a door, and I look in and see my mother lying in the middle of the bed with her head elevated. My feet move before my head can even wrap around that she looks like she’s sleeping. I pick up her hand gently, feeling her warmth seep through me, and bring it to my lips. “I love you, Momma,” I sob out.

I hear her head move on the pillow, and her eyes open. “Everleigh?” she says, confused I’m here. “What on earth are you doing here?”

I can’t help but smile through the tears. “Mom, you had a heart attack,” I inform her.

“I’m fine,” she huffs. “I need to get out of this bed and get to work.” She looks like she’s about to get up when I shake my head.

“She’s a stubborn one,” the doctor says, walking into the room. He’s wearing scrubs and a surgical hat on his head. “She’s lucky we found her in time.” He stands in front of the bed with his hands on his hips.

“What does he know?” My mother looks at me. “I’m telling you I’m okay. I feel fine.” She fights to keep her eyes open.

“How long does she have to stay here?” I know my mother has probably asked this question already.

“I can tell you she won’t be able to open the shop in three hours.” He glares at her, and my mother refuses to even look in his direction.

“Everleigh, can you get my purse?” My mother ignores him. “Harmony is going to be there with the cakes, and I have to start getting the donuts ready.”

“I’ll go,” I offer, knowing if I don’t go, she won’t rest. “I’ll go and get everything sorted today, and you can rest and go in tomorrow,” I bargain, looking at the doctor when he looks like he’s about to say something.

“Fine,” she relents. I know by her giving in without even fighting with me, she really doesn’t feel well, but she won’t let me know. “But you need to leave now.”

I look over at the doctor, who I motion with my head to the side, hoping he understands what I’m trying to say, and he looks at my mother. “I’m going to be back in a bit to check on you.”

“Wasting your time, Oliver. I said I’m fine.” I look at both of them as my mother closes her eyes. “Now, I’m going to rest, and you’re bothering me.” She looks back at me. “You, get going.”

“Will do,” I agree. Walking out, I stop by her door and let out a huge sigh of relief. “I guess she’s fine.”

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