Page 27 of Invisible String
“Okay,amor, I’m heading to work. Let me know how it goes.” My dad ruffles my hair. “Good luck at practice, Max.”
Ten minutes later, my mom’s driving at rocket speed. “I’m trying to hurry, Max. I don’t want you to be late for your first practice.”
A dump truck gets in our lane so fast that Mom doesn’t have time to stop.
“MOM,” I yell. She unbuckles her seatbelt when she sees the truck spinning and heading straight toward my side. She blocks me with her body. Shielding me. It happens so fast, but slowly at the same time. Glass shatters. I cover my eyes, and the impact of the car bangs against my head. The pain in my head feels like weights are anchoring it down. The surrounding noise is distant. I open my eyes when I hear a man shout, “Are you okay?”
The pain in my forehead has me pressing on it. Wetness coats my skin. I look to see its blood. Everything is spinning. The car flipped. I look to the driver’s side, but I don’t see Mom.
“Mom,” I try to shout, but my voice is hoarse.
“Hey, buddy, are you okay?” A man’s panicked voice startles me.
He unbuckles me.
“Mom?”
“Was your mom in the car with you?”
I nod weakly.
“Okay, I will find her. I’m going to get you out of the car. If something hurts, tell me?”
“Okay,” I rasp. He lifts me up, and I put an arm around his shoulder.My body hurts, but I say nothing. I’m searching for my mom. The truck that hit us is flipped over. The man is getting help. Then I see a woman hunched down, talking to someone. “Put me down.” He does.
I limp to the woman on the ground.My heart beats so fast. “Someone is helping him, hun. The ambulance is on its way. We’ll get you help. Stay with me, sweetie.”
“Mom, Mom!” I call out to her, sprinting as fast as my legs can carry me. She hears my voice and struggles to lift her head. Her weak hand reaches up toward mine, and I quickly kneel next to her, grasping her hand tightly in mine with tear-filled eyes. Blood trails down her mouth, and multiple cuts mar her face. Her mouth opens and then closes. “Mom.”
“I-I—” Her words are gargling with the blood filling her mouth. The woman next to her tells her not to talk. “Love you.” My mom says with a tear running down. She gasps for air. Why did she have to unbuckle herself to shield me?
I can hear the ambulance from a distance. The lady next to Mom whispers something to the man and then closes my mom’s eyes. The lady looks at me with pity and moves closer to me. With my hand still holding my mom’s,she whispers, “The ambulance is here, honey, but your mama is in heaven.”
I shake my head at her. No, she can’t be.
Rainey’s sudden stop on the side of the road has me jolt back to reality.
“What the fuck, asshole,” Rainey screams at the truck in front of us, flipping him off. “Max, are you okay? Your face is pale.”
“I’m fine.” I wipe the sweat from my forehead. “What driving school did you fucking go to? Because you need a damn, redo, sunshine.”
“It wasn’t my fault. He was picking up speed, then slowing down.”
“And you were hauling ass.” My voice is gruff, still trying to be coherent. “I think you’re ready for NASCAR.” I face her, and she scrunches up her nose.
“Ha, ha, ha, so funny.” She throws her hair up, rolling her eyes.
“Get out of the car, I’m driving.”
“No, I can drive.”
I ignore her and get out of the car, walking around to get to her. I lost count of how many times I’ve come close to death. When she sees I’m near, she locks the door.
That little. “Rain, open the dang door.”
She rolls the window. Cars stream down the street without pause. It’s summer, and tourists are everywhere. “Max, you get in the car. You’re being dramatic. I’m a great driver.” Her voice is sassy, which only has me wanting to kiss her stupidly.
“I beg your pardon, but you suck at driving.”
