The Storm

Chapter 17

Davis

I stand back as I watch Daisy's family swarm around her. I say a silent prayer, thanking God and every other saint I prayed to for the last two weeks. Just let her live, let her be alright is all I kept saying over and over again. I can still hear her father's voice over the phone, telling me what happened. 

I had taken Archer home and put him to bed after the fiasco at my parents' house. I assumed that Daisy would come home and we'd argue it out like always then make up. I freely admit I was prepared to beg her this time to forgive me. I let my temper get the better of me. I wanted to drive to her parents' house and persuade her to come home, but Archer was asleep and maybe she needed time to cool off. I did too. I paced for hours, framing my apology. I finally fell asleep on the couch at two in the morning. An hour later, my phone rang. I raced to answer it, thinking it was Daisy. But it wasn't. It was her father. He was sobbing. 

"Davis, you need to get to Carolina Hospital in Florence. Daisy has been in a car accident and it's bad, very bad," he explained quickly. Without even thinking, I scooped Archer out of bed, grabbing a blanket and a coat before racing out the door. Fortunately, he stayed asleep the entire time. I met up with Greta and Ray in the emergency waiting room. Archer was groggy, sucking his thumb with his head on my shoulder. 

"Oh thank God!" Greta cried when she saw us. She immediately embraced me, kissing Archer's cheek. 

"What happened?" I stuttered out in disbelief. 

"Some asshole wasn't paying attention and slammed into her at a red light. It pushed her out into the intersection where she got t-boned by a pickup truck," Greta started to cry. "My baby, my sweet little baby girl." I wrapped my arm around Greta as she wailed into my chest. 

It was a storm of agony for the next few hours as we waited anxiously for any news. Greta took Archer from me and rocked him in her arms as if to calm herself. Ray, her dad, paced the floor silently. One by one her siblings started to arrive. Lylah approached me immediately, like an avenging angel. 

"Why wasn't she with you?" she asked in a tearful voice. 

"We had... we had an argument and she left early," I said sheepishly. God, I should have stopped her. She told me she loves me and I let her drive away. 

Lylah said nothing but her eyes were full of tears. She turned and walked over and sat down next to her mother. If Daisy got the chance to tell anyone anything about what we argued about, it would be Lylah. 

The waiting was awful as we slowly watched the sunrise. We were given intermitted reports. Daisy needed 22 stitches due to the windows shattering and lacerating her scalp. The nurse told her father they had to shave her head to stitch. Her right leg was broken in two places, her right arm as well. I felt a knot in my chest getting bigger and bigger each time the nurse or doctor would come out. I started to feel like God was punishing me. I've had two good women who loved me and he was bound and determined to take them from me. 

I texted my sister Billie around nine. She drove to the hospital to pick up Archer. When she walked in, her eyes were red. She greeted me quietly then went to speak to Greta and Ray. I could see her crying and comforting them. Billie knows how to comfort people. She was a born pacifier. She is always there with soothing words and tight hugs. She is there when I need her. I'm not sure I deserve such a loyal sister. When she returned back to me, she was wiping her tears away with a tissue. 

"Let me tell you something, Davis John Pedersen," she began in a sharp voice, which took me by surprise. "The moment that sweet girl opens her eyes, you had better be there, begging her for forgiveness for being an absolute dickhead. I'm going to have Momma come down here and apologize for her behavior too. If you are lucky, she will forgive you and send you on your way."