When the day met the night

Chapter 4

Kennedy

       I'm walking around my apartment with my hair up in a messy bun, a vacuum in one hand, and a feather duster in the other. I have a podcast going on my phone turned up high in my earbuds. I'm listening to these two men review horror movies I've watched, and thinking about how our opinions differ.

       I'm just starting to dust the back of the TV when I get a call. It startles me, booming full volume in my ears. I rip out my earbuds and answer the phone. Benny's name lights up my screen as I sit to listen to whatever he has to say this time.

       "Um, Ken Doll, I have a big issue. You remember that girl from the coffee shop and then the shoe place?" He asks. I can practically hear his anxiety screaming at me. I know he's picking off whatever he had left for nails.

       "Yeah? Ben are you okay?"

       He lets out a sigh that quivers in the air. "I was driving downtown to apply for a new job and I was looking away and I ran into her car pretty fast. I'm okay, a little beaten up, but she's- I don't know if she's going to be okay."

       "How did she get more hurt than you?" I ask. That doesn't really make sense, does it? If he ran into her from the back and didn't get that hurt, how would she be facing worse?

       "There was a car in front of her. She was really close to them and ended up rear-ending them and it crushed the car in a crash sandwich. That's how the firefighters were describing it to her emergency contact." He tells me. I may not be able to see him, but I can tell that he's crying.

       "Okay, Benny, you need to calm down. I know this is scary, but you need to breath. Where are you?"

       "I'm in my car in the hospital parking lot. They just checked me out. They told me that they would call when she is better, but I'm too scared to leave. What if they call me on the way home? What if I hit another person?" He starts to breath short breaths.

       "Ben you really need to calm down. You are going to make this situation worse for you if you don't." I put a sweater on over my tank top and slide some flip flops on. I shove my keys into my sweatpants and rush out. "I'm on my way now. I'm going to let you go until I get there. Call Josh."

       I hang up after we say our goodbyes and start to speed- just a little bit- to get to the hospital. Josh is Benny's ex, but they left on good terms. He's always been good at calming him down, and he's going to do a better job than I could right now.

       Benny used to be terrified of driving. He saw a wreck one time and watched someone's head get bashed in. It really changed him, as one might think, but he's been doing so well lately. He always powers off his phone, never listens to the radio, and has nothing in his car to distract him. I have no idea how this happened, but it is definitely not like him.

***

      I find Benny sitting on the hood of his car with his face in his hands. I pull up next to him and jump out. I wrap him in my arms. At first I'm thinking how great he is doing and how I thought he would be so much worse, but then he starts sobbing.

       "When did this happen Ben?" I ask him, smoothing his hair down.

       "Um, maybe five hours ago?"

       I nod and just let him cry into me for a while. Either five minutes or an hour later, a nurse walks up to us.

       "Benny Walshire?" She asks. He looks up and wipes his face free of any tears.

       "Yes, that's me." I can hear him trying his hardest to make it come out smoothly.

       She smiles. "She's stable. She's going to be kept under for a while so that she can heal after her massive amounts of blood loss, but she will be okay."

       He practically drops on his knees and runs to hug her. She looks a little startled at first, but then she hugs him back. She's definitely a mom, I decide. After they pull apart, she speaks again, but more to me this time.

       "There is going to be a lot of work on your side now. On her's too, but mostly for you. Insurance companies and lawyers- if that's the rout she decides to go."

       "One of the doctors went over some of that with me. They said that you have some people that can help me with that for free?"

       She nods. "As for right now, I think you should probably go home and get some rest. We can get your car back to your house if you leave us the keys and your address." She offers.

       After we get everything sorted out, Benny and I are on our way to my home. He is silent the whole way, and I don't try to make him talk. This is a big deal, and I don't want to make him feel worse than I know he already does. He likes to pretend that he's this tough guy, he even looks the part. If you just saw him in public, you would think he's got his shit together. Maybe fresh out of college, a nice girl, and a career in sports either being pursued or turned down for one in the medical field.

       In reality, Benny is a frightened, messed up kid. His parents couldn't accept him when he came out, he's seen people die, and he's been dealing with depression for a while now. He was in an emotionally abusive relationship, and it took him a long time to fully come to terms with it. He didn't even know how bad it was until the man asked him to literally die for him.

       Benny and I walk into my apartment. I start some dinner right away and then join him on my bed. He has changed into my biggest sweater and some comfy joggers.

       He's staring up at the ceiling for ten minutes before he says anything. "I guess I just have really bad luck, huh?"

       "How did it even happen, Ben?"

       He closes his eyes and then looks over at me. "I saw my parents walking down the sidewalk. I haven't seen them since they had to pay for a mandatory therapy session."

       I hear the oven telling me that it is done. I get a plate together for him and bring it in to my room for him to eat. He picks around at it, thinking I won't notice that he only took two bites.

       "You don't have to eat more than you don't want to today, but tomorrow, you are eating three full meals, okay?"

      He nods and hands me the plate back. I set it next to me and lay next to him for hours, just rubbing his back.

***

       Benny has been staying with me for seven days now. He's eaten every meal I give him, and we even went out for coffee this morning. We checked to make sure that his car got to his place, and while we were there, he packed a bag to stay with me longer.

       We're sitting on the couch painting and watching TV when he gets a call from an unknown number. Benny shows it to me and shrugs, answering and putting it on speaker.

       "Hello?" He answers.

       "Hello. Is this Mr. Walshire?" The woman on the other end asks.

       He looks at me before answering. "Uh, yes, this is he?" He sounds very unsure of himself.

       "Miss Ashton Baker woke up this morning. In her notes, it says to call you to let you know. She is currently accepting visitors, but you don't need to come if you don't want to. This is just your alert. Have a wonderful day!" She says before hanging up.

       He looks at me. "Can we go please?"

       I nod. "Of course."