Straight from the heart

Straight to the Heart Part 9

 Savanah

I watch as Steele pulls out of my driveway. A tear slides down my cheek and I brush it away. I'm ashamed of how wrong I was. Steele's right. How could I not at least hear his side of the story? Why was I so quick to jump to conclusions? I feel like an ass. I think I just wrecked the first great relationship I've had in the past two years.

My phone starts buzzing and I'm startled out of my trance. Picking up the phone I see that it's Prue calling, "Hey Prue darling, what's up?"

Sobbing into the phone she says, "I'm at the hospital. Wade's been in an accident. Can you come please?"

Telling her I'm on my way, I throw my phone into my purse and snatch my keys off the hook. It takes me twenty minutes to get to the nearest hospital to us and I quickly find Prue in the waiting room. I walk over and pull her into a hug. I hold her while she sheds her tears and waits for her to pull herself together before I ask her what happened?

"Wade was at his brother's yesterday helping him build a deck. He stayed for dinner and then texted me to say he was on his way home. When he didn't make it home I started to make calls. The next thing I knew, the sheriff was at my door, telling me that Wade had been hit by a drunk driver and was being rushed to the hospital. They gave me a ride here and I tried calling you last night but it kept going to your voicemail." She tells me.

"I'm so sorry. I turned the phone off because Steele was trying to call me," I say, feeling terrible that she was unable to reach me. "How's Wade doing?"

"He's just come out of surgery not that long ago. The doctor says that he sustained head trauma and that they've got him in a medically induced coma for now," She says her voice quivering.

I grab her hand as we sit side by side, "What can I do? Do you need me to call anyone? Do you need anything?"

She shakes her head, "I just finished calling everyone just before you got here. They should be arriving any time now."

"Did you still want me to stay? I don't want to intrude," I ask.

She grips my hand harder, "Can you please stay? I could use a friend with me right now."

I nod and tell her, "Of course I'll stay."

Family and friends come and go the rest of the day. Wade's injuries are serious and the next twenty-four hours are critical. I leave Prue long enough to go back to town and post a sign on the bakery door that we will be closed due to a family emergency and then hurry back to her. By the time I get back, I see Prue and her two sons huddled together, tears streaming down her face. I know instantly that something awful has happened to Wade.

I push the door to the waiting room open and cross the room to Prue, "Hey, what's happening?" I ask, rubbing her back.

She turns to me and wails, "Wade's gone! I can't believe he's gone! Someone tell me this is a dream. This can't be happening!"

Holding Prue in my arms I say to her, "Prue, I need you to take a deep breath. What's happened?"

Sobbing into my shoulder, my friend tells me that Wade had a brain bleed and while they rushed him to surgery, it was too late and he died. I comfort Prue as best as I can and when we leave the hospital I go back to her place and stay with her.

Prue heads to her bedroom and goes into the walk-in closet. I hear her rummaging around muttering to herself and go in to check on her. Clothes and shoes are strewn everywhere when finally, Prue reappears holding a mason jar with clear liquid.