One Call Away

Chapter 3

Carter heard him, but didn't believe him. How could this be real? His best friend since they were 20 years old was dead. Dead. Not coming home. No more barbeques, no more vacations to Mexico, no more late nights talking about women and drinking scotch, no more sporting events. NOTHING. It just ended right that minute. Never to return. Holy shit.

Hailey was rigid. She couldn't move after hearing the words from the doctor. He was dead. Her husband was gone. He wouldn't be there anymore. They wouldn't have dinner together, go on vacation together, have a life together. They couldn't have a family either naturally or by adopting. She wouldn't see his smile and eyebrow raise that he gave her when he was happy or feeling feisty. He wouldn't make fun of her and Ashley's obsession with superheroes. He wouldn't kiss her anymore and pull on the curls in her red hair and call her carrot top to make her mad.

"Mrs. Smythe, are you ok?" she heard.

She looked at the doctor and then to Carter and back again. She had no idea how to answer, she was numb. She couldn't feel anything other than stunned and shocked. She watched the men talk a minute then another person walked into the room and talked with the man in scrubs. He turned and looked at her again.

"Mrs. Smythe, the radiologist looked at the scans just now and it appears your husband had an aneurysm, not a stroke. That was why it was so hard to stabilize him. The blood was overtaking everything in his head. I'm so sorry for your loss. I really am. I'm going to have the Care Team come and speak with you and help you get things started and arranged, OK?" He gently finished.

She still couldn't say a word, but felt Carter pull her closer to his side and thank the doctor. A woman came in with a sad face and Carter guided her down the hall after the woman and had them sit on a sofa. She promised to be right back and closed the door. Hailey looked at Carter with wide, sad eyes.

"Oh my god, Carter! What the fuck is going on?"

"Hailey, do you know what is going on?" He asked, concerned she was going into shock.

She nodded her head and finally the dam broke, "Dan is gone!!"

Relieved that she was comprehending the situation, he watched her face crumble and she dissolved into tears. Carter took her in his arms and felt his tears spill over too. A friendship of over 20 years had just ended. Dan was in his wedding to Megan and his daughter, Candace, adored him. Carter just held her and rocked her in his arms as they let the sadness wash over them.

The woman came back and helped get some of the arrangements started and where they wanted his body to be taken after he was cleaned up. Carter did much of the talking since Hailey had no clue what to say. That was all they could do at that point since she had no idea what Helen would want for a service. The woman handed Carter the folder of information and led Hailey back out of the hospital to his car. He glanced at the car's interior clock and was shocked that it was after eight in the evening. He drove them back home and helped Hailey get back in the house. He went into their room and moved Dan's luggage out of the way and cleaned up the area so she could sleep.

Hailey wandered upstairs and said she was going to shower, "Carter please stay until I am out. I don't want to be alone just yet."

He nodded sadly and went back downstairs. He pulled out his phone and called Vicky and explained the change in circumstances then listened to her scream and sob in agony and said they would be there in the morning. Next, he called Ashley and left her a voicemail saying to come to the house and not the hospital and that Dan hadn't made it. He asked her to fill her parents in. He sat on the couch, exhausted and called Sophie, his sister. She cried with him for a minute, then she said would call their parents in the morning since it was so late out there and would let him know when they would be out. He called Megan and they cried together for their mutual friend and she promised to call Candace in the morning. Thanking her, he hung up and sat back on the couch until he heard footsteps on the stairs.