He was my ex. The classic type of ex. I dumped him a month ago because he had the nerve to not buy me a Valentines' Day gift. Everyone knows that you have to buy your girlfriend something big on Valentines' Day. How hard is it? Apparently too hard for my ex, making him not good enough for me. He was an ass, what can I say? I dumped him, over text of course. who could face a hideous idiot after that? I then blocked his contact because I didn't want to hear any of his lame blubbering or any pathetic apologies. Yes, I'm sure I am being repetitive, but ya know, he deserves every drop of my dislike. My diary writing is interrupted by a screech coming from downstairs, not the first this morning.
"SERENITY! I called you down for breakfast three times already. You are going to be late for your manicure, then you will be late for your lesson, and that means you'll anger Robert. I am not going to have him angry all night again. He is bad enough on a normal day."
"I hate to tell you mom, but I don't really care because you chose to marry that alcoholic, not me. Did you even ask me? No. I'll be down when I'm ready and not a moment sooner."
So of course, I slam the door, shutting out that woman, but not two minutes later, as I was applying my purple eyeliner and volumizing mascara, her voice echoed through the house again.
"Get down here right now. You will learn manners and you will obey!"
"Fine. I'm ready anyways. No, you don't win, I'm all done." With that I march downstairs and raise an eyebrow at the stuff on the plate on the table waiting for me. It is a whole-wheat blueberry pancake with two scrambled eggs. I sigh and grab the maple syrup and pomegranate juice from the fridge. I began to eat, discovering that it is quite delicious, though probably will make me bloat and not fit in my skin tight dress that I am planning to wear to the club tonight.
"Well good morning my darling daughter. I figured that you might want some comfort food since you were just dumped by that lying fool. Then your keys are on the hook and you have a full tank of gas. Drive safely."
"I don't need comforting, but whatever. I'll probably just bloat up. Not like it matters, I mean I'm single." I finish eating and snatch my keys, and close the door harshly behind me. I put my key in the ignition and immediately realize that my mother had turned down the music when she had gotten gas this morning. No one turns down my music. I keep it at a consistent volume level, 18 of course, because that is when I will be free. Loud and free.
My mini binoculars bounce along with the car as they hang from my rear view mirror that I never once have looked in. I look through the binoculars instead, to check the surroundings before I do something my "parents" don't agree with. What say do they have? I'm old enough to make my own choices. I pull into the parking lot and see that someone is in my spot, the one right next to the door. I want to push them out of the way, but that would hurt my precious car. I admit defeat and pull into the slot next to them, knowing someday that black sedan would feel my rage.
Taking a deep breath, I walk in for my weekly nail appointment.
"Hey Serenity! How's our favorite customer?"
"I'm doing decently. I mean men need to learn etiquette, but what's new there?" I follow Jamie to my favorite stool and sit down as she grabs my favorite color, my only color, from the shelf. It even has my name written on it.
Jamie takes off my old acrylics and applies new ones and then painting them with my purple-pink paint. In and out with little meaningless chatter. Just how I like it. These girls are below me, they don't deserve my stories, they wouldn't understand. I move to the counter and pull out my mother's credit card but Jamie stops me and pulls a gift card from her register.
"Someone bought this for you last week, hours after you were here. I didn't see who it was, but they said to use it towards your next appointment."
"I bet it was Robert or something trying to make things better. It isn't going to work on me like it does with my mother." I nod my head and walk out to get in my car. I get in my car and head onto the main road, too busy looking at how one cuticle was uneven to notice the tractor trailer truck barreling down on me until the last second. I cannot even react, the only thing I realize is that Julian is my only emergency contact. That was what I forgot to change when I dumped him. Julian.
Then I heard it. Our song, A Good Luck Charm, and his voice, calling me.
"Honey, wake up. Please beautiful, wake up"
I crack open my eyes, the only thing I can move at the moment. There are tears streaming down my face and I can't feel his hand holding mine. I open my eyes more and when he sees I'm awake he shouts for a nurse.
"She's awake! Serenity's awake!"
The nurse came in, looking slightly surprised and overjoyed. "Stay calm hun, you'll be alright. My name is Jess and I will help you get better. Do you remember anything, Serenity?"
"Not much. I think... I think I was hit? What's wrong with me?"
The nurse and Julian exchange worried glances. I try to move my head up, but realize I can't.
"Just tell me!" I scream. I glance down as much as I can in my immobile state I see bandages up my right arm, I think I see a splint too. "How long have I been out?" I don't know if I want to hear the answer. "Also, where is my mother? And Julian, why did you come?"
"Serenity, I came because they called me, I'm your emergency contact. It's a good thing that you had my house phone in my contact because I broke my other phone after I dropped you off after Valentines' Day dinner. I'm sorry I never called you to tell you. I didn't have your number and I was planning on coming to see you today, but when I stopped by your house, Robert came up in my face and started screaming at me. Something about leaving and him being angry."
He doesn't know that I had broken up with him. He has no idea...
My thoughts are interrupted by the nurse.
"You've been out for close to 18 hours. The surgery to remove those binoculars from your arm took about two hours. Past that, you have been on the edge of a coma. I have bad news for you though. When you were hit, something in your seat snapped and severed part of your spinal cord. You are definitely paralyzed from the waist down but we might be able to get your upper body back-partially."
"How? Why me? And why has no one said where my mom is?" Then a police officer came in. He had a grim look on his face.
"Ma'am, your mother was found dead underneath her bed when we went to tell them about your accident. A man who we have identified as her husband was dead as well. It appears as though Robert killed your mother and then took his own life. I am sorry for your loss. I will be willing to help you in any way that I am able."
I brake down. I can't do it anymore. Too much has gone wrong. Then Julian starts to talk again.
"Did you ever find your Valentines' Day gift? I left it in the bouquet of flowers in your room."
I look at him, shocked. "No, I didn't find them. I am so sorry Julian, I sent you a text after our date telling you we were done because you didn't get me anything for that special day. I was wrong. It was so selfish. Please forgive me"
"I forgive you because I can see that this experience has changed you. The gift was a pair of tickets to see the band who sings A Good Luck Charm. I talked to the nurse, she said that you should still be able to go in two months, if you're interested that is."
"Of course I will go. Thank you and I am so sorry. I need you and I promise not to push you away again."
"Serenity, now we have to fix you up. Julian, if you would excuse me and my coworkers for a few minutes, it is time to see what our next steps are with your beautiful girlfriend."
