Little Sanchez // USWNT

Chapter 25

Tara's POV

One minute, I was laughing with the Little Sanchez, and about 5 minutes later I was driving to the hospital. 

If anyone knows what this pair has been through together, it's me. I've known Ashley since we were 15 years old.

The bond the two sisters have is one you can't tear apart for anything. So whatever happened back at their house must have been really bad, or one of them is bring dramatic. 

None of it matters now, because apparently when someone pulled Ashley out of her car she was barely breathing and passed out. I think Ainsley nearly died when she heard that. Her breath had hitched and her eyes widened 3 times their normal size. They won't tell us who the person was until we get to the hospital. 

I'm driving through tears, and making sure Ainsley is still alive in the passenger seat. I've never seen anyone as sad as that girl is right now. Her head's in her hands and she won't look up, her eyes are probably all red and puffy, her face again tear-streaked and cheeks pink. That's how she looked earlier, and I can't imagine it would be anything less now. 

I have always seen so much of Ashley in her, with her hard work, dedication, and passion. She also looks exactly like her sister, and every time I think about the fact that Ashley may not be okay, I feel like I'm going to throw up, because Ainsley will be next to nothing without her sister. I think about how it's been just them for so long. The only person the other could turn to. That's what makes me the saddest. 

"You okay, Little Sanchez?" I asked softly. 

"What do you fucking think, Tara?" 

"I'm sorry." 

"No, I'm sorry." She looked up for the first time since we've been in the car. "I just can't...there's just no....I have no fucking words, McKeown. I've got nothing." 

"I'm sorry about that, kiddo." 

"If there's anything for me to say, it's probably..." 

She trailed off, and I just waited. 

"The bitch who knocked her off the road better watch their fucking back, because I'll end them in one hot fucking second, even if she is alive." 

----------

Ainsley couldn't have gotten out of the car any faster, and she was gone so fast that I had to jog after her. 

As much as I love her, and as good of a person as she is, she's upset and angry, and she's got one hell of a temper. There's no telling what she'll do without someone there to shut her down. 

I walked next to her in silence, watching her occasionally wipe a tear or her cheek, her mascara smeared down her face. 

When we walked in, we got the room number and Ainsley almost took off at a run, but I grabbed her arm. 

"We can't run in here." I said softly, not watching to hit a nerve and have them put her in the psych ward. 

She looked up at me then, and my heart shattered. 

The look had it all. There was pain, there was sadness, there was rage, and there was a childlike innocence behind it all, which made me realize she was still just a kid. 18 years is to young to lose everything. 

"What if my sister's dead?" Her voice broke, and I could feel all of the lobby eyes on us. 

"Come on, Ainsley. Let's keep going. Come on." I whispered, turning her shoulders and giving her a little shove down the hallway. 

She slipped her hand into mine, and I gave it a squeeze as we kept going. 

When we got to the area where she was in intensive care, Ainsley walked over to the room and peeked in the door. 

"What are you doing?" Someone asked sharply. 

"I'm looking." 

"At what?" 

"At my sister. Can you let me in?" 

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Unfortunately I can't." 

"But you have to! I'm her family!" 

"At this point, it's parents only." 

"But...but..." 

"I'm sorry." He said, getting ready to go onto the break room. 

"You've gotta let her in." I said. "You have to." 

"I'm sorry. I already said, only parents of the patients are allowed in." 

"You have to let me in there. Please. We don't have parents, doctor. Please." Ainsley pleaded. I thought she would drop to her knees, but she didn't. 

"A Mrs. Monica Sanchez has been notified, so obviously that's not true." He said. "I'm sorry. Rules are rules." 

The look of horror in Ainsley's eyes when the doctor said her mom's name was something I've never seen. 

"Listen, sir. We were told that Ashley isn't in good condition. This is her little sister, alright? This is her best friend. It's always been them. Ashley is all she's got left. She's got nothing. Her dad? Gone. Her mom? Left years ago. She's got no one left, except her sister, who's in critical condition. That's it, right there. You need to let her in!" 

The doctor looked at the ground and sighed. 

"I'll let you two in. But that's it. I have no idea who you even are, but you seem to know them pretty well." 

He walked over to the door and let us in, where there were a few nurses doing something to her. 

"Here's the family." The doctor said, and he left.