The Accident, The Recovery, and a Discovery

Just Thinking

A couple days went by and the day was cooler than it has been lately. It was late in the afternoon. Not quite sunset yet. The band was hanging out outside in the back yard enjoying the breeze coming through. Jake and CC put Ashley in the lawn chair so he can recline back and relax. Ashley was staring at the clouds.

 He was spaced out not paying attention to anyone. Just watching the clouds go by.  Jinxx said "I want lemonade." Andy said "I'll make it!" Jinxx said "No way Andy! You put too much sugar in it!" Andy said "You don't put ENOUGH sugar in it!" They both walked back into the house as they bickered back and forth.

CC sat in the lawn chair next to him but didn't recline his back. CC asked "Whatcha doin' Ash?" Ashley quietly said "Just thinkin'." Jake sat on the other side in the other lawn chair not reclining his back either and asked "Thinkin' about what?" Ashley said "How I almost ended up going up there." CC said "Going up where?" Ashley pointed up to the clouds. Jake and CC both said "Oh..."

Ashley said "I was so close to ending up there." Jake said "I know. I ended up having a nightmare about it the night we got the phone call." Ashley asked "You did?" Jake said "Ya. I had a nightmare that we got a call the next morning saying you didn't make it and we had to call your family and tell the fans." 

CC said "I barely slept at all that night. As soon as they told me you were in a car accident my first thought was oh my god I have to bury my best friend. I just laid in my bed that night staring out the window thinking please don't go yet. I'm not ready for you to go yet."

CC sniffled and wiped a tear from his eye. Ashley said "I wasn't ready to go yet either. Everything happened so fast. I was so confused and scared when I woke up in the hospital. I didn't know where I was. I couldn't talk. I couldn't move, at least not my legs. I woke up and wanted to call out for help but no noise would come out for a while. Like one of those nightmares where you try to scream but you can't."

Jake said "You looked so mangled when we came and saw you the next day. I'm not sure what looked more mangled, you or your car." Ashley said "Oh my car...I can't even imagine what it looked like." CC asked "Why did you have a beach towel with a hole in it sitting in your trunk?" Ashley said "Oh that was my fault. I was using the beach towel to dry my car and accidentally stepped on it and put a hole in it. I was gonna use it for an art project but I kept forgetting it was in the trunk."

CC said "I know they sent your car to the junkyard. There was no salvaging it." Ashley asked "That bad huh?" Jake said "Oh ya..." CC said "Well with your settlement money you can put a down payment on a new car." Ashley said "I'm not sure when I'll be wanting to drive again." Jake said "Lets just focus on getting you walking again first." CC said "I'm just grateful you're alive. I did not wanna have to bury my best friend. Not yet or really ever." Ashley said "Well I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

Jake, CC, and Ashley sat there looking up at the clouds together for a few minutes. Their silence was interrupted when Andy and Jinxx came outside. Andy said "Ok we have two batches of lemonade. The one I made and the one Jinxx made." Jake asked "Why did you make two separate batches?" Jinxx said "Because we want you to taste test who's is better. Mine or Andy's!" Ashley rolled his eyes and said "Oh brother!"