Wish Upon A Sunset

Snoopers & Abusers

Emma

Twelve Hours After The Accident...

"So, what really happened, Emma?"

Zackary's question shattered the silence.

My head rested against the back of the seat, my gaze unfocused, my mind matching the darkness of the night beyond my window. The rain pounded relentlessly against the windshield, drowning out any other sound except for the rhythmic swiping of the wipers.

We had just left the hospital, and it was late. Almost midnight. Tristan had fallen asleep almost as soon as we pulled out of the parking lot, snoring softly in the backseat.

The doctor's words echoed in my mind, and I replayed the scene in my head on a loop, each iteration adding another layer of self-loathing. She broke her neck. The words were like weights dragging me down. A knot of despair tightened in my chest, threatening to choke me with its intensity, and I struggled to breathe as tears pricked the corners of my eyes. The doctor had said we would have to wait and watch. He wasn't sure yet what the consequences would be. We needed to run more tests.

It was just a waiting game now.

Zackary's words finally penetrated my thoughts. I struggled to turn my head in his direction, feeling a heavy weight on my shoulders. My entire body felt like it was being pulled down by gravity, threatening to crumple under its force.

"What?" I asked, my voice barely audible.

His words were cold and full of animosity. "What really happened? How did you not see it? What were you doing?"

His questions felt like a thousand knives stabbing me all over.

I knew he would blame me. Everyone should blame me. But hearing those words from my husband's mouth hurt differently. We were supposed to support each other as a united front, a team. I had already worried about being alone with my thoughts, but now I had to deal with an inquisition?

I remembered the detective earlier and his relentless questioning, like I had done this on purpose or had done it before. I still didn't understand why he had questioned me. A shiver that had nothing to do with the cold ran through me, and I wrapped my arms around myself, pulling my coat tighter, wishing I could erase the last twelve hours.

"I wasn't doing anything, Zack. I was changing her dia-"

"You weren't doing anything?" He cut me off, his voice sharp. "That's the problem right there! You weren't doing anything! You weren't watching her closely enough! You didn't keep her safe! So, how did it happen, Emma?"

Every word, every statement, every question was like a slap in the face. I turned the heater vent toward myself, trying to ward off the chill from his icy demeanor. I didn't think I'd ever feel warm again.

"Can we talk about this later, when we get home?" I glanced behind me and saw Tristan still fast asleep. I breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't need to wake up to another fight. Witnessing his parents arguing every time he turned around was unnecessary. He didn't understand what was happening to his sister, and we needed to be his rock, his strength, right now.

Zack's hands gripped the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. "Yeah, we'll talk about it later." His eyes narrowed as he stared out the windshield. I looked at him for a moment longer, feeling my already cracked heart breaking a little more, before turning to stare out the window again.

The utter blackness mimicked the unrest inside my mind, offering me a strange comfort. A car passed us, going in the opposite direction, and its light reflected off my window. I watched a drop of rain roll down the glass, triggering the memory of my tears falling on Grace's face as she lay so still on the floor of her nursery.