Even in Death (#Wattys2015)

Losing Her: Part 2

I slowly woke up to the sound of machines beeping and the smell of disinfectant. I had a massive headache, and my body felt extremely stiff. I wiggled my fingers and found that my engagement ring was still attached to me and breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"Oh, Tom! Hunter! She's waking up, hurry!" I groaned internally. My mom sounded like she swallowed a frog which meant she had been crying. And my dad and older brother were here, which meant this was serious. I felt three pairs of hands on me before I bravely decided to open my eyes and face them.

"Oh, my baby! I'm so glad you're okay, Willy-bear. We thought we lost you." My mom could barely make out her words between her tears.

"Hey guys." My throat was extremely tight and scratchy.

"I'm fine. I'm right here. Where's Carson? I remember she never grabbed my hand when we flipped. I don't even know why her truck flipped. She was being so careful like always..."

My family shared a knowing look that made my chest tighten. My mother still hadn't stopped sobbing, and my dad was patting her back and whispering in her ear trying to calm her down. Hunter gestured towards the door and my dad gave me a small smile and said "We'll be right outside, kids."

I knew something was wrong. Hunter was my older brother and ultimately the only person I trusted with anything besides Carson. He was the only one who calmed me down. "What is it? What happened?"

Hunter pulled up the nearest chair and faced me, wrapping his hands tightly around mine. "The accident wasn't your fault, sis. There was a group of football players heading to their lake house as you were leaving. They were driving a party bus they rented. Everyone was plastered. Their BAC levels were all triple the legal limit. They got the bright idea to play Chinese fire drill inside their bus, and when one driver got up..."

I felt hot tears making their way to my chin. "Just tell me, please. I need to know."

Hunter sighed and squeezed the bridge of his nose tightly. "The bus slammed into Carson's side of the vehicle. You couldn't feel her grabbing your hand because the impact sent her through the windshield. I'm so sorry, Willow, I really am. Carson didn't..."

"NO!" I screamed. My breathing started hitching. My
heart monitor started sounding off an alarm. Nurses and doctors flew into my room and administered some thick white liquid through my IV.

I started to drift off into dreamland rather quickly. All I could see was Carson's face. I felt her lips touch mine. I looked over to Hunter one last time, and saw a blurry Carson standing behind him. She walked towards me, squeezed my shoulder, and whispered, "even in death, baby" in my ear as my eyes finally closed.