Meadow Valley book series- Everything's changed

Chapter 1: Tragedy Strikes

     It was one of those normal everyday mornings for the Gonzalez family. The kind of morning that is almost a part of a robotic morning ritual. It had been storming all night long and it was still raining outside in the morning when everyone woke up. Jess and Ana were finishing up their breakfast right before they had to leave for school. Ana was trying to cram in every last second she could for her Chemistry exam later that morning. Their mom, Lisa Gonzalez-Grant, was putting on her last touches of makeup as everyone else was getting ready for their departure. David had already left earlier that morning for an early morning college class. Their father- Carlos Gonzalez- was watching the news while he finished up eating his breakfast. Before going into the church office. Carlos was the Senior Pastor of Southwood Baptist Church and Lisa was a high math teacher at Ana's school.

"Goodbye papi, I love you." Ana had kissed her father goodbye on the forehead. "Love you too sweetheart."

     Ana loaded up into their family's minivan. Not knowing that it would be the last time their family would ever experience one of those normal everyday mornings again.If Ana would've known it was going to be the last time she was ever going to get to see or hug her father again. She would've held on to that last hug a little harder and longer. Just the mere thought of those last memories made Ana all choked up as she sat in the hospital emergency waiting room. Now she will never get the chance to hug him again or feel the warmth of his embrace or the sweet smell of his cologne again.

"My papi was the best in the entire world. Why did something like this have to happen to our family?" Ana thought to herself as she tried to hold back the tears. "Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?"

     That morning after they had all left the house. Carlos was in a horrible car accident on the way to the church office. The roads were so slick from all of the rain the night before. It was still raining a slow drizzle. Just enough to glaze the roads with a sheet of water. When suddenly another car had went spinning around and lost control on the Florida Turnpike. The roads were just too wet for Carlos to be able to stop his car in time. Carlos car collided at full speed into the side of the other car. The collision sent his car catapulting into the nearby guardrail. His vehicle was so mangled up that the fire rescue trucks had to use the Jaws of Life to pry open the driver's car door. And cut him out of the vehicle. Carlos was unconscious when rescuers finally got to him. The paramedics were working hard to revive him at the scene of the crash. Medical personal decided that Carlos was in need of such critical care that they had to airlift him to Jackson Memorial Trauma Center. Upon arrival, they took him into immediate surgery. He had sustained a great amount of trauma.

     Ana was sitting in her history class when the principal came into her classroom. "I need Ana Gonzalez to come with me immediately." The principal had interrupted the teacher in the middle of her lesson. Ana had this awful feeling in the pit of her stomach. Like she knew something bad had just taken place. The principals never escort students out of the classroom unless it is something really serious. "Ana, pack up all of your things. You are leaving."

     Ana knew that she wasn't in trouble. She was a good student and never did anything wrong. She thought it had something to do with her mom. Since Lisa was a teacher at her school. As Ana followed the principal out the door and into the hallway. An oozing feeling of sadness and fear welled up within her. It was an unexplainable kind of feeling. One that she knew would change her life forever. The principal rushed her quickly down the halls in silence. He escorted Ana to where Lisa was standing outside of the main office. Ana ran up to her mom and gave her a hug. A feeling of relief poured over Ana as they hugged. Ana was becoming more curious to why she was pulled out of class like that.

     She knew by the look of concern on her mom's face that it was not good. Ana had so many questions. It felt as if it happened so fast yet seemed like it was taking place in slow motion. Lisa grabbed Ana by the hand and insisted that they needed to hurry up.

     As soon as they got into the car. Ana noticed the horrific look on her mom's face as if something extremely bad happened. Ana could tell that her mom was holding back the tears. Lisa was struggling to stay strong as she drove away quickly. Lisa was normally so full of joy that even her eyes smiled when she would look at you. Not right now. Ana has never seen this look of worry on her mom's face before. Ana was working on mustering up the courage to ask her mom what was going on. Why were they in such a hurry? Where were they heading to? Just then, Lisa broke the awkward silence that was in the car. She tried to get the words out of her mouth. Ana could tell that she was holding something back and wanted to remain positive in a negative situation. Like she's seen her mom do many times before.

"Your p-papi was just in an h-horrific car accident." Lisa could barely mutter the words out of her mouth. "They had to a-airlift him to Jackson Memorial Trauma Center." Lisa paused as if she was trying to figure out what to say next.

     While fighting back the tears and controlling her racing emotions. "Oh come on you stupid car. Get out of my way." Ana had never seen her mom be so impatient in the traffic before. She was always calm and peaceful.

     As a matter of fact, Lisa always told everyone that if they were late then God was just giving them more time to pray in the car. Ana could tell that the stress of the situation was weighing heavy on her mom's heart. She didn't want to even imagine anything short of a miracle taking place with her father. That's when Ana insisted that they pray at that moment in the car. So they did. They prayed all the way to the hospital.

     Ana's grandparents picked up her sister Jess from school and was driving to meet them at the hospital. David was already on his way to the hospital from his college. No one had a minute to spare. They all needed to get there as soon as they possibly could. Ana kept trying to encourage her mom. "Everything is going to be okay mom. God is in control." Normally Lisa was the strong one in the family. Ana has never seen her mom come so undone like this before. It wasn't something that she said. It was just the little nuisances and the occasional glances she gave Ana that day. When they arrived at the entrance of the hospital. Lisa pulled up the car to be valet parked. She opened up her car door and got out as she ran towards the front emergency room doors. Ana stayed behind and grabbed the ticket from the valet. Then she hurried in after her mom.

     Ana spotted her mom talking to someone at the front desk. Lisa glanced over at Ana and pointed out where her brother David was standing in the waiting room. Lisa approached her kids. "David I want you to stay here with Ana and wait for your grandparents and Jess to arrive. I need to follow this lady into the back. Love you." Her voice crackled a bit as she spoke with them. Lisa rushed down a hall with a nurse and vanished behind some locked double doors. As Ana and David anxiously waited for the rest of their family to arrive. Ana was pacing back and forth in the lobby biting her fingernails. It was a bad habit that she did when she was nervous about something.

     It was not too long after that. Ana had spotted her sister running through the front doors to greet her. Jess rushed over to Ana and embraced her with tears streaming down her face. As the two sisters hugged. Jess sobbed harder and held on to Ana tightly. David came over and joined in on their family embrace. Their grandparents came in shortly after Jess and approached all of the siblings that were now hugging and crying together.

     The look on Abuela's face was that of grave concern and sorrow. Abuelo just rested his hands on the kids' shoulders as they were all still hugging each other. Then he asked Ana "have you heard any news yet." She shook her head no.

     They all sat down in the hard waiting rooms chairs looking towards the big double doors. Almost jumping up every time a nurse or doctor would come walking through. As if they were coming to speak with them each time. They waited in there for what seemed to be like hours before anyone would come to tell them any kind of news. Abuelo went up to the front desk several times in search of some kind of answers or news. Each time he returned with nothing. Ana thought that the worse part was not knowing what to expect. The silence was almost deafening to her.