Look How Far We've Come

Disapproving Parents

" Something out of a book" is how Em-m-m described the Starbucks run-in. Emily was the first to know about the nerds' reunion. We texted all through the moist morning. After talking about books, movies, and the city, we made plans to meet up soon. Although, she lived in Chicago as well, we seldom saw each other. Classes and work being the root cause.

The strawberry blonde had been the mother figure in our group of friends. The girl filled with every drop of her family's Irish blood, always found a way to make a sticky situation funny. Emery, as I called her, was always in the know about people. She knew all about the jock dating the scandalous freshmen. She was our newsletter.

Now it is 3:06. C should be getting out of the classroom by now. Everyday she has biology, I wait for her to walk out of those glass doors. By now, the grey clouds' mood had been lifted and now float white and massive in the sky.

Students of many sizes, colors, and expressions walk out of the main doors of the science building. I stand on 2 foot tall brick barrier to get a better vantage point. There she is! She is scrolling through her phone with her backpack bouncing with every step.

"CECILIA!" She always hated when I called her that. She comes back with her typical reaction. She looks up and her eyes smile but her mouth whines, "Don't call me that!" I laugh and soon we're heading back to the homestead. She talks about her day and I can't resist asking about her breakfast with Bake.

After her furious blushing, she tells me about their catching up. She told him about Chicago's grad school and the study of forensic science. He is on his way to get a masters in mechanical engineering. Am not surprised. His year had ended and spontaneously decided to see Chicago. By the light behind her eyes, and the rose color behind her freckles, she was very happy to see him again.

Our walk under the clear sky through fresh air is soon interrupted by the hollow sound of a phone vibrating in its case. The first sound since the police car that went by about ten minutes ago. I touch my back left pocket, not mine. C looks down at hers, that was still in her hand, "It's.... Emily." We exchange a confused look.

If Em wanted to meet up, she would call me I think. Only because we talked about it earlier. But to call Ceci?

"Hello?" I hear Em's voice muffled and rushed. We stop in our tracks, mostly because C stopped. "Emily, wait slow down..." She sounds calm still. "How? Is he okay?..." Now she's more worried, but the strain in her voice says she's trying to keep it together. Although, I can see her doe eyes widen in a mental heart attack. Meanwhile, in my mind I'm thinking 'What the heck is happening?! Who's hurt?!' I step closer to C to hear the conversation, but it doesn't work too well. "We're headed there now."

I wait wide-eyed in suspenseful air. "We have to go to the University of Illinois Hospital. Baker was in a crash."

My heart drops and my stomach falls farther. I can't imagine the dark cloud over C. But she keeps it together well. Her calm face is a good facade, but her worry is given away by the way her long, thin fingers fiddle with the plastic case.

The taxi ride is just a blur of colors on gray, air being sliced through, and the suspenseful silence in the cab. The driver even notices, and decides to say minimum.

Ceci's ability to remain calm is just stunning to me. Her face is stone as she walks into the lobby part. I haven't been in many hospitals, so I don't know the correct terms. Neither of us can sit. She is constantly checking her phone for what I assume, are updates from Em. "Hey, C. I know it may not help, but everything is going to be alright." I half believe what I say, because I can only assume the worst. I can't imagine how she feels.

"C! Lex!" Both of our heads pop up when we hear a familiar voice call our names. A 5' 4" girl with light auburn hair jogs towards us. Behind her is a tall, medium ash blond man with black, thin rimmed glasses. He walks with his hands in the pockets of his paramedic uniform. It takes me a minute to realize who it is.

It's Umar. I hadn't seen him recently. He had changed quite a bit from high school, for instance, his hair was shorter in the back and spiked in the front. His blue eyes were the same as ever behind those glasses. He was our fun fatherly figure. And no, Umar and Emily were not together. Whenever someone would make a joke, he would build off of it or change it to be a bit more playfully offensive. Not to mention, he also gives a very good "what are you doing? Judging you," face. On any other occasion, I would tackle both of them to the ground.

Emily hugs Ceci tightly, and C hugs back. When they back up, Em and Umar start telling us what happened. Umar starts.

"Baker was in an accident. Rear ended. He's looking alright for now, but he has a broken rib and his other is bruised. So we will also need to check for internal bleeding with an MRI." I hold onto C's hand for both of us. Emily keeps one arm around C's back.

Em starts talking about what she'd seen. "I saw a couple paramedics walking in with a blond boy. I thought he looked a lot like Baker. Umar recognized me on his way out, after he confirmed it was Bake, I called you." Her hazel eyes look at Ceci apologetically.

Ceci decides to stay until she can see him. Umar had to go back to work as did Em, but I know we'll see them again. Like parents, they'll be around, even if you don't want them to be at times.

In a long time, a nurse approaches asking if we are allowed to see him. I may have lied and said we were cousins. Everyone knows, C wouldn't have. In his room he sits up, propped against the large, white pillows. He smiles as much as he can.

"Hey." He says as if nothing had happened.

Ceci goes to the right side of his bed and takes his hand subtly and slowly sits on the edge of his bed.

"How are you feeling?" She asks softly.

"I've been better." He shrugs. "I hope I didn't worry you too much." That's when I realize, I'm a good friend for coming, but that I don't need to be there. Those two can just stay together. I'm just a third wheel.

On my way out, I pass Umar again. He gets a look in the room before looking at me and asking:

"So, all it took was one of them getting into a car crash to get them into bed together?"