As We Go On

Relief

Eva

The lady at the front desk smiles at me and says in a voice that sounds like my grandmother, "How can I help you?"
I take a deep breath and then speak.
"My friends Braxdon Kelley and Keelan Parrish were in a car accident earlier tonight. Braxdon called me a little less than an hour ago and told me. Are they in a room?"
The nurse leans and begins to type into her computer. "You said their names were-"
"Braxdon Kelley and Keelan Parrish."
I realize I interrupted her and I relax back onto flat feet from the tiptoe position I had been in without realizing it. "I'm sorry. I dont mean to be rude."
The nurse lady nods and shakes her head. "Its just fine. I understand why you are a little stressed."
I nod. "I really do look like a mess."
"You are very pretty sweetie." Classic southern consolation, but at least it sounded authentic.
"Thank you" I mutter.
Okay, so Mr. Parrish is still in the OR, but Mr. Kelley is in room 225. Visiting hours ended a couple hours ago, but..." She shrugs her shoulders, seeing how much of a mess I am. "Go ahead. If anyone asks, tell them Nurse Wilbanks said it was alright."
I  smile at the nice lady- Mrs. (?) Wilbanks.
"Thank you."
She points towards the left. "Down this hallway are the elevators."
I nod and head that way.

Room 525. Fifth floor, room 25. I walk as quickly and quietly as I can down the long hallways. Is he okay?
The hallways are silent, but not the silent I would expect. There are different kinds. Peaceful silences, creepy silences, respectful silence, awkward silence, and many more. This is like a respectful silence-everyone is quiet because they don't want to disturb anyone else. This is a hospital, after all.
I see the number 25 on a door and have to keep myself from sprinting towards it. I hesitate for half a second before knocking softly. Still the sound seems to echo the hallways, though it was quiet. A voice I have been waiting to hear speaks carefully from inside.
"Come in." I open the door and the owner of the voice is lying on a bed with his head propped up on some pillows. "Eva?"
"Braxdon" I whisper, suddenly running to the bedside and throwing my arms around him. "You're okay."
"Told you I was. Would I lie?"
"Maybe" I reply, knowing good and well he wouldn't. I sit up, and perch myself on the side of the mattress. I sniff, my eyes suddenly warm and moist.
Braxdon's eyes soften and he feeblt grins at me. "Really, I'm fine." He attempts to shrug, but can't seem to pull it off. I then notice the bandages on his neck. And head. One big one covering just above his right temple. There were a few that were just the size of bandaids, but there were two that looked like they were the end of strips on his arms...
"Oh, golly. What did you do!?"
He grins sheepishly and I can tell he figures that if he just tells me I won't keep pestering for information, so he'll just show me. This is what happens when you've known someone for basically your whole life.
"Help me sit up." I help scoot him upright, and when the blankets slide down, I gasp. One large bandage winds from the right side of his neck across his shoulder, and down onto his middle back. Another bandage wraps his right arm right beneath the shoulder. More smaller bandaid like patches, and then a thick bandage that covers his whole forearm. Did he break his arm? Ouch. Muscle damage, maybe? Out of basketball. Taking it easy in baseball. Oh, it'll kill him.
I close my mouth from its expression of unbelief. Only a couple hours ago we were at the park, fit as a fiddle.
"Wow. How..."
"Eva, I told you we were in a car crash.
"It was about 10 minutes away from the park, and we were at a red light. Keelan was driving and I was in the passenger seat. We had our seatbelts on, the headlights were on, and the radio was on, but it wasn't blaring. When the light turned green, we started to go and out of nowhere this other vehicle rams us in the side. It hit the driver's side and I heard Keelan's arm snap..." He trails for a second, and I try to think of something comforting to say but I find nothing. He takes another deep breath and continues "Keelan's window shattered, and his head hit the steering wheel, I guess because he was trying to dodge. Then he kind of just went limp, and I remember thinking 'concussion' then the truck started to flip. My window hit the asphalt amd shattered, and I landed in it." He gestures at the multiple bandaged wounds on and around his right shoulder.
He continues. "I felt all the stabs, but then one got my head. Then nothing else really... felt. It was just hot and white in my eyes. After a little bit, i felt stable enough to move. I climbed out of the truck and some people that drove up behind us called 911 for us. We couldnt get Keelan out, we had to wait on the firefighters and paramedics."
I'm completely speechess.
After a minute or two I stand, shut the door all the way, set my bag on the floor by the closed window, and then sit on the bed beside him, our shoulders on the headboard.
"How bad are you Braxdon. Really."
He sighs. "I have a cut on my forehead, right above my temple. They said it might be a concussion. And as for my arm, one of the shards hit a vein in my forearm." He holds out his arm, wincing with the effort. The thick bandage... well at least it didn't break.
"What am I gonna do with you?" I try to sound funny, but my voice trembles. My eyes are warm again. "You scared me so bad." I whisper.
Braxdon tries to turn his neck to look at me, but he stops, realizing his bandages will pull. Instead, he uses his good arm to guide my head onto his shoulder, and then lays his head on top of mine.
"I tried not to. You are just so impossibly persistent." I feel his smile.
"Sometimes I can't help it." I relax my head onto his shoulder, and we wait in silence to hear about our friend.