Where Were You

A Cry That Cannot Be Heard

Lauren's PoV

I don't think I could feel my legs or any other body parts for that matter. I was glued to my seat with my mouth hung open and tears threatening to spill as the officer in front of me paced back and forth. I couldn't hear what he was saying, I tuned him out. My heart was beating wildly and I licked my lips, hoping to God that I could find myself again. "You're lying." I managed to whisper.

"I'm sorry Miss, I wish I was." He knelt down and handed me a tissue.

The officer placed a hand on my shoulder. "What happened?" I could barely get the words out.

"Head on collision." He bit his lip and rubbed his hand through the hair before standing up. "We had a challenge getting a hold of you."

"When did this happen?" I stood up and clenched my fists tightly. "How long ago have they died?"

"Yesterday." Officer Lucky hung his head. "Miss Aver-"

"Jauregui." I snapped and buzzed passed him. "My parents died yesterday and you're just telling me this now?!"

"I'm sorry Miss but their daughter's name was Lauren Jauregui, it took us a while to find out that you changed your name." Officer Lucky offered calmly.

"Oh God," I sunk against the wall and tried to hold onto the door frame.

"We've identified them but we still need you to come down and verify."

I felt numb the whole way there. Seeing my parents on the slabs cold and pasty was more than enough to make me throw up on the floor. I blacked out once or twice. It couldn't be happening. I had just talked to my father from Switzerland and he said they were on their way back home to visit their granddaughter.

I ran out of the morgue and when I reached outside, I collapsed to the ground, wondering why life brought me here. I tried calling Sofi but with her being on the road, I knew there was a chance she wouldn't answer her phone. I hadn't seen her since Dylan was four, letting her go out on her own for a while. I still worked behind the scenes but she took her career by the collar and steered it in her direction.

The officers drove me home and I sat in house alone. I just sat there, chewing on my thumbnail and drinking a Bud slowly. The information was still sending me into shock mode. Dylan was going to be devastated when she found out. Her poor seven year old heart was going to shatter.

I threw the empty beer bottle in the sink and grabbed the keys to my mustang. I pocketed my cell phone after making a quick call to Dylan's friend's mother. She was at a birthday party but I needed to have her with me.

I arrived at the children's birthday party and took a deep breath before approaching the door. I could hear the laughter from seven and eight year olds coming from somewhere inside and rang the door bell.

"Leigh!" Freddy, the father of the birthday girl, smiled. "You're an hour early to pick up Dylan."

I swallowed and nodded, trying to trust my voice. "I know, I called your wife to let her know I was on my way. Something came up..."

"Oh," he frowned in concern but nodded as if he understood the urgency, "okay, let me go grab Dylan and her treat bag."

I stood in the doorway quietly, thoughts running through my head yet feeling like I couldn't think at all.

"Mommy!" Dylan smiled and I immediately bent down to hug her tiny frame, picking her up and nuzzling my face in her neck. "You're early."

"I know," I whispered and placed a kiss on her cheek, "did you eat yet?"

Dylan shook her head no and thanked Freddy for the treat bag while we made our way out the door. "Can you cook us something?" She smiled her toothy grin and it made me smile yet my heart shatter at the same time.

"Anything you want baby girl." I squeezed her hand and placed her in the back seat, snapping her seatbelt on securely.

"How about macaroni and cheese!" She sang while I started the car and smiled through the review mirror as she started singing to the latest song on the radio.

"Sounds good to me." I softly spoke before turning out onto the road and making my way back home.

"Why am I going home early, mommy?" Her brown eyes oozed curiousity and I briefly closed my eyes before watching the road.

"I have some news to tell you," I gripped the steering wheel. She was going to ask me questions until she got an answer but I didn't want to tell her about the passing of her grandparents when I couldn't be there to hold her.

"Good news? Is Gramma and Grandpa coming home?" Dylan clapped her hands excitedly and that's when I lost all self control of my tears.

They flowed freely, obscuring my view and that's when I lost everything.

I remembered hearing her scream and then the crunch. I coughed hard and felt someone pull me from the trapped mustang. "Dylan?!" I tried to scream but I choked on the smoke and dust.

"Ma'am?" I looked up to see a paramedic hovering over me. "Dylan. Is that your daughter?" He asked calmly and I nodded.

"Is she okay?" I panicked and tried to move but a sharp pain rang through my head.

"She's in the ambulance getting stitches but she'll be fine. Some of the pieces of the mailbox got her arm, they're just cleaning it out." He steadied me still.

"Let go of me, I want to see my baby!" I screamed and broke free from his grasp, stumbling towards the ambulance that held my daughter. "Dylan?"

"You're bleeding!" She gasped and I realized the pain in my head was from a deep gash on my forehead. "Mommy, are you okay? I'm scared!" Her tears fell freely and I pressed a kiss to her forehead, trying to avoid the paramedics working on her stitches. She cried as I rocked her gently, stroking her hair.

"Miss Avery?" A deep voice came from the door and I looked at the tall black man standing there with a badge. "Can we see you for a second?"

I nodded and promised Dylan I'd be back. "I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too, mommy." Dylan sniffled as I made my way out of the ambulance, frowning at the scene of the crash. My mustang was smashed between a mailbox and a tree, the front of the vehicle trashed.

"Oh God," I whispered.

"Miss Avery, have you been drinking?" The guy cut to the chase and I frowned, shaking my head.

"I had one a little while ago, not enough to react through my bloodstream!" I protested.

"There are traces of alcohol in your breathalyser test," he tapped his badge against his hand.

Then why ask me if I was drinking if you already knew!

Fucker.

"Look," I swallowed, "I just lost my parents yesterday and I could've lost my daughter today, can we do this some other time?"

"You have traces of alcohol in you. You had a child in your vehicle while running a red light and crashing, merely missing a couple of pedestrians in the mean time. I suggest you don't get cocky." He hissed and shook his head.

"I was upset." I argued.

"So you were upset when you took this drink?"

There was no use lying about it. Evidence was there and I watched CSI enough to know that the evidence doesn't lie.

I had just made the hugest mistake of my life by having that one beer. Or maybe it was the fact that I drove to pick up my daughter while I was upset.

Either way it cost me.

Big.

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