Lift

Chapter Twenty Six- Diamonds & Rust

Roy examined his fractured nose in the mirror. This was the fourth time in his life he'd had something like this happen; the farm equipment backing into his nose, knocking his face off the side of his nightstand when he tried to walk, and William socking him after being discovered in Dahlia's closet. And now, face planting into a steering wheel after slamming into a mailbox.

He was lucky there was never too much damage done, despite his unluckiness. His nose ever so slightly curved to the right and whenever he took a deep breath through his nostrils there'd be a whistle. Roy attributed the latter to his cocaine use. He was surprised the doctor didn't notice any damage from his bad habit. Or maybe he did, but just didn't say anything.

Roy splashed ice cold water on his bruised face. He couldn't believe how cold he had been the night before. Now his face felt hot. It wasn't the worst pain he had felt. He had experienced much, much worse.

MacKenzie was still sleeping; she had been woken up periodically by nurses to monitor the severity of her concussion. She had also pulled a ligament in her neck, something the original ER doctor had neglected to inform them. That terrified Roy. Dahlia had died from her broken neck, and the thought of anyone he loved being struck with his condition, worse off than himself...it made him nauseous, but he tried to mask his ever growing concern for his wife. She was instructed to stay another night.

Roy hadn't slept a wink. Thoughts raced through his head faster than the speed of sound. He had tuned out his surroundings besides the mumble of MacKenzie's sleep talking, which she had never done before, and Roy blamed on the fact that she went head-first into the windshield.

It could have been so much worse. She could have come out so much worse.

Roy decided it was his responsibility to let MacKenzie's family know what had happened. He cautiously wheeled out into the corridor, and after making passive eye contact with the first nurse he saw, asked where the nearest phone was.

"Right this way...."

"Roy."

"Roy," the brunette nurse smiled. "How are you feeling? You're looking a bit rough."

"I'm just fine," Roy said quietly, nearly running into her ankles. She watched him for a bit, which made him uncomfortable, but he dialed the number to Sparrow's house anyway.

It rang for a bit and no one answered. Roy wasn't exactly sure what time it was; they could've still been sleeping. Roy glanced behind himself at the clock. The nurse was still watching him and he felt himself blushing. It was ten o'clock. He tried the number again.

This time, the line was answered, with a long pause on the other end before a woman said, "Hello?"

"Sparrow. It's Roy."

"Roy..."

"Listen, everything is just fine. MacKenzie and I got into an accident last night. No ones seriously hurt. I-I just thought you should know."

There was silence on the other line and a muffled sound of the receiver being handed off.

"H-hello?"

"Roy? Roy??!!" He recognized immediately the phone had been handed to one of MacKenzie's cast iron obsessed aunts. "What's going on?? Where are you two??"

"South Sioux City," Roy replied quietly.

"In Nebraska? My lord in heaven you're so far away! Goddammit I would come right down there myself-"

"May I speak to Sparrow again? Everything is okay, we're okay. I'd just like to tell her what's going on."

"Sparrow? Sparrow is in Bismarck, Roy."

She hadn't left yet?"

"Then what young woman answered the phone?"

"Your sister-in-law! Oh, I did forget to say congratulations to the both of you! Sparrow let the family know. It would have been nice to get an invite to your wedding! Dear lord! It would have been quite lovely."

Roy gulped. "Sister-in-law."

"Roy? Roy? Are you there? Can I talk to my niece, please?"

"S-she's sleeping. She's...sister-in-law, you mean MacKenzie's half sister?"

"Tell her to wake up, her auntie needs to speak with her."

"She's sleeping," Roy repeated, almost in a whisper. "I...I just wanted to inform you all of what was going on...but-" Roy glanced around. The nurse was gone and he was alone. "-put Alice back on the phone, please."