Only Lonely

XI. I'll Take The Smile You Bring

"Baby,come home,your d-dad is in the hospital, he had an-an accident."

She kept replaying her mom's word over and again in her head.

"Hailey, please drive faster."Cara pleaded in anxiety.

"If I go faster than this we will be wheeled to the hospital and not as visitors." Hailey chastised, more worried about Cara.

"What if he becomes handicapped for life, what if he dies?!"

"Lord God! Cara get a grip on yourself, nobody is dying today!" Hailey shouted as she, thanks to Cara now considers the possiblility of that happening.

They were able to reach the hospital on time because the road was deserted due to the fact that it was very late in the night. As soon as Hailey parked the car both girls bolted inside the hospital.

Hailey saw Mrs Sullivan first before Cara did and she wasn't looking well at all.

"Mom, what happened?" Cara asked tearily as she leaped into her mom's embrace.

"He is in the E.R, he hit his head. There was so much blood in the car–" Phoebe sobbed frantically. Although the scenario was awkward for Hailey she joined the embrace because she knows what it feels like to become helpless.

Several minutes passed before the doctor came out and they all stood immediately to question him.

"Doctor, how is he?" Mrs Sullivan quickly asked.

"He suffered a concussion but he is stable now and has been transferred to the ICU where we would observe his improvement for the night and then move him to the patient's ward, he is out of danger now."

They all breathed in relief. "When can we see him?" Cara asked.

"As soon as he is awake. He is out of harm's way. If you'd please excuse me now."

"All right."

"Thank you very much." they all said and after the doctor acknowledged the gratitude he left.

"Mom, what caused the accident?" Cara asked again. Hailey had observed Phoebe evading the question ever since they came in. Sensing there is more to the story, knowing there was a long talk coming between mother and daughter, Hailey excused herself.

"I think I should get going now before James worries his head off, thank God everything is fine now." Hailey said to them.

"Thank you Hailey." Mrs Sullivan held both her hands. "We really appreciate."
Cara gave Hailey a warm hug and then she left.

"We need to talk, let's go outside." Miss Sullivan said to her daughter. Cara observed the bags under her mum's eyes, she looked so weary and vulnerable, her mum was unhappy and stressed. Cara wondered how she never noticed until now.

She followed her mum outside. The cold hadn't let up, it was freezing but the look on her mum's face as she spoke made the cold a distant memory.

"I really tried to hold on. To make our family work, but it takes two to make a home successful, honey. Your father was not very cooperative."

"Mum, what are you really saying?"

"I wanted a divorce, we had a fight and he stormed out,I was called hours later and informed about his accident."

Cara was shocked, she never expected this though she knew there was definitely tension at home, her mom was less happy and her dad rarely seen at home but she didn't know it had gotten this worse even then they couldn't do this to her now, not now.