The Accident: Based On A True Story

Chapter Twenty

"Shit!", I said to myself as I got home. It's one in the afternoon as I'm dropped off at home by an Uber. Carmen and Liam were right. No one would even know I didn't go to school today. What was I so worried about?

(Text message from Liam) "You home?"

(Text message to Liam from Casey) "Just got here."

Walking into the house today was much different than any other day. I walked in feeling like I'll be okay for once. Maybe its the drugs, maybe its jut me, I don't know. But it feels pretty damn good.

Liam gave me stuff before I left. He was going to drive me but his dad called him so he had to leave.

"Cute place.", Carmen said as we walked inside.

My house is larger than anything I've ever lived in before. But compared to hers, it's a garage.

I invited her over to hang out because sitting here alone isn't what I need. We would have taken her car but it to was being detailed.

"We can chill in the living room.", I told her.

"Cool.", she replied as id she's down for anything.

We hung out for bit before I decided to ask.

"So what did you mean by be careful?"

"Liam isn't a bad guy. He just has a lot going on and doesn't know how to handle it.", she said.

What does that mean though?

Before I had a chance to ask, Sarah walked in for the first time in scrubs. Not saying a word to us, she walked towards to the kitchen and out of our sight. I'm sure Carmen felt the tension. She saw both of us but said not a word to neither her nor I. Carmen gave me a look of curiosity.

"My older sister.", I told her.

She nodded her head once before Sarah walked back in.

"Your appointment is in an hour.", Sarah said.

"What?" I asked with her still refusing to look at me unless completely necessary. She isn't even acknowledging Carmen.

"Your arm. We're leaving in forty five minutes.", Sarah replied.

"Eric said he would take me."

"Well he's not. I am. So be ready.", she said before going upstairs.

The tension was evident.

"She seems... Nice.", Carmen said trying to be nice but realizing how weird the relationship between my sister and I was. At least now anyways.

"Yeah.", I replied as if it was just something to say after her statement.

"I guess I better get going."

"Sorry.", I told her.

"Don't worry about it.", she said as I walked her to the door.

Before leaving I said, "Come over whenever you want. I'm usually home alone. Even when my parents aren't on a trip, they're never there. It's usually just me and Rosa.", she stated.

Rosa was the maid at her house. An older woman with three kids of her own, Rosa basically raised Carmen.

"Thanks", I told her before she left and I closed the front door.

.....

I hate the doors in this car for the simple fact that the driver has full control. I can't roll my damn window down right now and that's all I want but it's locked... I'm not asking Sarah to unlock it either. I guess I'll just stare out the closed window doing what I do lately.. Dreaming of being somewhere else. Someone else.

Waiting in the doctors office, Sarah decided to stay in the waiting room, which I think is best for both of us.

"Casey Carpenter?", the doctor said to me.

"Yeah.", I answered.

"Okay. Let's see what we got here.", he said while checking a clipboard of my medical history. "So you were in a pretty nasty accident. You're lucky this is the worst that happened to you."

Luck? I don't know if I'd call it that. Life played its game and some might say I won but personally, I know I drew the short straw surviving through all of this pain. Physical pain usually dissipates. Mental pain just grows like tumor by the second.

As the Doctor checks my arm to make sure it's healing properly, he asks, "How has it been feeling?"

"Fine.", I answered.

"Well it looks like it's doing well. Good thing it was just a small break.", he replied.

When he was done, he sat in his chair in front of me as I sat on that weird bed thingy in Dr's office, and asked,
"So, how have you been?"

"Okay.", I answered. "It doesn't hurt."

"I'm not just talking about your arm Casey. I mean with everything "

My doctor is Ed Schneider. He's been my doctor since I moved in with my sister. He's basically every kids pediatrician in the area. Either him or Mike.

I started my period while he was my doctor. That was a WEIRD experience. A grown, old man, with graying hair, talking to me and Ryan about something he may know about medically, but not personally, always freaked both of us out. Yuck! No thank you. I'll figure it out myself.

"Since you're here, I want to do a physical. Check your heart, eyes, lungs, take some blood. The normal stuff.", he said.

"Okay." I replied.

"If you can take off your jacket for me.", he added.

"Why?", I asked.

He just checked my right arm with the cast just fine. I only had to take off a side of my jacket.

"To get what we need.", he replied.

"I don't want to.", I said as I spoke up.

My left arm is covered in cuts. The last thing I need is to have them be seen.

"What?", he asked as if he hadn't heard me but I knew he did.

"I don't want to take my jacket off.", I said.

Trying to compromise, he said, "Okay then. How about we start with something else?"

Grabbing the (Ear thingy), he checked my ears before using his finger to make sure my eyes could follow it back and forth. He then checked my knees and with that hammer thing and then my weight and height.

"Everything is looking good.", he told me. " Now, what do you say about me checking your heart and lungs?"

"I don't want to.", I replied. Having a sister who's a nurse allows you to know what medical rights I, at sixteen, have and can exercise. By law, I can refuse medical treatment.

"Okay. Next time.", I could tell he was curious and probably thought I was weird for saying no.

"Sure.", I replied. I can't let him see my arm nor can I let him take my blood right now. What if it doesn't come back clean?

Hopping off the bed in one of the rooms, I walk out after him and end up in the waiting room.

"Thanks.", I said exiting the office to meet Sarah in the car where she was waiting.

"What'd they say?", she asked staring straight ahead as she drove us home.

"He said it's looking good.", I answered before it went silent again for the rest of the drive.