Blink Outtakes

Pull Over

I wrote a bit of this POV in my A Drabble A Day book from last September, but it really wouldn't leave me alone, so here's a bit more:

Connie's singing along -- badly, but at full blast -- to the radio, on her way home from work when Esther's number flashes up on her phone. She smiles. They've been planning on meeting Scott on tour for his birthday; Esther's probably finalized some plans. She pushes the accept button on her steering wheel, reaching over and turning down the music. "Hey, Esther. How are you? Have more info on Singapore for me?"

There's an uncharacteristic hesitation on the other end of the line. "Hi, Connie. You've got me on speaker, are you driving?"

That's an odd question. Esther's usually forthright when she calls them; friendly and warm, but usually too busy to draw things out with small talk. "Sure am."

"Can you pull over for me?"

Connie frowns, but dutifully pulls into the next parking lot. McDonald's, she notes absently. "Okay, done. What is it? You're starting to scare me."

Esther takes a deep breath. "There's been an accident."

No. That's not...she must have misheard. "No, they're not travelling until next week. He's safe at home. He's safe."

"A car accident," Esther says gently. "Scott's hurt."

There's not enough oxygen in the car, even with the air conditioner still going full blast. "How seriously? Where is he? Is he..?"

"I don't know, I'm sorry. Mitch is with him and he says it's bad, but I don't have any other information for you yet. They were still at the scene last I heard."

Mitch is with him. That's good. Scott has someone he loves and trusts with him while his mother is in the wrong damn state. "I need to be there."

"Absolutely." There's the sound of a mouse clicking as Esther does what Esther does best. "I've already secured tickets on an American Air flight that leaves at 10:20 tonight with a stopover in San Francisco that would get you to LAX at 7 am our time. I have calls in to try to switch that to a direct flight and get you here sooner, but I'm not having much luck finding seats. If you and Rick can get to Dallas Fort Worth as soon as possible, it'll increase the odds I can get at least one of you squeezed onto something faster."

Her. She'll have to discuss it with Rick, but it doesn't really matter what he has to say because if only one of them can get there before morning, it's going to be her.

Connie looks at the clock. 4:17 pm. She was belting along to Gloria Gaynor not five minutes ago, blissfully unaware that Scott -- her son, her youngest child, her shining star -- needed her. Shouldn't she have known that? Felt it somehow? She's his mother. "Yeah. Yes, okay. I'm almost home. I'll pack a few things and we'll go as soon as Rick gets there. Does he know yet?"

"No, I called you first. Do you want me to call him?"

Yes, Connie almost says out loud before she reins it in. Yes, she would absolutely like to avoid having to tell the love of her life that their baby boy is hurt. But that wouldn't be fair to either Rick or Esther. "No. No, I'll tell him. You just work on getting us to LA as soon as you can."

"I wish I could be doing more." Esther's voice sounds calm, but Connie can hear the stress in it. She's suddenly reminded that Esther must be upset too. She's Scott's friend. They've spent years together, seen the world together.

"You're doing great." Better than Connie, anyway. And the reminder that it's not just her and Rick that will be suffering through this suddenly makes her realize something else she missed at first. "Wait. Mitch is at the scene with him? He's okay? He wasn't hurt too?"

There's another hesitation, and Connie starts thinking the worst, but then. "I don't think he's badly hurt, physically. I spoke to him; he's the one who let me know what's happening. But no, I wouldn't say he's doing okay."

Damn it. That poor boy. "Have you called Mike and Nel?"

"They're next. I've booked them on the same flight. I imagine they'll also want to get here as soon as I can make it happen."

Very likely. "Okay. That's...that's good. Mitch will need them." She would need them.

"Are you okay to get the rest of the way home, Connie?"

"I... yes. I'll need a few minutes to calm down, but it's not far."

"Okay, I need to make some more calls. Mitch will hopefully get back to me soon with more information. I'll keep you posted on Scott's condition and the flight situation. Please let me know if you need help with anything else."

Connie thanks her, then hangs up and stares at her rapidly blurring dashboard before blinking back her tears. She's not going to cry yet. She doesn't have time to cry yet.

She needs to call Rick and one of them needs to call Lindsay and Lauren. She needs to throw some clothes in a suitcase. Crap, she needs to call work and tell them she needs time off. She needs to put the damn casserole defrosting in the fridge back in the freezer and find something faster to eat. She should call their new deacon and have Scott's name added to the intercessions. She should--

She should worry about one thing at a time and just get started.

Instead, she clenches her fingers tight around her steering wheel and leans forward, resting her head on top. She just... she needs a minute. Or two.

It isn't enough.

Eventually, she leans back and calmly, determinedly, picks up her phone. It rings three times before it's picked up.

"Rick, honey. You on your way home? Pull over for me, please."

Thoughts?