What Happens In A Small Town

Flashback: Halfway to Heaven

2004
K E L S E Y

Kase, Ash, and I took a girl's weekend in Atlanta just to get out and have some fun just us girls for a few days. 

We just pulled up outside of this cute little bar that we always come to when we are in Atlanta Kasey, Bless her said she would be our Sober driver. It's about 10 we go to get out of the car but my phone blares out Mama Becky's ringtone "Hang on guys I gotta get this" 

I answer "Mama Becky?" she starts talking but I can barely understand what she's saying she's talking so fast and is so hysterical "Mama Becky.... slow down, I can't understand what you're saying" there is a pause "Kels.." 

I can feel my heart drop down into my stomach something is wrong "Kolb? what's going on? why is Mama Becky so hysterical?" 

"It's B, Kels" I can feel the tears well up in my eyes "what happened?" 

"B and Eli were at some party they had both been drinking, E tried to take B's keys because they had been drinking but B took a swing at him and took off headed back in veered off the road and flipped his truck into the old oak tree off 129... Kelsey, you need to get down here it's not looking good right now" 

I'm biting my lip trying my best not to break down right now "where?" they took him to the hospital in Athens"

I can feel the lump forming in my throat "Alright I'll be there as soon as I can" the line goes dead and Kase opens the door looking at me from the driver's side "Come on Kels" 

I look at my sister still barely holding it together "Go get Ash, we gotta go Kase"

She nods "alright sweetie I'll be right back with Ash and then you tell me why we have to go"

"It's B, Kase" she sees the look on my face, "okay sissy say no more I'll go get Ash and then you tell me where to go" 

As she walks away from the car to get Ash I can't help but let the tears fall down my face sending up a silent prayer 'please god, let him be okay' Kase and Ash come running back to the car Ash taking her seat in the back as Kase is behind the wheel.

"Kels sweetie what happened?" I let out a shaky breath "the call that I took was Mama Becky and she was trying to explain but she was talking so fast and hysterically that I couldn't understand what she was trying to say then Kolby took the phone from her and told me that B was in an accident flipped his truck... said it wasn't looking good right now and I need be there" 

Kase looks at me "where?"

"Athens, Ko said that's where they took him" she nods "Alright Kels... I will get us there as fast as I can okay?" I nod at her not trusting that I won't start bawling if I open my mouth. 

Kase got us there in one piece breaking pretty much every speed limit. As soon as she parks her car I am out of the door and pretty much sprinting towards the doors. Once I get inside I see Ko, Mama Becky, and Keith outside the ER waiting room. 

the only sound besides the quiet crying from mama B that can be heard in the quiet waiting room is the click of the heels that I am wearing running towards them. Mama looks up at the sound as I get closer she stands up tears still glistening in her eyes and opens her arms to me "I got here as fast as I could" I can feel the tears slipping down my face again "have they said anything else?" 

Kolby shakes his head "No not since I talked to you" Kolby takes his mama's place hugging me. I look up at him... damn giant talking quietly through the tears "I am going to kick his ass for even thinking that getting behind the wheel after he'd been drinking was a good idea.... we can't lose him Ko... I can't lose him" 

Ko nods "I know Kels... B is a fighter, he will fight his way back to us..... to you" 

A few minutes later A Doctor comes out "Family of Brantley Gilbert?" 

Keith looks at the Doc "that's us"

The Doc smiles "he gave us a bit of a scare there for a bit but he is going to be okay" hearing that it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders as I see the tears in Mama Becky's eyes but this time its because B is going to be okay "If you four will follow me, I will take you to see him" 

We follow the Doc back through the ER as he leads us to a room "here you are" Mama and Keith walk in first with Ko and I behind them and B wraps mama in a hug first then hugs his daddy and in all the years I have known him I have never Keith cry... not like that. 

He pulls his little brother into a hug next. 

Finally, his eyes land on me and he opens his arms and I  walk into them hugging him burying my face in his chest I can't help the tears that are currently soaking the hospital outfit thing they have him in, I  feel him press a kiss to the top of my head whispering "it's alright baby girl" he just stands there holding me to him gently rocking us back and forth and slowly it starts to calm me down. 

I lift my head from his chest and grab ahold of his face pressing up on my toes to kiss him, I'm wearing heels and B is still taller than me. After a minute he rests his forehead against mine, reaching up and wiping the tears away "you scared the hell out me B... out of all of us" I reach up and give his ear a good tug just like Mama Becky taught me "what the hell were you thinking Brantley Keith"

He lets out a little yelp as I took him by surprise "I wasn't thinking" 

I hear Ko talking from behind me "I think that is the que to give them a minute" as he ushers his mama and daddy out of the room I assume. "You owe Eli an apology from what Ko told me you took a swing at him when he tried to take your keys...... I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you tonight B" 

He pulls me into his arms again "I'm right here Kelsey, you don't have to think about that because I am right here" B tilts my chin up and presses his lips against mine. "I love you B, I am just relieved that you are okay" "I love you too baby girl" 

I can't help but send up another silent prayer 'Thank you God for keeping him safe and virtually unharmed' 

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I feel so evil for doing this to you guys but I'm not sorry, wish I could say I was but I'm not 😈😈😈😈.