Friends For Life

Chapter 2 - The Bad News

"And Breaking News a car accident has occurred on 12th and Walnut st. involving two teenagers from Emporia High, two middle aged woman, and a man in his late 40's. There has been two deaths and two hospitalized. Further information on the crash has not yet been released to the press. Next on..."

 

Gabby P.O.V.-

"Come on Mom it's one weekend. I won't even be staying in the same room as him." I beg her from the passenger seat.

"Gabby no. I will not allow you to go away for the weekend with a group of friends and your boyfriend with no adult supervision."

"Mom I'm almost an adult, I should be allowed to go."

"Key word in that sentence is almost. My answer is no."

"What if I told you Haley's Mom is letting her go?"

"I'd tell you you're lying because I already talked to her Mom and I know she said the same thing to Haley."

"Mom..." I groan leaning my head against the seat. "You're too smart for your own good."

"Thank you. Now how about you help me unload the car and we'll talk about a trip this summer after your eighteenth birthday."

"Really?!"

"Then you'll be an adult and you won't need Supervision."

"Thank you!" I squeak wrapping my arms around her neck.

"Alright. But hurry up I don't want my ice cream to melt." She says. I laugh at her as my phone starts ringing.

 "Yeah this is Gabby." I answer as we step out of the car with grocery bags in our hands.

"Gabby..." A shaky voice answers on the other end.

"Oh hey Mrs. Anderson did Haley say when she was planning on coming over?"

"Gabby have you watched the news?" she asks avoiding my question.

"No me and my mom had to stop by the store before we came home. But we just got home. Why?"

"Gabby you need to come to the hospital." she said spitting out her words quickly.

"Mrs. Anderson?" I ask starting to get worried. There's a shuffling on the other side of the phone before a new voice speaks up getting my attention again.

"Gabby?" I recognized the voice as Haley's sister Sheila.

"Sheila? What are you doing in town? I thought you left to go back to campus this morning."

"I turned around and came back. I got back into town about an hour ago."

"What's going on? Why'd you turn around? Why is your Mom crying?"

"Calm down. I need you to listen Gabby." she says hesitantly to me.

"Sheila...?"

"Gabby I came back because th-there was an accident."

"What do you mean like a car accident? Are you okay?" I ask feeling worried and wondering why she was calling me instead of Haley.

"It's not me, it's Haley." She says and at that moment my heart stops.

There's a sudden ringing in my ear as Sheila continues talking, but I stopped listening a long time ago. A million images start racing through my head making me see white for a second. I snap out of my trance when a hand rests on my shoulder.

"Gabby?" I look up to see my mom looking at me with concern. I look down to realize I dropped the bag of grocery's I was holding in my hand. I feel tears in my eyes start to rise the more Sheila's words sink in my head. "Gabby who is that?"

"Gabby can you hear me?" Sheila asks still on the phone.

"Ye-yeah I'm here... Just... I-I... she's okay right?"

"Gabby-"

"Just tell me she's okay."

"Gabby you should come to the hospital." she said not answering me.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." I say and hang up quickly looking at my mom.

"Gabby what's wrong? Who was that?" she asks me concern lacing her voice.

"Mom..." I say my voice cracking at the tears wanting to escape me. "Haley's in the hospital." her eyes widen and she gasps. She gets her keys and walks over to the car unlocking the doors again.

"Let's go."

"Mom I-I can drive myself."

"No Gabby you're shaking and on the verge of tears, you are not driving." she orders me. I nod my head not having the strength to fight her. I open the door and slide in carefully afraid of breaking down. "Okay now breathe everything's gonna be okay."

 I nod not knowing if I believe her or not and a few tears run down my face against my will. I'm looking out the window unable to face my mom when I feel her hands grasp my own. I squeeze her hand still facing outside the window letting a few more tears fall.

 Soon after we arrive at the hospital, I pause for a second taking in the picture of the building in front of me and what awaits me inside. I jump out of the car not even waiting for my mom who's now racing behind me trying to keep up with my quick steps. I step in the building and race to the front desk and two words escape my mouth as I lay my hands on the cold surface of the wood.

"Haley Anderson." She looks up surprised.

"Are you-"

"I'm her cousin." I quickly lie.

"Room 583. ICU is on the third floor."

 I race to the elevator and press the button multiple times before stepping back and standing next to my Mom who had finally caught up with me. Once the doors open and we're inside I press the button for the 3rd floor. We get on the floor and I race out as soon as the doors open wide enough for my body squirm out. I run, ignoring the yells of some of the nurses, looking in all different directions when a familiar look alike pops out at me.

 "Sheila!" I yell and race to her as she turns her head. I run up and she almost immediately opens her arms to hug me. As soon as I'm in her arms the tears I was holding unleash and stream down my cheeks in what can only be described as waterfalls. "Where is she?" I ask pulling myself out of her grasp and wiping away my tears.

"She's still in surgery. Gabby, they said she wasn't wearing her seatbelt during the crash." I let out a yelp. That's never good.

"But she always wears her seatbelt. She even tells me to wear my seatbelt when we drive together. How could she forget her seatbelt?" I almost scream.

This can't be happening. Why? Why why why wasn't she wearing her seatbelt, she always wears it. We signed a seatbelt pledge together for crying out loud.

 "Gabby." Sheila nudges me. I look up to see a man in dark blue scrubs walking towards us.

"Oh no." I say my breathing beginning to quicken the closer he gets to us.

 "Mr. and Mrs. Anderson? I'm doctor Hendricks and I have some news on Haley's condition."