I Almost Killed My Crush's Mom

Chapter 2:: The Diagnosis

Chapter 2:: The Diagnosis

Everett wouldn’t let me drive us to hospital, surprisingly enough.

I would say that I don’t blame him, but the fact that he is murmuring strings of curses, driving at the speed limit for a change and clutching the steering wheel like his life depends on it has me slightly worried. Then again, I suppose that he’s not the one who hit a poor innocent woman with a car. My head falls hard against the window, and I close my eyes. This is not like the movies, where the main character is magically numbed from pain and guilt and staring into the distance majestically. This is real life, and the truth is that the guilt, shock and horror of the situation dawns on me with every second. I hit a woman with my car. I can’t believe this actually happened. What do I do?

 

I squirm in my seat at the sudden pang of guilt in my chest, and glance anxiously back at the blonde woman who’s still knocked out on the back seats. I didn’t see her at all when I reversed, she stepped out at the last possible minute and god knows what her injuries are. Saying that I wish that she’s okay is the understatement of the century- I don’t know how I’ll ever cope if she comes out with bad injuries, or worse…I shudder at the thought, and use the hem of my top to wipe away more of my freely gushing tears. My cheeks are crusted with salt, eyes red and puffy, and I can’t seem to stop shaking. This car journey is taking forever; I need to know how she is!

A cold shiver passes down me as I realise another thing- that I can kiss my license, permit and savings goodbye. There’s no way I’ll be able to get my license if they know that I’ve hit someone with a car, and there’s no way I’ll ever be able to afford more driving lessons because if she presses charges I’m screwed. I’ll have to get another job or something…I gulp back another painful sob and slide my hands under my thighs to try and cease the shaking. The woman hasn’t woken up yet, but we’re almost at the ER so it shouldn’t be too much longer.

“What are we going to do?” Everett mutters beside me, “If she’s badly hurt then the treatment cost is going to be huge.” He takes the next left, towards the ER entrance. Hamilton itself doesn’t have a hospital because it’s quite small, but there’s one in the next town over, which is where we are now.

“I don’t know,” I sigh. “Mom’s going to kill me when she finds out.”

“Hey,” Everett frowns, “It’ll be okay. The lady will be fine, just you wait. It was only a bump- it can’t be anything too bad.” I glance sideways at him as he says this, but he can’t meet my eye. He’s biting his lips, and although his words are reassuring, his expression is most certainly not. I groan quietly and turn back to the window to continue biting my already painfully short nails. The rush of scenery begins to slow, and soon we’re turning into the car park for the ER. How we’re actually going to manage carrying her in I’m not sure, but we’ll have to cope. Everett drives closer to the entrance, and luckily we spot a free space quite quickly. “I’ll carry her in,” Everett tells me determinedly, pulling on the handbrake as he parks the car. “You tell the receptionist everything that’s happened so that she can be seen quickly. Got it?”

He doesn’t even wait for a reply before he begins to clamber out of the car. Nodding mutely, I follow, shutting my own door with a satisfactory slam. “Do you need any help?” I ask Everett doubtfully, watching through the back window as he leans in to scoop up the woman. I mean, it’s not like the woman is fat in the slightest, it’s just that she’s fully grown and as much as Everett hates to admit it, he isn’t. He shakes his head in reply to my question, and uncomfortably slides the woman across the seat towards him. Then he scoops her up, exhaling harshly with effort as he takes her full weight.