Letters to Aiden

Preface (Chapter taken from SCARRED)

July, 1991

"Hello"

"Aiden, I know we had plans tonight but I was wondering if there is any way we can change them."

"What's up? I thought we were going to Scott's party." Aiden questions.

"I know, but little Amy called and wanted to know if I could go with them tonight. It's big Amy's birthday and I haven't been out with them in quite a while." I reply

"I really wanted to spend time with you tonight. You have been working so much lately it seems like I never get to see you. We are supposed to be on summer vacation but I haven't been able to spend any quality time with you since we got back from the beach after graduation." I could hear the disappointment in his voice.

"I know." I sigh "But I promise I will spend all day with you tomorrow. I don't have to work so maybe we can go to the lake or something; just the two of us."

"Okay" he still sounds defeated "What do you guys plan on doing tonight?"

"Nothing much, just going out to dinner then probably to the mall shopping."

"Oh well, since I'm not going to win this, you guys have fun and be careful. Tell Amy I said 'Happy Birthday' for me. Since you are going with them, I probably will not stay at the party long. I'll call you when I get home."

"You better behave at the party. You know everyone there will tell me if you do anything stupid."

"Really? You know me better than that. There is not going to be much to do without you anyway. I love you and only you. We have too much to throw away over something stupid." Aiden sighs.

"I love you too. I'll talk to you later." I reply 

A Ω A Ω A Ω

When I get home from a night of dinner and shopping with the two Amy's I call Aiden's house, let it ring once and hang up. Waiting for him to call back, I doze off to sleep.

I wake from a horrible dream the next morning sweating from head to toe. My heart is racing and I realize I have actually been crying in my sleep. My face is streaked with tearstains and my eyes are puffy and swollen. I pick up the phone and try to call Aiden when I realize he never called last night. When a strange voice answers the phone, I freeze. I ask for Aiden and the voice on the other end of the phone asks me to hold on.

After a brief pause, Aiden's dad answers the phone and asks me to please come to the house. The tone in his voice makes me weary, though he still has not said anything was going on.

Racing over to his house, a million things run through my mind but none of them come close to the reality that I am about to face. As I pull into Aiden's driveway, I notice it is full of cars and I will soon realize what true horror is. I walk inside to find Aiden but only find a few of his friends and family. They all appear to be grief stricken. My heart sinks as his dad comes up to me and pulls me into Aiden's bedroom.

"Where's Aiden?" I ask.

"Jordan, there's been an accident." He answers shakily.

"What? When? Where is he? Is he at the hospital? Which hospital is he at? I need to go see him?" I cry out.

"He is at Duke."

"Then why is everyone here? Let's go up there."

"Jordan, we just got back from there. You need to sit down."

"I don't want to sit down. I want to go to the hospital. What room number is he in? I'll go there myself."

"You can't go see him Jordan."