The Date Planner

2. 4. Paparazzi

"Grandma", Cole's voice barks from beside me jostling me into action.

"Oh my God", a faint plea from Justine is like a noise in the background as I reach mom in time.

The moment I reach her, I'm shouting again.

"What the fuck happened?", I exclaim, despite the presence of a child in the room.

I look at the blood mixing with the pool of water along with the shards of glass from probably a broken glass bottle around mom and dread fills my lungs.

My eyes take in the edge of the counter that's covered in mom's blood and my own blood runs cold.

Shit.

"We don't know. She came in to get water and we were all in the living room when we heard the crash", replies Liza, frantically.

Her hands are shaking as she looks at mom.

"Jason, we need to take her to the hospital right away", Ben's voice breaks through my head's frantic reverie.

But it doesn't stop my pacing heart.

"Camille, can you please take Cole away from here?", Justine's faint voice echoes through my ears.

I'm partially aware of Liza's partner who's name now I recall is 'Camille', nods at Justine, as she steers a reluctant Cole from the kitchen.

"Fuck", I hiss lowly as I inspect her forehead with my hands.

My own hands turn red by the time I realize I'm no doctor and this wound is beyond my control.

"Take your keys, we're taking her to the hospital now", I tell Ben.

Ben doesn't waste another second as he makes for the keys out in the living room.

Justine takes that moment to hover from behind me to look at the wound.

I hear her faint gasp as I slid my hands beneath mom's knees and shoulders and pick her up in my arms steadily. Taking care of her head not to bust it further.

"Wait!", Justine calls out as I try to get out of the kitchen door with Liza on my tail.

"Justine, we don't have time-", but I'm cut off as she produces a clean cloth and pushes it against mom's wound.

"She's loosing blood. We don't want that now, do we?", she whispers, softly as she pushes the cloth on the wound.

I look at her for a second and I don't understand how she's so calm in the chaos.

And then we're off. We meet Ben whose waiting with his keys near the elevator and Justine follows me out.

"I'm coming with you, guys", she tells me, firmly and that tone tells me there's no room for argument so I don't question her.

A second later though, as if reminded of something she turns around to find Liza in her doorway.

"Can you and Camille take care of Cole while I'm gone?", she asks Liza.

Liza frowns at Ben and me behind her and I see her disapproval of Justine going with us but she doesn't voice it as she nods.

"Don't worry. Just keep us updated on her", she nods at us.

We don't waste a second after that.

***

Ben drives like he's in fast and furious and despite the unease I should feel, I'm grateful for the speed.

In no time we're in the hospital with mom on a stretcher. The doctors immediately take her behind a set of doors with just a sound of my name and who I'm.