Chapter 31 Rose
“Okay, we’ve got the tea, our new tea, the books, the stuff for Erick and Chloe, and now we have to get the bounce house. I think that’s our last thing, right?” Lucy looks out the window, absently running her hand over her stomach. We both ate way too much, but we couldn’t help it. The pizza here is that good. I groan absently at how full my stomach feels.
Before I can answer Lucy’s question, my phone starts ringing. “Oh, it’s actually Erick calling.” I answer and put him on speaker. “Hey Erick, we got the special nails you wanted for the B&B. Any strange decorative hammers we can pick up for you next?” I start to giggle, rolling my eyes, but stop almost immediately when I register his strange quietness. The line is silent for a moment.“Rose, you need to come home. Wes was in an accident.”
My heart stops, and I can’t even think enough to speak. An accident? With Wes? My mind starts racing, trying to think of all the things that could have happened. I know that being a ranger is dangerous work, but I didn’t even think or imagine that anything serious could happen to him.
There was the storm a few nights back, was this related to the clean-up? My mind is racing and I can’t seem to form words.
“What happened, Erick? Can you give us some more information here?” Lucy chimes in, taking the phone from me as I try to control my breathing. I lean forward and she starts to rub my back in slow circles while I breathe in and out, slowly. The anxiety and memories starting up again.
“We were working on a tree that was stuck after the storm. Wes was up the ladder and the tree rolled into him. He fell, was unconscious for a while, but is awake now. He’s being taken to the hospital in town. They’re most concerned about a brain or spinal injury right now, along with a broken leg.” I know it’s bad because Erick’s voice is wavering and it never wavers, unless there’s a reason to.
My voice comes back and all I can say is, “Is he going to be okay?” I close my eyes, waiting for his response. I’m sure only a few seconds pass, but it feels like he’s silent for an eternity. “Erick! Is he going to be okay?”
My heart is loudly beating and I close my eyes, trying to hold it all together.
“I don’t know. He was out for a while. I’m not sure how all that works with concussions, but he hit the ground hard from at least ten feet up. We got him secured safely and quickly, but we won’t know more until they do a scan. He was talking through when he woke up, and asked me to call you, so that’s a good sign.” At this Erick breaks down and starts crying. I feel the tears sliding down my own cheeks, wetting my t-shirt. Wasn’t it only a few hours earlier I was at peace. Happy. Excited about the future with Wes?
“We’ll head straight there. We’re just outside of the city now so it will probably be two hours until we get there. Call us if you get any more info, okay?” Lucy says. How is she so calm right now? She’s probably holding it together because she knows I can’t.
“Of course, Lucy.” Erick hangs up and my breathing starts to do its own thing again. I can’t control it and I can’t slow it down. I start to panic, more tears streaming down my cheeks, trying to get a breath in. Everything goes blurry and my chest tightens. He fell.
The last thing I hear before I throw up is ringing in my ears and the sound of my dad’s voice telling me he loves me.
After getting everything cleaned up, Lucy and I switch spots so she can drive us home. I’m still a complete mess, with tear-stained cheeks and the remnants of being sick before. I put my head between my legs and try to calm myself, but that only seems to make the dizziness worse.
Lucy has been trading off rubbing my back, handing me tissues, and trying to help clean up some of the mess. We had to stop at a small coffee shop so I could change and we both grabbed some coffee before getting back on the road. It somehow helped calm my stomach.
My mind feels clearer so I try to ground myself by naming what I know. Wes is awake. Wes is talking. Wes is at a hospital, being taken care of. Erick was with him. Erick is the one person who I’d want to be present for any emergency. Wes is awake.
You already said that one.
Somehow naming the things we know hasn’t helped me feel any better. “Lucy, I can’t do this,” I say as my voice breaks. “This feels like too much. I can’t do this.”
“Yes you can, sweetie.” Lucy turns and looks me straight in the eye. Her dark brown eyes prick with tears as she squeezes my hand. “You’ve got this. I can already tell you feel so deeply for him. It might be hard, but I know you’re strong. Do you want me to call the girls on the way? Have them meet us there?”
I nod, again unable to form words. My eyes drift to the dashboard. It’s dusty. The window is dirty. Why haven’t I cleaned this? I shake my head, what am I even thinking about?
I can’t lose him. Not again.