Sebastian
Ten minutes later, I’m still waiting and a pit grows in my stomach as I watch a patrol car pull up and park.
The cops step out and walk to the porch, I stood, hollering for Tessa.
When they stopped in front of me, my mouth was dry and my worry became tangible.
I could feel it coursing through me as Tess walked out drying her hands on a dish towel.
“Is this the Sullivan residence?” one of the cops asked.
I couldn’t speak, all I could do was nod, “Is there a parent available?”
Tess spoke up, “I’m the acting guardian, so’s he,” she says, tilting her head in my direction. “What can I do for ya?”
The cops looked at each other and shrugged, “There’s been an accident. Kai Sullivan was the victim of a hit and run and we need one of you to come with us to the hospital.”
Fear on her face, Tess threw the towel at me, turning to grab her purse and was gone without another word. Watching the cop car pull off, I call the neighbor, Daryl, to come watch the younger kids. Once he got to the house, I filled him in before I got in my car and headed to see Kai.
I ran into the hospital, stopping at the nurse’s station to ask for directions to Kai. Finally, after a few wrong turns, I found Tessa in the surgical waiting room. She hadn’t found out much, only that they had taken Kai to the O.R. unsure of the extent of his injuries.
Dropping into the seat next to her, I grab her hand, squeezing tightly and praying that my brother would be okay.
After ten minutes, my leg started bouncing and I stood, “I’m gonna grab a smoke,” I called to Tess as I walked away.
Reaching the exit, I pulled out my phone and called Mel. It went to voicemail.
Lighting a cigarette, I tried again, leaning against the wall of the hospital as I was sent to voicemail again. ‘Come on Mel, I know. I know you’re mad at me for the comments I made to Kai, but fuck. I need you, he needs you,’ I think as I type a quick text and hit send.
‘Fingers crossed she’ll read that,’ I think, as I take a long drag, dropping my head back against the brick wall behind me.
Melody
I’m holding Dani’s hand while we sit on her bed, waiting on the results of the pregnancy test she just took. She’s a nervous wreck, and I thought talking about my leaving in a few weeks was a good idea to distract her. It wasn’t. Talking about my leaving only seemed to make her more nervous.
I sighed as my phone rang for the fifth time and Seb’s name showed on the caller ID. I wasn’ t in the mood to talk to him so I hit the end call button. The screen didn’t even get to go dark when two seconds later the phone rang again.
‘Fuck, can’t he take a hint? The stupid comments he made the other night…
.That’s my brother he was trashing and trying to get Kai to leave.
Dumbass doesn’t understand,’ I think, rolling my eyes.
‘Doesn’t he get that…’ the ping of a text notification broke my train of thought, and the words on the screen sent a chill down my spine.
Tupitsa: 911 please pick up. It’s important, it’s Kai.
I quickly dial his number, threats flying from my mouth as the call connects, “You better not be lying or I swear…”
“Hit and run, he’s in surgery, Mercy Hospital,” he babbles out and I freeze.
Dani takes the phone as I feel the blood drain from my face.
My blood runs cold, and I can’t get a deep breath in.
‘Hit and run? Could it be? No, he wouldn’t…
Shit! Yes the fuck he would!..I need to get to the hospital!
How do I get to the hospital?!’ Dani pulls me from my internal freak out when she grabs my hand and pulls me from the bed, leading me out of the house.
Standing on the sidewalk, Dani lights a cigarette and holds it out to me.
I take it with shaking hands, pacing as she fiddles with her phone.
“Who’s gonna tell Dax? How are we gonna tell Dax?
” I mutter to myself, pausing to take a drag, my eyes widen and I face Dani, “Where was the fuckin’ detail?
Zak’s gonna be pissed when he finds out. ”
Dani looks up from her phone, she must see something on my face because she grabs my shoulders and shakes me from the panic I feel coursing through me. I push her off and take another drag, “Okay. Okay. I got this.”
A black car pulls up in front of us as Dani tries to help me calm my racing thoughts.
Hearing my name in a heavy Russian accent, my head snaps in the direction of the voice.
“Get in, I drive you,” the person behind the wheel says.
Looking between the car and Dani, she shrugs and opens the back passenger door.
‘There are worse options, I guess,’ I think, climbing in behind her.
The ride to the hospital was tense, I kept going over everything in my mind, ‘How bad is it? Is he gonna be okay? Please let him be okay.’
I look up when Dani squeezes my hand as we pull up in front of the hospital and we race inside.
After a quick trip up the elevator, we find Seb and Tess in the waiting room and I make a beeline towards them, pulling Seb into a tight hug.
I may be furious at him, but I’m not heartless.
Breaking out of the hug, we sit, huddling together as we wait.
It feels like forever before the doctor finally emerges and calls out, “Family for Sullivan?” We all stand together, holding hands as we make our way over, the worry radiating through everyone, so thick you can taste it.
He looks at all of us gathered together before saying, “I’m Dr. Lewis, I treated your brother’s injuries. Are you all relatives?”
Tess nods, “We’re all family. One way or another. It’s fine, just, please, tell us what’s goin’ on?”
The doctor clears his throat and rubs his forehead, “Okay, he had some internal bleeding when he came in, we had to remove his spleen to get that under control. He had some head trauma on intake, so we placed a burr hole to help relieve the pressure. He also has a severe concussion,” he explains, pausing to catch his breath.
“But he’ll be okay?” Tess asks, and all of us stare at Dr. Lewis, waiting for his answer.
“There’s more to go over first. His right knee cap was fractured and he sustained a tear to his ACL. We repaired the ACL and have placed him in a cast. We hope to be able to switch him to a brace in a few weeks.”
Hearing this, we all shared a look, a dark cloud looming over us, one that could be even worse than talking to Dax.
We didn’t want to ask, but we had to know.
I look at Seb and see the wheels turning.
We held our breath as he asked the question we all needed to know, “Kai is supposed to leave for West Point on Friday. That’s not happenin’, is it? ”
Dr. Lewis shook his head, “He’ll be lucky to be out of the hospital by Friday let alone leave for West Point.
There’s a possibility he could delay entry for a year since this is a documented accident.
Recovery from this type of injury is at least nine months.
I’m sorry guys, he’s not gonna be going to school there. Not this year, at least.”
Seb reached his hand out to shake the doctor's hand. “Thanks for everything. Can we see him?”
“Visiting hours are technically over, so family only, two at a time. Don’t stay long and tomorrow, you can come see him starting at 9:00 AM.” Dr. Lewis said, ushering Dani and Tess in first leaving me and Seb alone.
“I didn’t think you’d come,” Seb finally said.
I exhaled the breath I had been holding, “I didn’t wanna see you, but Kai’s my best friend. So of course I’d be here for him. And someone has to get the info to give Dax.”
Seb turned and faced me, “So what happens next? You still leavin’? We okay?”
I step up on my tiptoes, kissing his cheek softly.
I step back, tears in my eyes as I say, “Seb, it’s done.
There’s no one here to protect me from Mack.
Dax is locked up, Kai’s gonna be laid up for almost a year.
I’m gonna let Kai know tomorrow and I’ll visit Dax this weekend.
” I sniffle, giving him a sad smile as I continue, “I won’t be back after I see Dax.
I’m sendin’ my stuff ahead and hoppin’ the train from Pontiac.
I can’t do this anymore. I love you, Seb, but I need to go. ”
Seb wrapped his arms around me, kissing the top of my head. I didn’t want to do this here, but if I waited, I’d lose the edge. I had the perfect setup to get out and I was taking it.
“You know I love you too, right? It was never easy for us, but I do love you.” Sighing, he continues, “I get it Mel. I hope you find everything you dreamed of out there,” Seb says, holding me, his head resting on top of mine.
We stand like that for a few minutes, breaking apart when Tess and Dani come down the hall and let us know that we could go back.
We hold hands as we walk towards his room.
Stepping into the room, I gasp at how small Kai looks in that bed.
Not so long ago it was Dax in that bed with a casted arm and now Kai’s leg is elevated and casted to his hip.
His eyes flutter as I step close and take his hand in mine.
Brushing a curl off his forehead, I leaned in to press a kiss there and heard him whisper, “Dax.”
Squeezing his hand gently, I say, “I’ll let him know this weekend. Get some rest. I’ll come by tomorrow to see you. Okay?”
Kai squeezed my hand back before I pulled away to let Seb say goodnight.
We left the hospital together, and as he dropped me and Dani off at her house, we shared one final look between the two of us.
This was goodbye, we were done. ‘Three more goodbyes to go. Yay me,’ I think as I look at my first love.