Page 46

Amber

I brush past the bouncers. Kat’s crying on the other end, her voice trembles as she says my name and starts to sob again.

“Kat, are you okay?” Panic starts to lace my voice but I manage to control it and speak sharply. “Are you hurt?” I feel like a demon is breathing down my neck. Or maybe it’s just my own nerves, goosebumps, and cold sweat.

“Am—Amber, it’s d-dad.”

My stomach drops immediately. The worst thoughts plague my mind. And I freeze in place. I want to ask her what happened but I just can’t.

“There was a huge accident,” she finally pulls herself together, “He was there. He’s not answering his phone. I’m going to the hospital.”

A moment of silence passes before I say, “I’ll be there as fast as I can.”

“Please, hurry up.”

“I love you, Kat.” I try to calm us both. “It’s going to be alright.” I hang up and hop on my bike.

“Amber, what is going on?” Bradley catches my attention before I pull the helmet over my head.

“I don’t know what happened but my dad may be involved in an accident so I’m going to Staten Island.” My Ninja 500 roars and I clutch the handles tightly. Shortly, their revs echo along mine.

“We’re coming with you,” Ronnie shouts while he connects our speakers. “Let’s get you there fast. Are you sure you can ride?”

“I’m fine, let’s go.”

“Menace mode activated,” Bradley rubs my back and rides out of the parking lot. “It’s going to be okay. Focus on the road.”

A deadly collision with a semi-trailer involved multiple car crashes near the hospital. They check all the patients. Some are critical. Some have surface-level wounds. They have yet to announce all families.

I follow the doctors and staff maneuvering through all the chaos inside and out of the building.

We don’t even know if he’s here.

We pave our way through the cramped hospital. I squint my eyes, adjusting to the bright fluorescent lights. The beeping sound of heart monitors raises my heartbeat, step after step, following me up to the nurses’ station. They go from left to right, throwing orders and calming patients’ families. I scan the room for Kat or Dad. He’s still not answering his phone—I dialed him a thousand times already.

“Mom is everyone safe?” Bradley speaks to his phone next to me. “Good. Just wanted to make sure. I’ll call you once we know.”

My eyes find Kat and she sees me first, already making her way and I wrap my arms around her. “I’m here.”

Mom is eerily quiet, she won’t stop pacing back and forth in the hallway, but she’s the least of my concerns.

“They won’t tell us anything.” Kat buries her face in my chest. My gaze slices up, meeting Ronnie’s soft eyes across the room.

“Is it hot in here, there’s not enough air.”

I flick my eyes to Bradley. The lively color of his cheeks turns pale. “Are you okay?”

“Last time I was here my dad…” He takes a deep breath when Ronnie rubs his back and holds his hand.

“Relax,” he brings their intertwined hands to his lips.

“No, I shouldn’t. You must hate hospitals as well.” Bradley’s shoulders sag as Ronnie brings his hands around him. “I’m okay and you’re okay.”

I love them so much.

I do…

“There are two code blues. But as far as I understand it’s a man in his sixties and one in his thirties. First responders are still rescuing people trapped in their vehicles or other places.” Ronnie informs us and snaps me out of it.

“Can we talk?” Mom halts in front of me.

“Talk,” I reply in a clipped tone.

“Somewhere private.” She glances at Kat and my sister senses her, slowly releasing her hold of me.

“Let’s get something to drink,” Ronnie says, nodding his chin as he rubs Kat’s back and ushers her in the other direction.

“If you need anything text us,” Bradley says as he strides behind them. Light blush covers his cheeks and my muscles loosen a bit knowing he feels better.

My gaze lands on Mom once again, assessing her hardened features. The tension between us is strangling. I ball my hand into a fist, hoping Dad is okay; hoping he is one of the patients with a few wounds and nothing more.

“I’m sorry.”

I slide my eyes back to Mom.

“I never realized the damage I caused because I was too focused on my pain, but I am sorry Amber. And I am sorry that it took me so long to realize it. At some point, I felt numb and I took it out on you and kept hurting you. Your dad told me, every single time that I am losing you and someday I will regret it.”

The regret in her eyes tells me that that day has come. But I don’t move and I don’t say a word.

“When you said we would never be best friends like you and your dad, I knew it was my fault. You did nothing wrong and I never blamed you. It was that moment when you held her for the first time, your eyes sparkled, and then you gave her the name Violet. That is what stuck with me. You were so happy to be a big sister and wanted her to feel all the love in the world. I couldn’t look you in the eyes because the light was gone after she… and I said stupid things that I didn’t mean.”

I swallow around the lump in my throat. My chest feels so tight like someone is pressing it with a brick but it’s not her, it’s my worry for dad.

“I needed you to know that I love you. Very much. And I want you to be happy. You deserve closure so let’s stop fighting.”

I expected to be over the moon, but, I’m just accepting it for what it is. I’m in a better place and glad I can’t let it go. Maybe now she needs it more than I do.

“I want you to be happy too, truce…” I offer my pinkie and she hooks hers in mine—she used to do that when I was little.

“Truce.” Her small grin is filled with worry and I feel a pang in my chest with each minute that slips away. “Ronnie is a keeper and Bradley will always make you laugh and be a shoulder you can lean on. I’m sorry for judging them.”

I already know that.

My eyes snap to the side as a tall man slowly crosses the room with his back to me, keeping his hand tucked to his front. His mid-length hair dangling over his shoulders. “Dad.”

My legs are already pushing me forward.

Whipping around, he smiles widely when he sees me. “Hey sweetie, did you miss us already?” He jokes, looping his arm around me. “I’m okay just a broken arm. They will check everything to ensure I’m good to go but I’m fine.”

“You scared us,” I’m finally exhaling the deep breath I stored in my lungs from the moment I left the club. “I was so worried. Kat was panicking.”

“Dad,” Kat calls before she runs to hug him too. “You didn’t answer my calls.”

“I’m sorry sweetie, I lost my phone somewhere. It all happened so fast and people needed help, I just got out of the car and ran to them. A kid was trapped, panicking. I stayed with him until the fire department arrived.” He caresses her cheek and then mine. “I couldn’t leave him there alone.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” I tuck him closer and he winces. “I’m sorry, you should go get it checked.”

“I will.” His soft eyes stare back at mine, mirroring our endless love. “After I’m done would you like to stay and eat breakfast with us? You can bring these fine studs.” His eyes go up and over my head.

I smile, knowing they are standing right behind me and have my back no matter what and that feeling is the best.

“I would love that more than anything.” I stand on the tip of my toes and kiss his cheek. “Can we make your famous omelet?”

“Oh yes,” Kat moans, already tasting it. “You haven’t in a long time. I think since Amber left, a year ago.”

“It was our thing when she was a kid. We called it ‘throw anything in the fridge omelet’ because that’s what we did.” Dad chuckles. “One of our many beautiful memories.”

“Johnny Turner right? You checked in a few minutes ago, come with me you have an x-ray scan.” A nurse waits for him to follow her.

“Were you in the accident?” I question. Shouldn’t they have already checked him or something to make sure he is okay? I know it’s not urgent like others but still, he can have a concussion he doesn’t know about or internal bleeding.

“Not exactly I was pretty close but not in the accident. I tripped while I was there helping. You always said I have two left feet.” He pulls away from us and follows the nurse. “Watch yourself, maybe it runs in the family.”

“Oh, it does,” Bradley comments with a tiny smirk, shrugging when I give him a look. “Don’t worry… we’ll be there to catch you.”

“Always.” Ronnie completes him.