Page 18 of Never Really Over

She chuckles. “Oh, trust me, I know. I had heard all sorts of stories about the infamous Dalton and figured he just wanted another notch on his belt, you know?”

“I’m happy for you both.”

“Of course you are,” Dalton says when he approaches after gassing up the vehicles. He leans over and kisses the side of Bridget’s head and opens my door but something on his face puts me on edge.

Just as I start to get into the car, my phone rings with an unknown number lighting up my screen. I quickly toss all of my stuff on the seat and answer.

“Hello? Mom? Is that you?”

“Miss Belk?”

I grab Dalton’s arm who is standing next to me and squeeze my eyes shut.

“This is she.”

“My name is Dr. Klein and I’m the attending physician in the Emergency department at Hollow Grove hospital. Your mother was brought in today after being involved in a motor vehicle accident and you’re the number we have for her emergency contact.”

“Oh my gosh. Is she all right?”

“She will be. The accident was severe and she has some broken bones and bumps and bruises but she’ll have a full recovery, I’m sure of it.”

I immediately burst into tears and feel my knees go weak. Dalton catches me before I fall and takes the phone from me.

“Hello? This is Layla Belk’s friend, Dalton. We’re on our way from Chicago and are about an hour and a half out.” I hear Dalton say to Dr. Klein.

Bridget helps me into the car and leans in to make sure I’m buckled. Like a child.

“I… I’m so sorry,” I hiccup through a sob. “She’s… she was in the accident. She’s going to be okay, I guess, but I just…”

“You’re overwhelmed and you’ve been worried out of your mind for hours and now you know she’ll be okay so your body is just allowing you to have a break. You got this, Layla. Let’s get you to the hospital and you’ll see your mom and all will be good again.”

I nod at her encouraging words and hear Bridget and Dalton say a few things to each other before he climbs behind the wheel and we’re once again on the road.

“What else did the doctor say?”

“Not much because I’m not listed, you know? But he said that she was very lucky. Sounds like it was a pretty severe accident.”

“Oh, gosh. That makes me so freaked out. Like, she could have died, Dalton!”

He grabs my hand and holds it tight. “But she didn’t. Focus on that.”

“Right. I hope there were no fatalities. How awful.”

He’s quiet for a moment before he murmurs, “Right. There’s something else, Lay.”

“What else could there be?”

“Mom called while you were in the gas station. She heard that Colt’s sister Natalie and her husband were in the accident as well.”

My eyes shoot to his and I don’t even have to ask for the ending, but I do anyway. “Are they okay?” I ask quietly, tears already forming.

With a small shake of his head, I drop my face into my hands and sob.

Chapter Four

Colt

SeeYou Again

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