Page 7 of A Love Unfaltering

Everything had been so neatly organized, and I was ready to move on into the world, but now? Now, everything felt like it had been turned upside down.

I got into my own car a moment later and took off down the road, heading back to my small apartment that likely wouldn’t feel the same after a night like this one.

Ten minutes later, I pulled into my parking spot, and it felt almost dreamlike as I walked over toward my door, unlocked it, and stepped inside.

I had been right. My apartment felt entirely different.

Everything was in the same spot, and, of course, nothing had changed physically, but I was a changed person.

I showered, changed clothes, and just tried to regain a sense of normally. But, that was shattered with one single sound.

The sound of my phone ringing.

I hadn’t expected Jared to be calling so early, but when checking, the number was one I didn’t recognize.

“Amy Reeves?” an unfamiliar voice asked.

“Um, yes?” I said inquisitively.

“There’s been an accident involving Jared Helms. We need you to get to the Fairview Hospital immediately.”

That’s when my heart stopped.

Chapter Four

Jared

I didn’t wake up right away. My eyelids were too heavy to drag open, and I still didn’t really know if I was dead or alive. I could still hear the loud honk of the semi-truck as it barreled toward my car, completely ignoring the red light and-

I opened my eyes.

Anything to get away from having to experience that crash for a second time.

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the bright white, fluorescent lights above, but after they did, I eventually took stock of myself. Each of my four limbs were in a sling, though after a couple of terrifying tests, I realized that I could move each of my fingers and toes.

That was amiracle.

Getting out of a crash with a semi-truck without even a broken limb seemed practically impossible.

I was reminded of my mortality when I went to take a deep breath, and a shattering pain resounded throughout my entire chest, letting me know that I had likely cracked a couple of ribs in my escapade.

I couldn’t help but be thankful that I hadn’t asked Amy to go back with me like I had wanted to.

That semi had hit the passenger side of my car. If she had been there with me…

I shivered. I didn’t want to think about it.

After finishing up taking stock of my body, I looked around the room instead and found exactly the person I’d been thinking about slumped over asleep in a chair. Amy’s red hair hung down in front of her face in a curtain, but I could tell she was sleeping just from the way she was positioned.

I smiled and had to stop a tear from rolling down my face.

She had stayed with me through however long I’d been out, for how long I didn’t even know, and that made me worry.

I looked around until I found a red button that said it would summon a nurse, located conveniently right next to my hand. It only took a movement of my finger to press it, and a loud buzzer rang out in the hallway.

A nurse appeared in the doorway, and upon seeing that I was awake, she smiled with a surprised look on her face.

“Well, hello,” she greeted, which seemed to wake Amy. She looked up at the nurse and then looked over at me, and I could see the tears starting to form in her eyes.

---