Page 124 of Mark Us Little Bear
“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 roomfor 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.
