Page 156 of Of Heartbreak and Harmony
My knees and palms sting from the shards of broken glass littering the pavement. When I can’t see into the car, I flatten myself to the ground, slicing my forearms and abdomen, too.
No sound. No movement. But then...
I see her hair. Covering the roof of the car. Shielding her features from me. It’s plastered to her face, and I reach out gently and try to brush it away, but it’s wet. For a fraction of a breath, I think it’s not Callie in this car because this hair is black.
But then it hits me.
Not black. Blood.
“Baby...” I choke on the word and reach through the window, seeking out her hand. “Baby, I’m here. Can you hear me?”
I turn my head and yell out into the night.
“Somebody help! Somebody! I need a paramedic over here!”
I turn back to Callie. I find her right hand. It’s warm, but limp, and I rub her knuckles with my thumb. I use my other hand to gently move sticky strands of hair off her beautiful face.
“Firebird, baby, I’m here, okay, but I need you to wake up. I need you to wake up, okay?”
I turn and shout behind me once more, screaming for help. For anyone to come save the love of my life as tears stream down my cheeks.
“Torren.” I flinch as Red’s voice sounds from above me, cutting off my screaming. “Just hang on. I’ll get them.” I listen as his boots pound off in search of help.
I lay my face flat on the ground, then tilt so I can see Callie better. So I’m almost suspended upside down like she is. Everything about it is unnatural and wrong, the way her body hangs from the seat belt. The way her hand doesn’t so much as twitch in mine.
I move my thumb to her wrist and try to take a pulse, but I feel nothing. I don’t even know if I’m doing it right. The last time I tried to take a pulse was when Jonah had overdosed, and I couldn’t find one that time, either.
I squeeze my eyes and give my head a shake as an image of Jonah’s lifeless body invades my head, blending with the horror taking place right in front of me. No.
I open my eyes and focus back on Callie.
“Baby, please. Please, just hold on, okay? I’m going to get you help, but I need...I need you to hold on. I can’t...I can’t lose you, okay? Okay, Calla Lily?”
I rub my thumb over her hand and ignore the stickiness of blood. I keep my eyes on the side of her face and stare at her lips, begging for them to move. I ignore the blood there, too. It doesn’t matter. If I could reach, I would kiss her.
This can’t be how it ends. This can’t be happening.
I squeeze my eyes shut, blinking away more tears before I settle my attention back on the side of her lifeless face. I can’t look away. Iwon’tlook away.
“Someone is coming,” I whisper, hovering my fingertips over her cheek. Over her lips. “Someone is coming, I promise. Just hold on.”
“Torren.”
A weak, raspy whisper. At first, it’s so quiet, I think I imagined it. If I hadn’t been looking at her mouth, I might have missed it entirely.
“Torren.”
“I’m here, baby. I’m here.” I swallow back the urge to sob and try to keep my voice as steady as possible. I fail, but I try. “You just...you just hang in there, baby. There’s been an accident, but someone is coming, and then I can take you home, okay?”
“Torren.”
I rub my thumb over her hand some more and do my best to keep her talking. Every instinct in my body says to keep her talking, even if it’s just a single word. Even if it’s only my name. God, just let her keep saying my name.
“What if you teach me how to play piano, Firebird? Would you do that for me?”
Silence.
“I love hearing you play. Remember last night when we played ‘Heart and Soul’ together?”
