The Right Man

The Right Man Part #5

By : A. Williams

     My heart sunk at that awful sound of crashing metal… Oh God don’t let that be Shay. Panic stricken I jumped out of bed and threw on a pair of sweat pants and a tee shirt. I ran out of the bedroom and all but jumped down the steps, not realizing I had no shoes. I don’t even remember closing the front door. Then I was running… the fastest I have ever run before, it felt like the longest three blocks of my life.

     God, there was total confusion on the street, people helpless to help everywhere. I couldn’t believe at how fast an ambulance pulled up in the crowd, the police and firefighters were already there.

     Then I saw it was Shays car and knew he was dead…I just knew, I feel to my knees.  How in the world could anybody survive in that twisted up metal, I thought… but they pulled Shay from the torn wreckage, bleeding heavily and unconscious but alive, Thank God. The car burst into flames moments later as the crowd watched in horror. He would never know how close he was to burning up alive.

      The paramedics strapped him to the stretcher and swiftly headed toward the ambulance. I raced through the crowd, trying to reach them before they pulled away but was seconds to late. I ran to the closest policeman, “Please officer, which hospital will they take him to?” I pleaded. “West Wing, it’s the closest, about 3 miles to the north.”

      I ran back home and rushed into the house and quickly dressed. When I went to put on my shoes, I realized my feet were bleeding. Fuck it I thought as I pulled on my socks and quickly tied my Nikes. Hurrying, I grabbed my keys, wallet and cell phone.

       I was on the road, trying not to speed too much and risk having a wreck myself, when I remember Chris. He had been gone when I had gotten back to the house and I hadn’t even noticed. I felt like scum…I had now hurt the two people I cared about the most in this world. When I find out about Shay, I will call Chris and tell him just how sorry I am but first things first.

      I reached the hospital, jumped out of the car and race into the emergency room entrance. I rushed up to the desk and asked a nurse, “The ambulance just brought my boyfriend in here…Shay Roberts. The wreck over on Summit Avenue. Please where is he…help me please!” The nurse came around the counter and spoke to me gently, “Sir please, try to calm down and let me find out what I can. Take a seat and I will be right back.” She walked away and I started to pace back and forth.

      How could I sit …I need to know how he is…how bad he is hurt…if he will recover… I will never be able to forgive myself if he’s not the same because it’s my fault he’s here in the hospital. All my fault…I continued to pace. Where the fuck is that nurse… Damn …won’t somebody let me know what’s going on!

      I was so lost in my own thoughts and guilt, I didn’t see the nurse come back. She tried not to look concerned but one look told me it was bad. “Sir, Mr. Roberts has been taken into surgery. He has internal bleeding and a collapsed lung, I would recommend you call his relatives,” she said calmly. “Call his relatives?” I screamed… “Is he going to make it?” I yelled, grabbing her shoulders for support.

She backed me up to a chair and helped me sit. She knelt down between my legs, “Sir, can you call someone for him? He will be in surgery for some time. Upstairs… 3rd floor, there is a waiting room there and a phone you can use. Look for room 307. Do you need some water?” she asked, I said nothing, just shook my head.

     I stood, in a daze and walked to the elevator. Third floor…307…third floor …307, I kept saying over and over trying to remember where I was going. The doors opened and I walked in mumbling to myself…307….307. With a numb hand, I pressed 3 and the doors closed. The ride was quick and soon I found the room.

      I stood…staring at the phone, knowing I needed to call Shay’s parents but trying to think of how?? My mind coming back to me, I picked up the phone and dialed his office. Soon I was talking to the Human Resources Department and getting the number for Mr. and Mrs. Roberts house in New Market, way up in Virginia some 8 hours away.

     I dialed the number and a man answered, “Mr. Roberts my name is Davis, a friend of your son’s. I am sorry to call with bad news Sir… but he has been in a bad car accident and you need to come to the West Wing hospital now. He is in surgery right now and it does not look good Sir.”

     I heard a full grown man breakdown… yelling for his wife in sobs, “We will be there in one  hour young man,” the line went dead......

Part 6 coming soon.........Thanks for reading and posting comments.......A.