by Claire Fogel
He walked back to his car and got on the radio. I turned to Sean, “What can we do?”
“Cara, I don’t think there’s anything else we can do for now.” He wrapped both arms around me and held me against his chest. That was when I realized there were tears running down my face.
Dion said, “Let’s go back to my house. Amy and Kevin are in good hands. You can make more calls from my house if you need to. Come on, it’s cold out here.”
Dion drove us back to his house and we went back to the party. I don’t think many of our classmates had even noticed we were gone.
I didn’t understand what I was doing at a party when my two best friends were in an ambulance on their way to the hospital.
Dion must have told his parents what had happened, because before I knew it, Mr. Washington was putting cups of something warm into our hands. “This will warm you up.”
I dutifully drank it down. Hot chocolate. I took a deep breath as my insides got warmer. When I’d finished my drink, I did feel better. Both Sean and Dion looked better too.
“Thanks, Mr. Washington.”
Sean and Dion were like bookends on either side of me. Mr. Washington nodded. “I’m really sorry your friends got hurt. Dion’s mom and I will be praying for them.”
Sean said, “It’ll be a while before we know anything, Cara. I know you’re in no mood for a party, but at least we’re among friends.”
Randi squatted down in front of me. “I just heard what happened. I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do, Cara?”
“Say a prayer for them, Randi. They were both hurt when the Jeep slid into a ditch. Kevin was able to talk, but Amy was unconscious.”
Word of the accident had apparently reached the rest of the kids at the party. The room had gotten much too quiet.
I looked at Sean. “I don’t want to ruin everyone’s New Year’s Eve. Let’s go home.”
He hugged me against him. “Okay. Sorry, Dion, but we’d better go.”
Dion patted my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Cara. They’re young and healthy. I’m sure they’ll both be fine.” I hoped that wasn’t just wishful thinking.
We said good night, put our coats on and left to walk back to Sean’s car.
Outside the air was still, no wind, but it was freezing. Sean held on to me as we made our way carefully down the icy street, away from all the cheerful holiday lights, which seemed like a bad joke now.
When we got back to my house, we found my parents still sitting in the kitchen. The bottle of champagne was now only half full and there was a bowl of little meatballs in some kind of sauce on the table.
“You’re back so early.” Mom said, looking surprised. My father immediately looked worried. “What happened, sweetheart?” he asked.
“Kevin and Amy had an accident on their way to the party. The Jeep went into a ditch. They’re both being taken to the hospital by ambulance.”
Mom looked shocked, then worried. “How are they, Cara?”
Sean and I threw off our coats and sat down. “Kevin was conscious; it looked like he’d hit his head. He was bleeding. But Amy was unconscious. Mom, she didn’t look good at all.” Tears started running down my face again. “I called the Chief and he sent an ambulance. He’s notifying their parents.”
Sean held my hand tightly. He looked worried too.
“I know there’s nothing we can do, but feeling so helpless is awful.”
She nodded and patted my shoulder. “I know it is. We can call the hospital in a few hours—after they’ve had time to get there and receive treatment. But right now you two should have some tea while you try to relax. I know you’re both upset. I’m worried too.”
She got up and started boiling water while she took down the teapot and filled the infuser with the aromatic herbs we always kept on hand. They came from Elvenwood, from Kathleen, Elvenwood’s healer and herbalist. Her tea was both soothing and relaxing.
“Is that Kathleen’s special tea?” Sean asked. He’d had it before.
My mother nodded. “Kathleen makes sure we’re never without it.”
She filled the teapot with boiling water. A few minutes later she poured cups for each of us. Just breathing in the scent of the herbs actually helped, and I began to relax.
While we drank our tea, Mom picked up her phone and called Amy’s house. It was a brief conversation.
“Amy’s parents are already on their way to Greenville. Mrs. Strauss said she’d call us as soon as she has any information. She’s obviously upset.”
Next she called Kevin’s mom. Betty Sinclair had just received the Chief’s message and was leaving for the hospital. I heard Mom ask her to let us know if there was anything she needed.
There was nothing more we could do.
New Year’s Eve was a difficult night for us, and New Year’s Day wasn’t much better. I was relieved when Kevin called to let us know he was coming home. He did have a concussion and a nasty headache, but he was fine otherwise. His mom had spent the night at the hospital. She’d be driving him home as soon as the doctor released him.
The news on Amy wasn’t as good. Kevin had spoken to Mrs. Strauss, who said that other than a lump on the side of her head, the doctor hadn’t found anything else wrong with Amy. But she hadn’t awakened. And they didn’t know why. They’d be keeping her in the ICU until she woke up.
Sean had gone home shortly after midnight on New Year’s Eve, so I called to give him the news.
“Do you want to go to the hospital, Cara?” he asked. “I think I can get the car and drive us if you do.”
I really appreciated his offer. I wanted to go, but I didn’t really want to drive to Greenville by myself.
Sean picked me up at noon and we drove to Greenville. We found Amy’s parents in the waiting room outside Intensive Care.
Mrs. Strauss embraced me. “Liebchen, I’m glad you’re here. We’ve been here all night, hoping our Amy will wake up, but still she sleeps.” Her accent was heavier than usual.
I hugged her. “Mrs. Strauss, why don’t you and Mr. Strauss go home and get some rest. We’ll stay here with Amy.” The poor woman looked ten years older than she did a few days ago. Mr. Strauss looked exhausted.
She looked at her husband and nodded. “Thank you, liebchen. We’ll just go home for a nap and then we’ll be back. The doctor says he can’t find anything seriously wrong with her.” She shook her head, clearly frustrated. “Why won’t she wake up?”
“She will, we just have to be patient. You know Amy; she’ll wake up when she’s good and ready.” I smiled, trying to cheer her up a little.
Mr. Strauss nodded. “Ja, that sounds like Amy. She has a mind of her own, that’s for sure. Come, Susie, we’ll go home for a few hours, get a little rest, and then we’ll come back. If Amy wakes up, her friends will be here.”
It was the first time I’d ever heard Amy’s mom called by her first name. Susie. It suited the plump little redhead.
After Mrs. Strauss hugged each of us, they put their coats on and walked out of the ICU, promising to be back before dinner.
Sean and I walked up to the window looking into Amy’s room. The lights in the room were low. The machine all the tubes were attached to showed her vital signs. Everything looked normal, blood pressure, temperature, heart rate all perfectly normal. Yet she continued to sleep.
Sean asked, “Is she in a coma?”
“I guess so. If it was a normal sleep, she’d wake up, wouldn’t she?”
He shrugged. “The nurse said all the numbers on that machine are normal so why doesn’t she open her eyes?”
“I wish we could ask her,” I said.
We looked at each other sadly.
“Cara, why don’t you sit down. I’ll go find the cafeteria and get us something to eat, okay?”
“Okay, thanks.”
He left and I continued to watch Amy sleep. If that’s really what she was doing. I wondered if she was dreaming. Then I wondered what she was dreaming about. I’d have so many
questions for my best friend when she woke up.
If she woke up.
I called Kevin the next morning. He sounded as though he hadn’t slept.
“How’s your head?” I asked.
“It’s just a headache. All I need is aspirin. And news that Amy’s awake. Were you at the hospital yesterday?”
“Yes, Sean drove us over after lunch. We stayed for the afternoon so that Amy’s parents could go home and get some sleep. Have you spoken to them, Kev?”
“Yes. I snuck out of the E.R. and went to find them and see Amy before I came home.”
He didn’t say anything else right away, but I knew he had more to say so I waited.
“Cara, it was my fault! I should have been driving more slowly. I knew the streets would be icy. Amy’s in a coma now, and it’s all my fault.” Of course he would blame himself.
“Kev, calm down. I don’t think anyone blames you for the accident. It could have happened to anyone.”
“But it didn’t happen to anyone, Cara. It happened to me and to Amy. My fault, all my fault.” His voice trailed off. He was barely whispering. “I don’t know what I’ll do if she doesn’t wake up.”
I’d never heard Kevin so distraught.
“Kevin, please don’t assume the worst. She will wake up. The doctors can’t find anything wrong with her. She has no other injuries, just a lump on the side of her head. She’s young and healthy. Have a little faith, okay?
“Listen, Kev, I’m going back to the hospital this afternoon. Sean can’t make it today, so I’m driving. Come with me.”
He didn’t say anything right away. Then, “Okay. Pick me up later?”
“Sure. Get some rest this morning. You sound like you haven’t slept. I’ll come by after lunch. Should I bring you a sandwich?”
“Yeah, please. We’re out of groceries, as usual.”
And that’s how I knew all was not lost. Kevin’s appetite was intact.
I drove Kevin to the hospital every day for the next week. Sometimes my mother joined us. I think she was as worried about Kevin as we were about Amy. He never smiled or joked anymore.
The rule in ICU was only family members could visit in the patient’s room, but when Amy’s parents went home, they asked the duty nurse to allow us to sit with their daughter.
Kevin and I sat at her bedside every afternoon. Kevin would hold the hand that wasn’t hooked up to anything, and I’d talk to her. The nurse encouraged us to talk to her, insisting that Amy could probably hear us. I talked about everything I could think of: New Year’s Resolutions, the work that was progressing on the Strauss Bakery, the school friends who were calling daily to ask about her, the Elves who knew her and were sending their best wishes.
When I ran out of small talk, I’d nudge Kevin and he’d start talking to her. He’d describe the work he was doing on his new game, titled “Dragon Wars.” The misery was so clear on his face, I couldn’t help thinking that it was a good thing Amy couldn’t see him.
On the weekend, Mom and Dad would come with us to visit. Mom told Amy about some new recipes she was planning to make, and she’d talk about some of her weirder customers at her bookstore, The Crescent Moon.
My father only said, “We’ll be right here until you decide to open your eyes, Amy. We all love you and miss seeing your smile.”
Kevin’s car was finally road-worthy again. When he told me what the repairs had cost, I was speechless. Naturally, his insurance rates had gone way up. Fortunately, his paychecks for the video games he was designing meant he could afford it.
Christmas vacation was over and we went back to school on Monday. Everyone who knew Amy stopped us to ask how she was doing.
Basketball practice had begun, and Sean was tied up every day after school. He couldn’t go to the hospital with me, and I know he felt he was letting me down.
“It’s okay, Sean. I understand.”
He shook his head. “I wish I could be with you. If there’s any change in Amy’s condition, please call me right away.”
I said I would.
Kevin went to the hospital with me every day after school. I did the driving. He didn’t seem willing to get into his just-repaired Jeep and I didn’t ask why. I suspected that he didn’t trust himself to keep us both safe. His self-confidence had taken a huge hit.
The following weekend Amy was still in a coma, and Kevin actually turned down an invitation to Sunday brunch. I was sitting in the kitchen with Mom and Dad, feeling as though I’d lost both of my best friends.
“Something has to change soon, doesn’t it? I mean, how long can this last?”
I must have sounded desperate. My father reached for my hand. I knew he could feel what I was feeling, and it must have worried him.
“Cara, is it possible that Amy has some Elven blood?” he asked.
“I don’t know, Dad. We were talking about taking her to the gateway to see if it would open for her, but we never actually did it. Why?”
He shook his head. “I can’t be sure, but if Amy is one of us, I may be able to help her.”
Mom asked, “How?”
My father stared out the window at the forest. Finally, he said, “If any part of Amy is Elven, I may be able to speak to her mind and let her know that she needs to wake up, that she’s slept long enough.”
“Dad, if that’s at all possible, you have to try it. Come to the hospital with me.”
I knew that the logical thing would be to ask Amy’s mother if there was any possibility Amy had some Elven blood, but since Mr. Strauss was definitely not an Elf, it raised an awkward question.
“We can’t really ask Mrs. Strauss about Elven blood, can we? It would mean that Mr. Strauss isn’t Amy’s father.”
My father looked uncertain. “I don’t want to offend Amy’s parents. I’d better wait and see if Amy wakes up on her own.”
So we waited. Another week went by. Amy still slept. I finally told Kevin what my father had said about speaking to Amy telepathically.
For the first time in weeks, Kevin looked excited. “Why is your father waiting? He has to try it. Please ask him, Cara.”
That night I spoke to my dad. He hesitated, finally saying he would speak to Mrs. Strauss and get her permission. I drove my father to Amy’s house and we sat down with her in their den. Fortunately, Mr. Strauss was upstairs resting.
My father began the conversation. “Mrs. Strauss, please don’t be offended. I may be able to help Amy, but only if she has Elven blood.”
Mrs. Strauss closed her eyes for a few seconds. She opened her eyes and nodded. She looked at me and smiled slightly. “Mr. Blackthorne, Cara, my husband knew that I was expecting Amy when we moved to America. He also knew that he was not Amy’s father. But it made no difference to him. He loves our Amy the same way he would love a child of his own.”
Turning to me, she said, “You may remember I spoke to you about the handsome young men from the forest near my village.” I nodded.
“Well, his name was Stefan. We were both very young, and he was so beautiful and so kind.” She shrugged. “Mr. Strauss knew about my relationship with Stefan. He also knew that Stefan and I could never marry. It simply wasn’t allowed.
“When Mr. Strauss decided to emigrate to America, he asked me to marry him and come with him. So I did.
“Please understand. I love my husband. When Amy was born, we decided not to tell her about her biological father, but when you and I spoke months ago, Cara, I was afraid it would come out eventually.”
She looked into my father’s eyes. “If you can help her, Mr. Blackthorne, you have our permission to try. Perhaps it’s time she learned the truth.”
My father clasped her hand. “Mrs. Strauss, I’ll do everything I can, I promise. Cara and I will go to the hospital tomorrow and I’ll try to wake your daughter. You and your husband should be there too.”
When we got home, I called Kevin and told him what our plans were. Naturally, he wanted to be there.
After school the next
day, I drove us to the hospital in Greenville. It was a quiet ride. I think we were all afraid to hope that my father would succeed in bringing Amy out of her coma.
Amy had been moved out of ICU to a private room, so we were all able to be in her room at the same time. She was still hooked up to several tubes and her vital signs blinked from the machine at the head of her bed.
My father sat down next to her and placed his hand on her forehead. With his eyes closed, he began to speak to her mind. I could hear his voice in my head too.
Amy, dear, it’s time for you to come back to us. Your parents and your friends miss you very much. Kevin is heartsick because he blames himself for the accident that caused your injury New Year’s Eve. We know that you’re a strong, healthy young woman. It’s time for you to wake up and open your eyes. We’re all here at your bedside, just waiting to talk to you again so we can tell you how important you are to all of us. Wake up, Amy.
The only sound in the room was the dull beep from the machine recording her vital signs. The five of us were barely breathing, our eyes fixed on Amy’s pale face.
Her head turned to the side slightly, facing my father, and her eyes opened slowly.
“Hi, Mr. Blackthorne,” she said, her voice scratchy. “Where am I?”
She spotted me standing next to my dad. “Cara? What happened? Where’s Kev? Why do I sound like a frog?”
Mr. and Mrs. Strauss were standing on the other side of her bed, holding hands, tears streaming down their faces. At the foot of her bed, Kevin’s head was down, his hand over his eyes, his shoulders shaking.
I leaned over my father’s shoulder. “Welcome back, Amy. We’ve really missed you.” My father stood and we left Amy’s room, Kevin right behind us. I knew Amy needed to be with her mom and dad. They would explain to her what had happened.
Two days later, after her doctor had run more tests and determined there was absolutely nothing physically or mentally wrong with her, Mr. and Mrs. Strauss brought Amy home. Kevin and I let all her friends at school know that she had recovered from the New Year’s Eve accident, and everyone sent messages home to her.
