by Mj Fields
���You okay?��� Jade asked when they were in the bathroom.
���Actually, I���m. I���m great,��� she smiled. ���He and I would have never worked out Jade, I just hope he remembers some of the good times and lets himself open up to someone someday. I���ll always love him in a way. I want him to be as happy as I know I���m going to be.���
���You���re serious aren���t you?���
���I am.���
Jade���s voice cracked, ���I���m so happy for you, I just hope that he and Tommy get along.���
���Are you kidding me? They���re going to get along great. They are a lot alike, well I think so anyway. They both enjoy being happy and can actually show people they care,��� Tessa smiled sadly.
���I love you, Tessa.���
���I love you, Jade. Now let���s go get our guys.���
They walked out, and Tommy and Ben were laughing and planning something.
���What are you two doing?��� Tessa smiled
���We���re going to find a way to take you girls away for a couple days, over Spring Break. Does that sound okay to you pretty girl?��� Tommy smiled.
Tessa smiled at Ben, ���That sounds great.���
Jade and Tessa hugged again, and they said goodbye.
���Hey, can we all go out for breakfast in the morning? Tess expects me to slave over the stove in the morning and I kind of think I���m going to be a bit tired,��� he said laughing and she smacked him in the arm.
���Sounds like a plan, ten sound good?��� Tommy asked.
���I don���t know, how long you plan to keep me up tonight,��� Ben asked laughing as he smiled at Tessa.
���Ten is good,��� Tessa said softly.
Tommy and Jade laughed, ���Perfect sounds like we all plan to, tonight,��� Tommy smiled.
Tessa and Ben finished helping load the van, both smiling each time their eyes met. They said goodnight and held hands as they walked to the parking lot. Ben opened the door for her, and she got in. Grabbing the back of her head, he kissed her, his tongue explored her mouth slowly and even slower he pulled back.
���Tess, damn it���s going to be a long ride.���
She was breathing hard and closed her eyes.
���Let���s go, please.���
Ben got in and buckled his seat belt and pulled out onto the four- lane city street. He turned on the radio and sat back. She turned in her seat and watched him.
He glanced over at her, ���Tess, please don���t look at me like that right now.���
���Please don���t tell me what to do Ben,��� she said in a soft, breathless voice.
���I never would, Tess.���
���Do you promise me you���ll never tell me what to do?���
���Unless you ask for my opinion, guidance, or advice, I���ll try me damnedest.���
���Good��� remember that,��� Tessa lifted the console and unbuckled her seat belt.
She started to undo his pants.
���Tess not now,��� Ben strained voice gave out to a groan as her hand slipped beneath his pants.
���Don���t tell me what to do,��� she took him in her hand and slowly moved it up and down.
���Oh, shit Tess, please not yet.���
���Hey, look there���s Big Ben.��� Tessa bent down and kissed his tip.
���Uh Tess, stop now,��� he moaned.
���You promised,��� she continued stroking him slowly curiously and then wrapped her lips around him.
���Hey girl, we���re getting pulled over by the Police, you may want to rethink that,��� Ben hissed.
She opened her eyes and saw flashing lights.
���No way,��� she sat up.
Ben did up his pants laughing a low, throaty laugh. Tessa sat with her head down.
Ben rolled down the window, and the officer walked up.
���License and registration, please.���
Ben took out his license and grabbed the registration.
���Here you go sir.���
���Do you know why I pulled you over?���
���Sir, no disrespect at all but I���m incredibly uncomfortable right now,��� Ben laughed.
���Ben,��� Tessa whispered and gave Ben a nasty look.
���Miss, do you know why?���
���No sir.���
���Did you have your seat belt on when I pulled you over?���
Ben chuckled.
���Ben, please,��� she whispered. ���No sir, I didn���t.���
���Could you tell me why?���
Ben couldn���t hold it in any longer, he started laughing. The officer smiled and looked down.
���Sir, I told her not to.���
���You did?��� he looked stunned.
���Holy shit, really??��� Tessa sat back and put her head in her hands.
���Yes I did, we���re an hour away from home. Look at her she is fucking hot; I don���t want to just sit there. I���ve been waiting for this since we were kids.���
���My God, Ben please,��� Tessa begged hoping he would stop.
���Miss, do you have ID?���
���Yes,��� she handed it to him.
���Tessa Ross, I know your father,��� Tessa covered her mouth and the officer laughed, ���Joking, okay you���re both eighteen, have you two been drinking or doing drugs?���
���No, sir,��� Tessa said, Oh God, she thought, please don���t make me pee in a cup.
���Alright then. Miss, you need to buckle up and stay that way,��� he pointed at Tessa.
���Yes Sir.���
���And you son ��� drive home safely and have a great night,��� the officer gave him a fist bump.
He pulled around them and left. Ben started laughing.
���Did that actually just happen?��� Tessa gasped.
Ben laughed harder ���I think it did���rethinking that rule, now I have to say I will sometimes tell you what to do.���
She finally laughed and covered her face again. ���So how was I doing?���
Ben pulled her hands away from her face and lifted her chin making her look at him, ���Amazing.���
���I want to do it again now.���
���I want you too Tess,��� he said. ���But I think we should heed his warning.���
They held hands as they drove to the next stop light and stopped. They saw lights up ahead. There was an accident. It was a bus and a midsize SUV. They were too far back to clearly see it. Four Ambulances left the scene. As they got closer, Tessa threw her seat belt off.
���Ben! Stop!��� she tried to jump out, he grabbed her.
���Hold on Tess.���
Ben pulled over and Tessa started screaming Jade���s name. Ben put the four ways on and unbuckled as he held her back. Ben slid across the seat and wrapped his arm around her waist.
���Tess,��� he whispered as he got out and she screamed.
The officer that had just pulled them over walked towards them.
���You two need to stay back,��� he cautioned.
Tessa crumbled when she noticed Jade���s purse on the ground. She was screaming her name as she sat on the ground and rocked back and forth cradling herself. Ben squatted behind her and held her.
���Officer, we think tha
t���s Tessa���s cousin. She was with three guys. Could you please tell us if Jade Ross was in that vehicle?���
���Give me a minute,��� it was the longest minute of Tessa���s life. ���Yes, she���s on her way to the hospital now, all four of them are.���
���Is she okay��� Tessa cried.
Ben watched his eyes.
���She���s going to be okay.���
���Sir what about the other three?��� Ben asked watching him carefully as he held Tessa tightly against him.
His eyes closed briefly, and he looked at Ben. ���Two of them are in rough shape son.���
���Okay, what hospital?��� Ben asked.
���University Hospital,��� he answered. ���Tessa, it���s not good. You���re going to need to keep it together or you need to stay out of there.���
She looked up at him and shook her head as tears poured down her face. She looked back at the scene and saw a man doing a sobriety test.
���What happened?��� she asked quietly.
He knelt down, ���Witnesses say that the bus ran a red light and hit the vehicle. Right now, we���re pretty sure it���s no fault of the driver of the car your cousin was in.���
���Is the bus driver drunk?���
���We aren���t sure yet,��� he said. ���Do you need a ride to the hospital?���
���No, I���ll get her there, thank you, for everything. Are you ready to go Tess?���
���Yes.���
Ben opened the door, and she got in. He reached across and buckled her seat belt. He jumped in and put the hospital in his GPS. They were less than five minutes away.
���Mom,��� Tessa said. ���Are you working at University tonight?��� Okay is Jade there Mom?... Is she okay?... I���m on my way��� I���m with Ben���Ben, my Mom, wants to talk to you.���
���Hello,��� he said. ���Oh���Yes��� I will��� I believe she has their phone numbers��� Ok, thank you. Of course.��� Ben hung up, and his face was blank. He sped up a bit and pulled into the emergency lot. She bolted out the door and he ran and grabbed her.
���We need to talk for a minute, Tess.���
���I want to go in now.���
���You need to be prepared Tess,��� he took her hand and led her to a bench by the entry.
He sat her down and knelt in front of her. Ben looked in her eyes.
���Jade and Ryan suffered minor injuries, they���re going to be hurting, but they���ll be ok.��� He took a deep breath. ���Lucas has a large cut on the side of his head and possibly a few broken ribs, he���s in x- ray now. You with me Tessa?���
���Yes, what about Tommy?��� she shook her head back and forth and he held her hand tighter.
���Tessa, Tommy didn���t make it.���
She suddenly stopped breathing, like an elephant was sitting on her chest. ���No, Ben that���s wrong.���
���Tess it was instant, he didn���t suffer,��� Ben stroked her hair. ���Jade doesn���t know yet, none of them do,��� Ben���s eyes widened and he blinked holding back tears. ���You���re going to have to be very strong right now and if you can���t we need to sit out here until you���re able. None of their parents are here yet. Do you understand?���
She shook her head yes.
���I need to hear it, Tess.���
���I���ll be fine.���
���If you feel yourself falling apart you need to walk away ok? If you���re not comfortable with me being here, I���ll wait somewhere else for you Tess, okay?��� Ben kissed her hand.
���I don���t want you to go anywhere Ben ever,��� she wiped her face.
Ben wanted to believe that, but he knew that again this was not their time. He took her hand and walked in. She stopped and held her stomach. He pulled her into the women���s bathroom and held her hair as she threw up several times. He grabbed paper towels and wet them and washed her face and grabbed some gum out of his pocket and handed it to her. He grabbed her purse and ruffled through it until he found a hair tie. He pulled her hair back and put it in a ponytail. He kissed her.
���You okay now?���
���Yes, thank you, Ben,��� she hugged him.
They walked by a vending machine, and he plopped in quarters and got her a ginger ale. Ben opened it and handed it to her. She drank a few sips, and he took it back.
Her Mom met them at the desk, she hugged her tightly and grabbed her face and looked in her eyes.
She looked at Ben, ���How is she?���
���She knows, and she���s doing better now. If you���re going to be with her, I���ll wait here until she needs me.���
���Thank you, Benjamin,��� Maggie hugged him, ���Thank you so much.���
He looked at Tessa, ���I���m right out here.���
She hugged him tightly, ���Ok, thank you Ben.���
Maggie took her hand, and they walked in through the automatic doors. They wheeled Lucas by on a stretcher and Tessa saw his head wrapped in a bloody bandage. Tessa gasped, her mother squeezed her hand. He opened his eyes.
���Tessa,��� he groaned as his eyes rolled back.
Tessa stood back holding her hand over her mouth, not knowing what to say.
Maggie grabbed his chart, ���Lucas this is Maggie ��� I���m a nurse here. You have a concussion and a pretty large wound on the left side of your head honey. We���re going to stitch you up. You���re going to be fine ok? Your parents have been notified and are on their way.���
His eyes fluttered, ���Tessa.���
���Lucas I���m here,��� she grabbed his hand, he squeezed it.
���Your dream,��� he opened his eyes, ���I���m sorry.���
���Lucas it’s ok,��� she kissed his hand.
���Your dream Tessa, who is it?���
���Lucas you need to rest, I���m going with my mom to check on everyone okay?��� He nodded and winced, ���You rest, I���ll be back ok?���
���Thank you, baby,��� he closed his eyes.
���Good job Tessa,��� Maggie whispered as they walked into Ryan���s room.
Ryan was sitting up and getting stitches in his left arm. His right arm was badly bruised from the impact, but he was alright.
���Hello Ryan, how are you feeling?���
���I���d be a lot better if I knew how everyone was. Tessa they were using that heart machine on Tommy and I think ��� well can you find out how he is? Please Tessa,��� Ryan���s eyes were watering.
���Well, I can tell you I just saw Lucas, and he has to have stitches in his head. That doesn���t sound like much fun does it?��� she gave him a weak smile. ���Your parents are on their way, and I���ll report back to you okay?���
���Tessa how is Jade; she is going to be a mess.���
Tessa looked at her Mom ���Ryan, as soon as we know we���ll tell you, but right now you need to rest okay?��� Ryan laid back. By the look in his eyes, he knew.
They came to Jade���s room. Tessa walked in, and Jade was sitting up wide- eyed. She had a few scratches on her left hand.
���Tessa, how did you know we were here?���
���We came upon the accident. The police told us you were here. I saw your purse on the ground. It scared me Jade,��� she took a deep breath and t
ried not to cry.
���Tessa, did Tommy wake up yet?���
Tessa took a deep breath, and Jade searched her face.
���I know he was pretty messed up. I���m sure he had cuts in his mouth because the last time I saw him he had blood coming out of it. And he hurt his ear too Tessa.��� Each time she mentioned an injury her voice broke a bit more. Tessa was taking deep breaths trying not to cry. ���There was blood in it too. Tessa they used the machine that shocks people���s hearts on Tommy,��� she had tears rolling down her face. ���Did you see him yet?���
Tessa shook her head no.
A nurse came in and handed Maggie her chart.
Maggie read it and took a deep breath, ���Tessa could you please give Jade and I a minute?���
���No, Aunt Maggie, I think I need Tessa to come sit with me now,��� more tears rolled down her face. ���Tessa, please get under these covers and hold me. I think I���m going to fall apart,��� she was shaking.
Tessa told her to lie down, kicked her shoes off, and climbed under the covers and hugged Jade.
���Tessa he���s gone isn���t he?��� Tessa closed her eyes and pulled Jades head to her chest.
Tessa looked at Maggie, ���Ok Jade, we did blood work to test a few things, are you sure you want Tessa in here Jade,��� she shook her head yes. ���Jade honey,��� she sat on the other side of her and rubbed her back, ���this test says you���re pregnant.���
���Tommy and I are going to have a baby?��� Jade cried softly. ���Tessa did you hear that?��� she smiled. ���I want to see him so I can tell him��� I know he will wake up then.��� She cried harder, ���Tommy���s going to miss this.���
���Jade we need to take you down and do an ultrasound. Tessa���s going to need to leave for this okay?���
���You���ll be back, right? You can���t leave me Tessa.���
���I���ll be here Jade, I promise.���
Tessa walked into the waiting room, and Ben jumped up and walked towards her. She grabbed him and hugged him.
���Ben,��� Tessa whispered.
Ben kissed her head and sat down and pulled her on his lap, she started to cry. He ran his hands through her hair and hugged her.
