When Destinies Collide

by Shirl Rickman

  “Selene!” I call out to her, although I know she isn’t going to call back to me. The dread of the situation is coursing its way through every part of my body. My limbs feel heavy; it’s like I’m running in place. I feel like I will never reach Selene. Seconds seem like minutes before I finally reach the passenger side of the car.

  The car spun around until it was facing completely away from the street. The driver side is pushed against the tree, and I can see blood coming from the side of her head. I stand frozen, looking at this girl. This girl who holds my heart in her palm. I can see her slipping away before my eyes. Suddenly, I snap out of the shock and jump over the side of the car and into the front seat.

  “Selene…oh, God, baby.” My throat is clogged with worry and tears as I speak to her.

  I gently run my hand along the side of her face, moving the hair away from it. I bring my fingers to her neck and feel for a pulse. A rush of emotion hits me as I feel the beat of her heart playing against my fingertips. Thank you. A chance.

  Leaning forward, I place a kiss on her cheek. “Please hold on. I can’t live without you. I can’t live with you hating me… Stay with me,” I whisper in her ear. “God, don’t let her leave me too.”

  Pulling out my phone, I dial 9-1-1. I stay on the phone with the operator, holding on to Selene’s small, delicate hand until I hear the sound of the sirens. Overcome with relief help is here, I kiss her again. “Help is here, baby. Everything is going to be okay.”

  I keep my fingers on her pulse to remind me every beat of her heart is a sign this time will be different. I can’t help touching my lips to her cold cheek. “You’re going to be fine,” I whisper, wondering if our love had the same chance.

  Ten months earlier…

  Gregory Thomas

  LIGHTS ARE FLASHING ALL AROUND us. Claire is her usual emotionless self. We were called and told Lacey was in an accident. And nothing. No emotions at all. Claire just looked at me and said, “I’ll get my purse.” There were no tears. I don’t even know who she is.

  As for me, I’ve gotten good at hiding my emotions. I know I’m not a good man. I’m selfish. I ignore my children. I ignore their pain. I’ve allowed Claire to hurt our family, and that makes me just as guilty.

  I look down at Lacey’s lifeless form. I feel a crack splinter across my heart. My beautiful baby girl. Leaning down, I place a kiss on her already cold cheek. My God, why can’t I cry? Have I actually lost all my humanity?

  As they cover her face, my thoughts drift to Drake. This will destroy him. I have no right to shed a tear, but thinking of him makes me feel like crying all the tears I’ve held back over the years.

  “Mayor?” I hear Terry Gilbert say from next to me. I slowly turn to face him, a dazed look on my face. He clears his throat, and I stare at him. I have no words. We have known one another our whole lives. “Greg…uh, the other car. The driver didn’t make it.”

  I had almost forgotten they said another car was in the collision. I wonder who it could be. Will I have to look into the eyes of a grieving mother? I wonder what that would look like as I notice Claire standing a few feet away from us, her expression still cold and bored.

  “Greg…did you hear me?” My eyes gradually focus on his face. “I think you need to come and confirm the identity, but I should warn…”

  Before he can finish his sentence, the EMTs wheel up the stretcher with the other driver on it, their face already covered. They come to a stop in front of me and pull back the sheet. I hear Claire gasp behind from behind me.

  My body begins to shake, and I reach my trembling hand out toward her face. Even with the cuts, blood, and bruises, she stills looks as beautiful as the first day I saw her.

  I brush back the hair that is sticking to her face. Oh, God. Can I bear this? My daughter…the woman I’ve always loved. I want to scream at the cruel joke God has played on me.

  Without caring who is around me, watching, I place my lips against hers for only a moment. It isn’t long enough.

  Turning to Terry, I say her name. “Elizabeth Durham.” The splinter Lacey’s death caused to my heart has just cracked open completely. I feel exposed, and I feel lost in my thoughts until Claire comes to stand next to me.

  Coldly, she says, “You mean Elizabeth Chandler. Right, dear?”

  Terry’s eyes lock with mine. Pity clouds them. “Yes, Elizabeth Chandler,” I whisper.

  He nods. “One more thing. Lacey had been drinking.” I can see the regret in his eyes.

  I begin to say something, but Claire beats me to it.

  Without looking at me, she firmly states, “You better make this go away. We can’t have our name dragged through the mud. It was an accident, and no one will believe Lacey was drinking. You make this go away.” She walks away and gets back inside of the car without so much as a last glance at our daughter.

  Terry and I stare at one another for a long time.

  He speaks first. “There’s no sense in dragging that poor girl’s name through this small town’s mud. It’s not going to hurt anyone, but you need to speak to—”

  I know what he is going to say so I beat him to it. “I will speak to Violette. She didn’t just love…” I have a hard time saying her name. “Elizabeth. Violette loved Lacey, too.” So did I.

  Violette

  I’M NOT USUALLY UP THIS late, but Elizabeth left later than planned. She usually came to check on me once a month. Selene often came with her, but this time she came alone. When I asked why, Elizabeth only said Selene had school obligations and she wanted to talk alone.

  From the moment that girl came to live with me, she became my world. I’ve only wanted happiness for her. While I think she found it with Mike, I know a part of her has always been with someone else. If it weren’t for Selene, I’m not sure what her life would be.

  We spent the day talking. Elizabeth confessed her worries for Selene and for herself. I comforted her just as I always have through her life. I’m not sure if I helped her work through anything, but she left appearing less weary than she arrived.

  Exhausted, I decide to head upstairs to bed. When my foot hits the bottom step of the staircase, I hear the quiet sound of an engine outside pulling to a stop in the driveway. I wonder who it could be at this time of night.

  As I open the front door, I’m startled by the figure standing before me with only a screen separating us.

  “Violette.” His voice sounds hollow when he says my name.

  I haven’t seen him on my front porch in a long time. The years have been good to him. He still looks like the boy Elizabeth loved so much. There is one difference. Even in the dim porch light, I can see a troubled and sad soul in his eyes. The same eyes visit me nearly daily, but in the form of a sweet young girl.

  “Gregory Thomas. It’s been ages,” I say to him, only because I am confused as to why he is standing on my doorstep after so long. “Would you like to come in?”

  He shakes his head. “Uh, can…could we possibly talk for a moment out here?”

  Still confused, but curious, I nod my head. Pushing the screen door open, I walk to join him in one of the rockers that line my porch.

  Clearing his throat, he sighs and runs his hand through his hair and over his face.

  “Gregory—”

  “I always loved sitting out here on this porch.” He chokes on the last word, and I know something is terribly wrong.

  Lacey. Although, it has never been formally acknowledged, everyone knows she spends a lot of time over here with me. Surely he isn’t here because of Elizabeth. They’ve kept their distance for nearly eighteen years.

  “Gregory, why are you here? If it’s to tell me, after all these years, Claire will no longer tolerate Lacey’s visits, then I will fight you on it.” I swallow the uneasy feeling I’m feeling. “I love that girl, and no thanks to either of you, she is so good.”

  He looks over at me, tears in his eyes. One finally breaks free.

  “Violette, there has been an accident. Lacey…L
acey…is…”

  My brittle hands cover my mouth, trying to hold the immediate heartbreak I feel inside.

  Oh, no. Sweet Lacey. He’s still looking at me, heartache in his eyes. I reach my hand over to cover his, to show him some comfort. He takes my hand in his and holds tight. Almost too tight.

  “I’m so sorry for your loss. The pain of losing someone you love is unspeakable.” His grasp tightens a little more, but I ignore the pain. The pain in his eyes and in my heart are more prominent.

  “Violette, you don’t understand. It wasn’t just Lacey.” He almost sounds like he is begging me for something I just can’t understand.

  “What do you mean? Gregory, why are you here? If this isn’t just about Lacey, what is it?” I was almost afraid to ask.

  Shaking his head, he whispers, “Eli…Elizabeth. Elizabeth was in…”

  “No.” He doesn’t even need to finish. I see it now. He has lost someone he loves. Two people he loves. But so have I. “Oh, dear God, no.”

  We sit quietly, holding one another's hands for a while before either of us speaks again. Our broken hearts try to make sense of what all of this means. What does all of this mean?

  “Violette, there’s more, and I need you to hear me out. I’m not even sure how I am going to say this…ask this.” He isn’t making a lot of sense, but this whole situation doesn’t make sense.

  “What is it, Greg?” I ask sorrowfully.

  “I’m not sure why or how, but Lacey had been drinking. She lost control and hit Elizabeth head-on. They both died on impact.” He chokes on his words.

  I can only stare at him. Lacey, drinking?

  “Are you sure?” I ask. “Lacey wouldn’t.”

  When he looks at me, I can see he thought the same thing. I feel so tired and old right now. My mind and body ache all over.

  I look out over the front lawn, the moonlight shining down through the trees. Somberly, I ask, “What is it you wanted to ask me, Gregory?”

  I can feel his gaze burning into my cheek. “I don’t want to have this ruin Lacey’s reputation…her name. Terry said we could keep names out of this. We could keep the alcohol out of this, and I’m wondering if you would be willing to go along with this story.”

  He sounds sick asking me. I feel sick hearing it, but what justice would it actually serve Elizabeth for any of this to come out? I wonder if he is worried about Lacey’s name or his own. I want to ask him how he could ask such a thing of me. At this moment, without time to process what has happened, I want to be upset with him.

  Then I look back at Greg and into his eyes. He returns my gaze, and I recognize he is just as broken over this as I am.

  “Yes,” I say, and I can see the shock in his eyes. “Yes, because I loved Lacey, and I know the girl she is…was.” I stumble over my words. “Yes, because Elizabeth would want me to say yes.

  I see something come alive in his eyes. A question.

  “Were you aware Elizabeth knew Lacey? They met many years ago, here at my home. Lacey would play with Selene when Selene and Elizabeth would visit me. She was very fond of Lacey.” I watch his face as the words leave my mouth. First I see shock, and then I see a sort of bittersweet acknowledgment. “I often wondered how Elizabeth could be so kind to the one reminder of what led to a great unhappiness. Then one day I asked her.” I pause and wait for him to catch up to what I am saying.

  “Elizabeth told me, she could never look upon Lacey with anything but kindness because she was a part of you. So, yes. Yes, because I know it’s what Elizabeth would do.” I squeeze his hand in mine. “We will keep this secret because keeping it won’t hurt anyone and telling it will hurt people we love.”

  He just nods then sits with me while we both quietly shed tears for two people we loved.

  Present Day…

  Drake

  I WATCH THE BLUISH GREEN line of her heartbeat move across the monitor, the sound of the beep the only thing keeping me sane. How did this happen? It has been six days. Six days since everything changed. Six days since I watched her heart break. Six days since mine broke right along with it. And now I sit next to her bed, waiting for her to wake up. Waiting to see if our hearts are repairable.

  My heart clenches tight as I think about when she opens her eyes, I’ll only see hatred. My eyes roam over her battered face. The cuts and greenish purple bruises are beginning to fade. She is so beautiful. Everything about her. Why didn’t I make sure she knew how I feel about her? About how she made me feel about myself? I’ll always regret I was too afraid to tell her. I should’ve learned my lesson when I lost Lacey. I always hold back, too scared to let those who mean something to me know for fear it will only hurt them in the long run. But I was wrong then with Lacey, and again now with Selene.

  I watch her face, so peaceful and quiet. Some of the nurses say she can hear me, although she isn’t awake. I’m unsure if I believe it’s true or not, but I know I can’t hold back any longer. I lean forward, pressing my lips to hers and allowing them to linger there, savoring the moment because I may never have the chance to do it again. When I pull away, I whisper the three words I should have told her long before this day. The words I should’ve expressed when she was awake and looking back into my eyes. I should’ve said them when she could say something back, even if it were to only tell me to never speak to her again. Instead, I whisper, “I love you, Selene. Please wake up.”

  When I pull completely back, I continue to stare down at her. I guess I’m pathetic for hoping a simple declaration would miraculously wake her up like some fairytale. I smooth my hand gently over her hair. I wonder if she will want me here when she wakes up. Will she even remember what happened? Will she remember me? There are so many questions. I’m not sure what is worse, not knowing the answers or the fact I probably won’t like the answers.

  The door creaks open behind me. Without looking, I know it’s one of the two people: Emme or Mrs. Durham. We’ve all been taking turns sitting by her side. Mrs. Durham has been so kind and understanding. She feels just as responsible as I do for Selene almost losing her life. I’m not sure which of us feels more guilty. In fact, I wouldn’t blame Selene for one second if she wakes up and tells me to never come near her again.

  A soft hand settles over my forearm. “She isn’t going to forgive me, is she?” I hear the words come out of my mouth, and immediately I feel the crack in my heart splinter a little more.

  I pick up Selene’s favorite lip balm and rub it over her dry lips. “I know I don’t deserve for her to, but I can’t help but hope.” I feel the tears threatening to spill over my lids.

  “Drake.” I realize now it’s Emme. “I don’t know what Selene will want when she wakes up. I don’t know most things. I can barely pass calculus. But I know that girl is crazy about you. I know this accident wasn’t your fault, Drake. The same way Lacey’s accident wasn’t—”

  I interrupt her before she can finish.

  Knocking her hand away, I face her tiny frame. “Don’t even go there, Emme!” I shout, unable to control my emotions.

  She keeps her body straight and doesn’t back away. “No, Drake! You don’t go there. This is ridiculous. Lacey made a choice. Her own choice. And so did Selene.” She pauses but then keeps going. Just talking about this makes me sick to my stomach. “Selene chose to drive too fast in the rain instead of listening to you. She wouldn’t want you to beat yourself up over this.”

  I turn back to Selene as the tears I’ve been holding in begin to flow. “She blames me. I could see it in her eyes when I realized she was listening to me and Mrs. D, Emme. I may not have been driving the car that night, but Lacey was. I wasn’t there to help Lacey. I wasn’t there to stop her drinking or to make her realize Jared and I weren’t worth risking her life over. She ended up driving that car, which not only killed her, but Selene’s mom too. It’s my fault Lacey was in that car searching for me, and it’s my fault Selene’s entire world came crashing down around her.”

  I practically fall into the
chair beside the bed, taking her warm, motionless hand in mine. “She told me to fight for us no matter what tried to come between us, but I’m pretty sure she didn’t realize exactly what we would be fighting against.”

  Standing up, I lean down again and cover her lips once more. I linger there, moving from one cheek to the other. Once again, I speak in a low voice. “Please know I never wanted to hurt you. I’m yours forever. I love you, Selene. You deserve this life, so it’s time to wake up.”

  I kiss her one more time, straighten, and walk past Emme to the door. As I turn the knob, I pause and take a deep breath. “If she asks for me, then I’ll come, but not before. Thanks, Emme. Please tell Mrs. Durham to quit blaming herself. See you around.”

  I barely make it through the door when I hear Emme say, “She’ll ask for you.” I’m not even sure she meant for me to hear her.

  I look over my shoulder. “Thanks. I won’t come back in, but I can’t leave either. I’ll just wait out here until she wakes up. She doesn’t need to see me first thing, but I can’t leave her.” Emme just nods, and I watch as she takes a seat next to Selene.

  Selene

  MY EYES ARE CLOSED, BUT I can feel a hand wrapped around mine. Drake. He is my first thought, just like any other morning. His vibrant green eyes, that charismatic smile that always looks as if it holds a secret, and the gentle way he always holds my hand. Drake. I love…

  I feel a squeeze on my hand. “Selene, open your eyes. He isn’t here, but I can get him.”

  I hear the words and realize it isn't Drake but Aunt Vi. I must have called for Drake out loud. How embarrassing.

  “Selene, open your eyes!” Her voice sounds a little more panicked. I can’t understand why. Am I going to be late for school?

  Slowly, I begin to open my eyes, but it’s hard for some reason. It almost feels as if my eyes have been glued closed. My whole body feels a little achy. Maybe I’ve been sick. I try to think really hard. I don’t remember being sick. Suddenly, I open my eyes and see white all around me. Aunt Vi is standing over me, her face etched with worry.