Running on Empty (Mending Hearts, #1)

by L. B. Simmons

  I feel Harlow’s car start to slow, along with the traffic around us. I look out the window and see blue and red police lights on the right side of the interstate. I notice the sun highlighting shards of clear glass all over the concrete, mixed with a lot of red pieces…both of which are strewn across this section of the road. I look up to barely catch a glimpse of what looks like the remnants of a car, completely flipped upside down, sitting in the grass on the side of I-35.

  I audibly gasp out loud and cover my mouth. “Oh my God, Harlow. Is that–”

  “Don’t. Lay your seat down. Now! Do it, Alex. You don’t need to see this.”

  I do as I’m told, only to shut my eyes and raise my arm where the crook of my arm covers my face. I try to keep all the negative thoughts from breaking into my mind.

  Think positive.

  I can do this.

  He’ll be fine.

  He’s going to be just fine.

  But I still can’t seem to control my tears. Harlow’s hand, still resting on mine, gives another small squeeze. Shortly after, I feel the car finally come to a halt. “We’re here sweetheart,” Harlow says gently. “Do you need a minute?”

  I shake my head as I raise the seat back into its original position. “No. I need to get in there. We need to go.”

  Handing me a napkin from the glove compartment, Harlow says, “Alright. But you’re gonna need to wipe your face before we get in there.” She gives me a small compassionate smile.

  I accept the napkin and blot my cheeks. I let out a deep sigh from my lungs and smooth my shirt with my hands.

  “I’m ready,” I say, voice shaking.

  I just wish I knew exactly what the hell I am supposed to be ready for…

  “Oh my God–Harlow.” Every ounce of strength I think I have abandons my body. I grab my best friend as I begin to lose my legs from underneath me.

  “Harlow –I ca–”

  “Yes, you can, Alex. You have to. I’m right here sweetie. Just go to him. He needs you,” she says, guiding my uncooperative body to the side of the bed where Derek lies, unrecognizable.

  Looking at my husband, I know I’m slowly losing control. Every part of my body is shaking. More tears stream down my face. The lump in my throat is almost unbearable. But, I need to stay strong for him. As I move closer to the man lying in front of me, I try to manage the emotions that seem to be forcing their way out of my body. Taking a deep breath, I begin to time my breathing with Derek’s heart monitor in an effort to remind myself to actually breathe.

  Beep. Breathe.

  Beep. Breathe.

  Beep. Breathe.

  I take my trembling hand and raise it to touch his cheek. His face is so swollen; I can’t make out his features. There’s no resemblance to the man I know. My eyes move to where his head is wrapped in a bandage that covers every lock of beautiful brown curly hair.

  I physically don’t have any more strength. I lay my head down on his chest. I grab his hand and let my fingers intertwine with his.

  “Derek, where are you? Open your eyes for me. I want to see your beautiful brown eyes. Please open them, baby.” I will myself to raise my head to once again look at his face. I place my chin on his chest because my head just seems too heavy right now. I focus on his mouth and raise my hand to run my fingers over the cuts on his lips. I can’t help but think of his beautiful smile. The dimples that fill his cheeks when he laughs. Tears pour out of my eyes, soaking his hospital gown.

  “I need you. Your babies need you, Derek. You have to fight to stay alive for us. Please don’t stop fighting for your life. I know you can hear me. I love you, you’re my life baby. You’re our rock. Our strength. Our protector. I can’t do this without you. Please…please….please…” I keep repeating it, hoping he hears me.

  After a while, I feel Harlow’s hand on my back. “Alex, there’s an officer here that wants to speak with you,” she says quietly.

  Sniffling, I raise my head from Derek’s chest and mop the tears from my face and neck. I nod my head at her. “Okay.”

  With a lingering look at Derek and a light touch to his cheek, I turn to follow Harlow out of the room. Outside, I see who I presume is Officer Sanchez standing in the hall. He gives me a sympathetic smile…the same exact smile that I would come to absolutely detest over the next few years of my life.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Meyer. I’m Officer Sanchez. I believe we spoke earlier on the phone. I’m glad you made it down here safely”.

  “Yes, sir,” is all I can manage. I feel my brain slowly starting to shut down.

  Taking a deep breath, Officer Sanchez places his hand on my shoulder.

  “Well, ma’am, we suspect that he fell asleep at the wheel while driving on the interstate. We were called to respond sometime around 7:30 AM. We found the car right on the outskirts of Round Rock and immediately had him airlifted to Round Rock Medical. There’s not much that we can tell you at this time. What we do know is that his car was hit several times before ending up on the side of the interstate. It took us a while to get him out, but when we did, he was immediately put en route to the hospital,” he says nervously. “I’m sorry there wasn’t more we could do for him on the scene.”

  I start to replay the previous night’s events in my head. Derek coming to bed late. Him kissing the back of my neck. Turning to look at the clock. 3:17 AM. Making love. Waking up. Finding him gone. The unmistakable scent of sandalwood lingering on his still warm pillow.

  I turn to Harlow. We were joking about our “late night” right before the phone call from Officer Sanchez.

  “Oh my God. We were up too late last night,” I say through the tears. “It’s my fault. If I would have told him no–”

  “No you don’t, Alex,” Harlow says through her teeth, shaking her head. “You’re not going to take the blame for this. This is not your fault. It was an accident. Accidents happen. There’s no one at fault here, sweetie, especially you.”

  Turning to Officer Sanchez, Harlow asks, “Is there anything you need from us? My friend really needs to be with her husband right now.”

  Sanchez shakes his head. “No ma’am. There may be some information we need to get later, but nothing that can’t wait.” He turns and looks at me, sad expression filling his eyes. “Ma’am, I’m truly sorry. I really hope that he pulls through.”

  And with that, Officer Sanchez turns and walks down the corridor.

  I start to walk into the room when Harlow grabs my arm and turns me to face her.

  “This is not your fault. You DO NOT walk in that room believing that, Alex. You get in there and you fight for your husband. Blaming yourself will do absolutely no good right now. No wasted energy. Go in there and remind Derek of everything that he needs to fight for.” I can see her actually trying to will the strength into me. She jerks her head in the direction of Derek’s room. “Go.”

  I nod my head and embrace her as though she’s my lifeline. She squeezes me just as tightly and after a while she pats my back for encouragement. Hoping I have absorbed some of Harlow’s strength, I finally let her go.

  “Harlow, I know you’ve already done so much for me today, but can you do me a couple of more things?” She nods. “Listen, I need you to please call John and Nancy and have them go get the girls from school. Let them know Derek has been in an accident. That I’m here, but I haven’t spoken with the doctor yet. I think that they’ll want to get here to see their son as soon as possible. Have them bring the girls. Tell them they can bring my car if they want to, remind them I put the spare keys in my kitchen drawer. Then, call my parents and let them know what’s going on as well. Tell them there is no reason for them to fly down yet and that I will call them as soon as I know something.” I stop speaking as my thoughts immediately go to the girls.

  “What am I going to tell the girls, Harlow?” My voice shakes uncontrollably.

  “You’ll tell them the truth. That’s all you can do sweetie.” She turns my body gently toward Derek. “Now, go to your husba
nd. I’ll take care of everything else.”

  I give her one last look and walk into the room. As I enter, I hear the familiar and comforting sound of Derek’s monitor.

  Beep.

  Beep.

  Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee–

  I watch the monitor as the last remnants of Derek’s heartbeat slowly go by.

  “No! No! No! Oh my god…Harlow!” I scream a guttural scream as I run to Derek’s side. I push the call button for the nurse and yell as loud as humanly possible. “Nurse! Please…Help! Help me…help my husband! Please!”

  I’m still screaming when the nurses and Harlow rush into the room. I grab onto Derek and loudly cry out, “Derek, you fight! You fight for us! Don’t you give up! We need you, Derek!” I’m shrieking at the top of my lungs and shaking him with every ounce of strength my weakened body can muster. I barely register that Harlow’s beside me trying to pry my fingers from Derek’s arms.

  “Alex, you have to let go sweetheart. They can’t help him unless you let go. You need to move, honey.”

  I wrench my fingers as tightly as I can around his arms. I can’t let go. If I let go–

  “Please, let go, Alex. Let them try to help,” Harlow says, forcefully breaking my hold on Derek. She grabs both of my hands, turns my body away from Derek, and looks me directly in the eyes. “Alex, we need to go outside. Okay? Let them do their jobs.”

  I stare at her face because it’s the only thing I can do. I have no fight left in me. I let her lead me out of the room. I hear the doctors and nurses fighting to save him. But I know deep down he’s already gone because I don’t feel him anymore. I don’t feel his soul. I don’t feel his presence in my heart. I don’t even feel my own heart anymore. That’s how I know he’s gone. There’s nothing I can do. Nothing I can say. Nothing I want to say. I can feel my body, my heart, my brain…everything…shutting down. There’s nothing anymore. I’m completely void. Completely empty.

  I should have never let go.

  I awake in my room, my pillow drenched in tears. My eyes remain shut but the tears continue.

  Derek.

  Gone.

  Alone.

  Empty.

  As I re-play the death of Derek, just as it was in my dream over and over again, I find myself getting angrier each time.

  Angry at myself for being so weak.

  Angry at Derek for dying and leaving me behind.

  And honestly, I find myself angry at a certain someone for showing up after all these years. Trying to be my hero. I don’t need a hero. I don’t need anyone.

  And I sure as hell do not need Blake Morgan.

  Thursday morning I wake up to the sound of my alarm, evidently set to the tone of “Drill Nails into Alex’s Skull”. I honestly don’t know if my headache is from the wine, the tears, or a combination of both. Whatever the reason, I’m being severely punished this morning. Turning my alarm off, I drag myself out of bed and make the rounds to wake up my girls. I walk into Nycole and Kyndall’s shared room and turn on the light. Their heads immediately disappear under their sheets.

  “Get up sleepyheads!” I shout, immediately cringing in pain.

  I watch their beds for any sign of movement. This is going to be an extremely long morning.

  “Girls….please get up. Mommy isn’t feeling great this morning. Can you guys help me a little and get out of bed now, instead of waiting until the thirty-seventh time I ask? Please? I will love you guys forever.” I sing the last line.

  Nycole’s head pops straight up. “So, are you saying there’s a possibility you won’t love us forever?”

  A small smile finds its way to my lips as I look at this little girl who’s growing up so fast.

  “Um, no. But it was an effective way to get you two up, no?”

  “Mama,” Kyndall says, removing the covers from over her head. “That wasn’t very nice. Are you sure you’re gonna love us forever?”

  “Girls, I will love you forever and ever and ever. There’s no way I could ever stop loving you. You’re both my babies. Did you know that when you are fifty years old, you’ll still be my babies?”

  They both giggle.

  “So, yes, I’ll love you forever. Unless you guys don’t get out of bed this minute. Then I will love you no more!” I yell as I jump onto Nycole’s bed and start tickling her. Kyndall jumps on my back in a measly effort to protect her sister. I bring her little body over my shoulder and throw her onto Nycole’s bed, tickling her as well. We’re all giggling when I hear Rylie’s little voice as she enters the room.

  “Hy-yah!” She shouts, running across the room. She jumps on my back, karate chopping and kicking like the ninja master she is. When I finally catch a glimpse of her, I break out into laughter. Oops. I guess we forgot to take off her swimsuit before she went to bed. Oh well, at least I did manage to remember to braid her crazy hair after her bath, which will make getting her ready much, much easier this morning.

  “Nice kick, young grasshopper. Now guys, let’s get out of this room and start getting ready for school.”

  Maybe I should have reconsidered the early morning wrestling match, because now my head is really throbbing. Yet, I smile to myself in lieu of my misery. It was so worth it.

  The rest of the morning is pretty uneventful. The only minor hiccup is Rylie refusing to wear shoes that actually match her outfit. And since I’m running on my morning after Wild and Wacky Wednesday speed, I opt to not argue with her about it. While heading to the car, I shake my head as I look at my beautiful baby girl, brown curly hair blowing everywhere, dressed in a blue sundress that Nancy bought her with a pair of red and white checkered flats. Well, if nothing else, it’s very “Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz”-esque.

  While driving the normal morning route, I decide that I completely loathe the “Do you know?” game that Rylie has recently started forcing me to play with her.

  “Mommy, do you know what starts with A?”

  “What?”

  “Apple and Art.”

  “That’s right baby. You are so smart.”

  “Mommy, do you know what the potty is called?”

  “What?”

  “The toilet or the rest room.”

  “That’s right baby. Hey, Kynd–”

  “Mommy, do you know the color of brains?”

  “Rylie – we don’t talk about–”

  “Pink. Brains are pink, Mommy.”

  “Rylie, that’s right. But please don’t talk about brains, okay? I don’t think your teachers in your new big girl class would like that.”

  “Okay, Mommy.”

  “Do you know the capital of New York?” she asks. Honestly, she’s got me there.

  “No, honey, what is the capital of New York?”

  “Albany.”

  How does she know this stuff? And why New York? Why not Texas?

  “Rylie? What’s the capital of California?” I suddenly feel the need to gauge this child’s intelligence level.

  “My formula.” She smiles widely looking back at me in the rearview mirror.

  Phew! Okay…so she isn’t completely smarter than me. I grin back at her wholeheartedly.

  After I drop the girls off at all of their respective drop sites, I head over to Prestige. Walking in the door, I let out a snort as I look at Harlow.

  “Sporting the after Wednesday night look as well my dear friend?” Harlow is in the process of popping ibuprofen in her mouth. Her hair is in a pony tail, which is an extremely rare occurrence.

  “I totally blame you for this look, actually,” Harlow snaps back, obviously not in the mood for my first-rate sarcasm this morning.

  “Well then, we’re even because I didn’t get an ounce of sleep last night thanks to you. After you left, I went into the attic and found some random box labeled ‘Alex’s Stuff’ – did you do that by the way because your labeling is completely unacceptable. Anyway, I opened it, and found the charm bracelet Blake gave me when we were kids. You remember which one I’m talking about,
right?” I watch Harlow give a slight nod yes, obviously in too much pain for a full-fledged head shake.

  “Well, I had some unfortunate memories about him, and then proceeded to have some even more unfortunate memories revolving around Derek’s death. So needless to say, if we’re playing the blame game, I win…by a freakin’ landslide.”

  I think I just word vomited on myself. I need some coffee.

  “Okay…you win,” Harlow says emphatically surrendering. “Sorry for the drunken lecture. But honestly, we don’t have that many chances to really talk, ya know? I said what I felt needed to be said and what I know you needed to hear.”

  “I know, Harlow. It doesn’t make it easy to take though. I know everything you said is true, but honestly, I’m just not ready. Maybe someday, but not now.”

  Sighing extremely loudly, Harlow places the ibuprofen bottle on the counter. “I’m not getting into this with you today, Alex. I’m too tired and too hung over.”

  “That’s completely fine by me,” I say as my cell starts ringing. “What the–”

  “Who is it?”

  “Oh. My. God. I completely forgot I left a message with his parents. It’s Blake.”

  Covering her mouth in an effort to try to hide her obvious amusement, Harlow asks, “Well, are you going to answer it?”

  “Hell no, I’m not going to answer it.” I throw my phone back into my purse. “I don’t have time for this shit, Harlow. So what, he’s here after all of these years? Honestly, I don’t care. It has nothing to do with me. I haven’t spoken to the man in years. There’s nothing to say. He did me a favor. Big freakin’ whoop. I’m not obligated to answer his phone calls. So I’m not going to.”

  “Okay…jeez, Lucifer. I was just asking a question. You sure are defensive about a phone call.” Harlow’s enjoying this. I can tell by the delighted look on her face. I decide to squash any thoughts that may be going on in that devious mind of hers.