They’d all met in church and gravitated to each other. When Kelsey accompanied them to parties, she was always the “good girl” who made sure that, once drinking commenced, Courtney and Jasper got home. However, she also made sure that, if too much drinking happened, she would be toilet-side, holding Courtney’s hair in her bathroom and providing a cool face towel to Jasper. She didn't even think about what her parents would say if they knew about this. Quite frankly she didn't care; these were her best friends, and she would not feel guilty for taking care of them. Especially when she always refrained from joining in the festivities. It’s not like it would take much to get her drunk, but with her mother’s voice in her ear constantly chirping “do the right thing,” drinking at a party was never an option. Besides, someone in their friendship trio had to keep the level head, and Kelsey truly didn’t mind being that someone.
By the time they arrived back at Courtney’s house after one particular party, it was well after two a.m. Kelsey got everyone inside and made sure that Courtney and Jasper had changed before passing out: Courtney in her bed and Jasper on the small sofa in corner of the same room. Courtney’s parents, again showing their more “liberal” side, were completely fine with all of them in the same room. They trusted the three of them, and that was that. On the other hand, if Kelsey’s mom ever found out that she had stayed the night in the same bedroom as someone of the opposite sex, she would truly be grounded until the day of graduation.
Jasper had no intentions of pursuing anything with either of his best girl friends. He loved them too much, and while he had said nothing to anyone else, he’d already confided in them that he was attracted to the same sex. Courtney and Kelsey loved Jasper no matter what and regardless of what the church said in their small conservative town. Even as teenagers they knew the importance of true friendship not being defined by sexuality, religion, or politics.
Once she put them to bed, Kelsey kept her promise to Jason that she would call once she got back in from the party. She’d invited Jason to meet her there, but Jason was twenty-two and felt a little odd being at a party with a bunch of young high schoolers. He knew that the whole time he would want to figure out a way to sneak off with Kelsey, but she had friends to care for, so he said to call no matter how late it was.
Kelsey grabbed the phone on the nightstand, grateful the cord was long enough to let her crawl into the closet and close the door so she could talk to Jason without being interrupted by the incessant snoring that had started not five minutes after her friends both passed out. It took only a half a ring, and Jason picked up. “Hey, Beautiful,” was the smiling voice that greeted her. “Well, hello yourself,” was a smiling voice greeting him right back.
“How was your night?”
“It was good.”
“Meet any handsome guys and fall in love?” Jason jokingly asked.
“Well, I will have you know that I was very busy keeping Courtney out of trouble with the quarterback of the football team.”
“Trouble? Do you mean the kind of trouble that could lead to regrets the next morning?”
“Yep, that would be the kind,” Kelsey responded with a quiet laugh. “The best part is that Courtney has never been interested in those kinds of guys, and if I had a video recorder to film what I saw, she would never leave her room again.”
Jason laughed out loud, “I know I’ve only known her a short time, but Courtney doesn’t strike me as the kind of gal who would be interested in the quarterback of the football team.”
Kelsey loved that Jason already understood the personalities of her friends. “Well…” Kelsey responded, “Imagine my surprise when number seven, Ryan Landry, comes out of nowhere, sits next to Courtney at the bonfire, and starts chatting her up. Between the both of them they had only had about two beers, but as their conversation flowed, so did the alcohol. I could see them leaning into each other more; Ryan would whisper into Courtney’s ear, and then she would giggle. I knew when I heard Ryan suggest that they go for a walk that it was time to round up the troops and get them home.”
Jason laughed and loved how Kelsey was so unselfish in taking care of her friends and being the good girl. She wore it like a badge of honor. He did wonder, though, if that badge had become more of cross to bear. Would she ever allow herself to be free of it for her own sake? Jason sighed, “Well, I’m glad you made it back to Courtney's house and everyone is safe. How are you feeling?”
As Kelsey responded, she rubbed the entry point of the wound. “I actually feel pretty good. Now that they’ve removed the stitches, there’s still pain, but it’s getting better.”
“Glad to hear it, Kels.”
“I don’t ever want to go through that again.”
“I don't ever want to have to live that nightmare of finding you.”
Before he could finish Kelsey interrupted, “Hey, stop. It's okay. I’m here, and that’s all that matters, right?”
Jason let out a deep and unsteady breath. “I missed seeing you tonight,” he said, sounding romantic and a tad bit pitiful to lighten the moment.
“I’m pretty sure I missed you more,” Kelsey responded. “And I’m so ready to be alone with you. No distractions, no worrying about the time, my parents, just me and you.”
Jason immediately felt himself aroused. “Kelsey, you have no idea how ready I am as well.”
While kissing and touching had sufficed thus far, he was ready to take Kelsey with all the passion and love that had become bottled up inside him for three months. Kelsey was ready to finally feel the release of yearnings and desires that had collected in her heart and shot straight to her center. She and Jason had spent many a night on the phone talking about how they could plan a weekend away from everyone without her parents finding out. His place was perfect. He lived alone in a beautiful one-bedroom studio apartment on the twelfth floor of the tallest high-rise in Virginia Beach. His family owned a commercial construction company, and his pay allowed him the luxury, oceanfront apartment. Amazing views of the sunrise and amazing early morning runs on the boardwalk were what kept him there. Ever since Kelsey, he had dreamed every night about bringing her back to his place and touching her and worshiping her body in ways that she could never dream possible. To pour himself into her so that she knew that he was hers and she was his.
“Jason?”
“Mmhmm, yeah still here, Kels.”
“I need to go, and so do you. I know you’re working tomorrow.”
“I am,” he said, “but I’ll call you when I get my first break and can get back in the office.”
“That sounds great. I have a quiet Saturday planned, so I should be home from my ride by lunch. I’m sure mom and dad will have something for me to do after that.”
“I love you, Kels. Get some rest.”
“You as well, Jason. I love you too.”
There was a brief silence when Kelsey finally said, “Jason, you have to hang up.”
“I can’t, babe,” Jason snickered.
Kelsey laughed, “Wow, this love thing has really got us, doesn't it?”
“Yeah, looks that way, kiddo.”
“Okay, well, we won’t say goodbye; we’ll just say goodnight!” Kelsey exclaimed. They both counted to three and said I love you and goodnight and quietly hung up the phone. Kelsey hugged the phone to her body and wondered how she would ever make it to graduation and even a summer in England without Jason. She wouldn’t think about that right now. Since the accident on Labor Day weekend, she would take each day as a gift. Her heart was aflutter. November was upon them, and the holidays would be here before she knew it.
And only seven days later would be the weekend that changed her life in all the right ways.
September 1994
The Accident
When Coy pulled up to the house, the rain was coming down hard, and the lightning was flashing so bright that it lit up the fields like the afternoon sunlight. There were police cars, ambulances, a fire truck, and search and rescue. Besides the oc
casional lightning, complete darkness now covered the fields, and the rescue mission to find Kelsey was in full swing. Coy ran to the side door that led to the kitchen where he found his wife giving a police report. Melody jumped out of her chair and into her husband’s arms where she sobbed. Coy just held her and let her cry it out until the officer interrupted.
“Ma’am, I have just a few more questions I must ask you.”
Before Melody could respond, Coy spoke up and asked the officer if they had any updates. The officer nodded and filled Coy in on the search perimeter, showing him the map and all seven trails that led to Lassiter Lake. Each trail was a little different—some were windy, some were hilly, and some were both—but they all covered at least a fifty-mile radius. If she had made it to the lake, they would have to rely on ATVs and the rescue dogs to get them through the thick brush that could act as a canopy in these heavy rains.
Once the officer was done, Melody began whispering while her head rested on her husband’s chest. With her eyes shut tight, she told Coy, “Triton is in the barn.” He pulled her back and, looking confused, asked, “What?” Melody kept her eyes shut as the officer explained to Coy that the horse had returned rider less over an hour ago. Melody, again trying to find her voice, managed to say that Ellie was in the barn tending to the horse while Jason had run into the night looking for Kelsey.
“Jason doesn't know those trails!” Coy exclaimed. “He’s going to end up becoming a part of the problem!”
The officer cleared his throat and tried to comfort them, “We have the best of the best in search and rescue out there. We’re waiting for this band of storms to pass, as I can’t send the team out into the lightning. The weather radar is saying this particular band should be past us in the next forty-five minutes.
“FORTY-FIVE MINUTES!” Melody screamed. “You can’t wait! What if she’s severely injured? What about black bear or coyote? You can’t wait!”
Putting his hand up, the officer made eye contact and sternly boomed, “Ma’am, I’m going to step out and let you get yourself together as I know you’re extremely upset, but when I come back in, I need you calm and ready to answer a few more questions for me. Do you understand?”
Melody wasn’t used to that tone from anyone, but even Coy knew that it was the only way to get her to listen and calm down. The officer stepped out. Coy continued to hold Melody and prayed silently that this nightmare would be over soon.
Two hours later, Jason, soaked to the bone, had tromped through more mud than he had ever seen in his lifetime. The lightning was terrible, and the thunder was a constant reminder of the danger he was in. He just didn't care. Kelsey was alone and in just as much danger. Once he got through the soybean fields and came to the first trail, he rolled the dice that it was the one that Kelsey would have taken. Armed with only his rain jacket and flashlight, he called out to her every fifteen seconds, allowing himself to stop and listen—to try and hear her calling back over the wind and booming thunder. “Please, God, please let me find her alive,” is all Jason could say over and over again.
Forty-five minutes later the lightning and thunder were gone, and the rain continued, but just as a drizzle. Using the flashlight to scan the ground, Jason jogged the trail, calling out her name and looking for any clues. He stopped when the light reflected something shiny. He slowly rotated the light back to the left and saw the buckle from Kelsey’s paddock boot. Running towards it, he snatched it from the ground. His cry for her became more frantic. In desperation he took off at a dead sprint. He knew a lake was at the end of the trail; that much he had learned from his conversations with Kelsey. With his lungs burning in his chest, he ran as hard as he could until he found her. A lump on the trail, not moving, white as a sheet and with a large branch protruding into her side.
Jason fell to his knees. “Kelsey! No, no, no, Kels, kiddo, talk to me, please,” Jason pushed her hair away from her face and started to scream, “Someone, anyone, help us!” He felt her wrist for a pulse, and relief shot though his body when he found it. Ripping off his jacket, he placed it over top of her. “Oh my god, Kelsey, you’re so cold, baby. We’ve got to get you warm.”
Just then he heard her moan slightly. “Oh, baby, oh god, just don’t move. Help is coming, I promise. Help is coming. You have to stay with me, Kelsey; you can’t leave me like this.” Jason could hear the dogs and ATVs off in the distance. “Do you hear that, Kels? That’s for you. I’m going to run back down the trail and let them know that you’re here.”
Jason took off at a full run; he was screaming, flashing his light, anything to get the attention of anyone on the search and rescue team. Just when it seemed his efforts were going to be futile, one of the drivers saw Jason and immediately approached him. “I found her” was all he could manage to say breathlessly. “Get on, and show me where she is,” the driver instructed.
Two minutes later they were at Kelsey’s side; another search and rescue team member was now on site as they prepared to stabilize her body and have her airlifted out by the Nightingale. As Jason listened to him radio back to base that there was a clearing next to the lake where they could safely land the helicopter, the rescue team secured Kelsey’s body and the foreign object sticking out of her side on the rescue board.
“I’m going with her,” Jason declared to the rescue team.
One of the more senior team members walked up to Jason and put his hand on his shoulder, “Son, there isn’t enough room for you on the helo. Let me get you back to the house so you can make your way to the hospital.”
“Not until I see her in the air,” Jason replied.
At this point they had connected Kelsey to an IV and were trying to get her body temperature back up as she was hypothermic. As he stood beside her, holding her hand, his forehead on her forehead, Jason started to talk to her, “I’ll be there when you wake up, kiddo. Do you understand? I’m not leaving your side until you walk out of that hospital with me.” The Nightingale was making her approach.
“Jason,” said the familiar voice of the rescue member, “I need you to go get on the ATV and wait there; as soon as we load her, I’ll get you back to the house.” He rested his hand on Jason’s shoulder. Jason kissed Kelsey’s forehead and walked over to the ATV, where he watched as they loaded her and lifted her gracefully into the night sky. As the rescue member walked back over to Jason, he introduced himself, “My name is Jack Kenney. I’m sorry we had to meet under these circumstances, but let me get you back. Do you have someone who can drive you?” Unable to speak, Jason nodded his head yes. “Okay, then let’s get you on your way.”
By the time they got back to the house, Kelsey’s family was already in route to the hospital. Jason’s mom Regina was there to meet him; she threw her arms around him and just held him.
“Mom, can you please drive me to the hospital?”
“Absolutely, son, but do you want to shower first and change? You’re soaked to the bone and a muddy mess.”
“Mom, the only thing that matters is that you get me to Kelsey as quickly as you can.”
Regina didn't even argue; she could see it in her son’s eyes. “I’ll bring you back some clean clothes. How about that?”
“That’s fine, Mom. Just get me to her.”
Though he was exhausted, he had the look of a desperate man in love and willing to fight anyone who tried to tell him no when it came to seeing Kelsey. It was eleven fifteen p.m. by the time they pulled up to the emergency room entrance. As soon as he walked in, Ellie came running up and threw her arms around him. “Are you okay?” is all Ellie could say and still try and keep it together.
“I need an update, Ellie, and now.”
“They had to take her into surgery to remove that awful branch. It missed all her internal organs and major arteries. The doctor said it was a clean entry and that she lost a lot of blood. Oh my gosh, Jason! You’re a mess,” Ellie blurted out right in the middle of her update. He just stared at her, and then a small smile crept on his face.
> Before he could respond, both Kelsey’s parents came into the waiting area. Melody went straight to the chair and couldn’t even look at Jason. Coy came right over and, before Jason could even react, embraced him and thanked him as his voice began to crack. Jason, who was not used to this kind of affection from his own father, was especially taken aback as he never expected it from Kelsey’s dad. He finally accepted the embrace and hugged him back. The surgeon came out with an update, and every eye in the room was on him. He went to Melody. Coy was by her side in three strides.
“She is stable. We were able to remove the branch she landed on and clean out the wound of debris. It took two hundred stitches to close her up. She was extremely lucky that it was a clean entry, just a deep one. We did a blood transfusion because of the blood loss. We’re going to keep her in ICU until I know she’s stable enough.”
“When can we see her?” Melody asked.
“She’s in recovery right now. We hope to have her in a bed soon. As soon as we do, you’ll be the first to know. I want you to know that if she hadn’t been found when she was, I don’t think she would have had this outcome. She was in shock, and, with all the blood loss, I’m not sure she would have lasted much longer. I’ll send a nurse out shortly with an update.”
Once the surgeon left, Coy and Ellie both looked over at Jason. Ellie could barely get the words out as she stared at Jason, “He saved her life, didn't he, Dad?” There was a brief pause to Coy's response, “It looks that way, sweetheart,” his voice low as to not show his emotion.
Melody just stared out, not meeting the gaze of anyone. Jason excused himself and found the closest restroom. He locked the door behind him and slid down to the floor. With his knees up and his head back against the door, he took a moment to absorb all that had transpired over the past several hours and let the tears flow as the relief that Kelsey was going to be okay washed over him.
Dream a Little Dream of Me Page 3
