After Shock- Ellie's Chance

by Vikki McCombie

  “That’s normal. You’ll be fine in no time. Halloween is still a week away,” he assured her. Once Kelly was settled on the recliner, Brian turned toward him. “Dad, you got a minute?”

  His son’s face had returned to the thundercloud again. It was extremely unusual for him to show anger. “Sure, son. Let me get Kelly her snack, then we’ll go to my study.”

  After he grabbed a juice box from the fridge and a pack of peanut butter crackers from the pantry, he gave them to Kelly. Brian followed him into his study, and he closed the double doors. “Okay, son. What’s got you twisted like a pretzel?”

  Brian picked at a string on his shirt and didn’t meet his eyes. “Something happened today as I was waiting to get on the bus. One of the punks who’s been hassling Zach started in on me as well. I tried to ignore him, but he wouldn’t let it go.”

  Did Brian get in a fight? His jaw does look red. “What happened?”

  “The guy sucker-punched Zach, catching him off guard. I couldn’t let that punk get the best of him. I grabbed the guy to pull him off Zach, but then one of his buddies threw a punch at me. I fended him off like you taught me, so he only managed to hit me one time.” He met my gaze. “A teacher showed up and broke up the fight, but he marched us all to the principal’s office.” He hung his head.

  Poor kid. This was the first fight he’d had since he was a little guy. “What did the principal do?”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a yellow slip of paper and handed it to him. “You have to go with me in the morning. That’s when we find out what will happen.” He swiped at his eyes. “I’m scared, Dad. For me and for Zach. If either of us get suspended, it could get us kicked off the team. Coach has zero tolerance against fighting.”

  He pulled him against his chest, and Brian buried his head in his shoulder and sobbed. His son never cried, not even at his mom’s funeral. He rubbed Brian’s back. “Hey, you only reacted defensively, and you’ve never been in trouble before. The principal will take that into account. Let’s not panic yet. How about we pray and put this in God’s hands?”

  He understood Brian’s muffled response. “Dear Father, calm Brian’s fears. Keep him strong as he waits to hear the principal’s decision tomorrow. Hold him in Your arms. Watch over his friend, Zach, and help him as well. In Your Son’s name. Amen.”

  Brian relaxed against him for a moment, then pulled away. He straightened and met him eye to eye. “Thanks, Dad for reminding me to give it to God and for including Zach. You might want to call his mom.”

  What a remarkable young man. While out of his mind with worry, he still thought of Zach and his mom. “I’ll call her. Now, why don’t you make sure Kelly’s all right while I contact Ellie?”

  Brian scrubbed at his face, wiping all trace of tears away, then went to his sister, closing the door behind him. Both kids knew he’d been seeing Ellie and told him they were okay with it. They’d both taken to her from the start and that didn’t change when he told then they were dating.

  He pulled his phone from his pocket, went to his recent calls, and touched Ellie’s name. It rang several times, and he thought it would roll to voice mail, but then it connected. “Ellie, Brian just told me what happened. How are you handling it and how’s Zach?”

  “Scared and shaken. He’s never been in any kind of trouble before.” She choked in a sob, and his heart ached for her. “Ah, sweetheart. It’ll be fine. Neither of our kids swung a punch. It’s all on the other two. I know the waiting is hard, though. Brian and I just prayed, and it calmed his fears.”

  She sighed. “We did too, but our faith isn’t as strong as yours.”

  “That’s okay,” he assured her. “We prayed for you guys as well. On a happier note, Kelly’s cast is off.”

  “Oh, I forgot about her appointment. Glad it went well.” Her voice sounded steadier. “I bet she’s excited about the Halloween party next Wednesday, huh?”

  “Definitely. It’s all she can talk about. The doctor gave her a series of exercises to strengthen the ankle.” He chuckled. “She’s motivated and told the doctor she’d do a zillion of them.”

  That earned a giggle from Ellie. “That sounds like Kelly. I adore your daughter. She’s quite stolen my heart.”

  He hesitated. “Is she the only Henderson that has?” Oh, God, please don’t let it be too soon.

  Silence. Had she hung up? She sniffed. Had she teared up? “I…I’m also very fond of Brian and…you.”

  Fond would work. Going for a light playful tone, he said, “Good. We’re fond of you…and Zach, of course. Hey, why don’t you and Zach come over? I’ll order pizza. It may help the boys to be together this evening.”

  “Let me check with Zach. He’s in the backyard.” He heard her breathing change as she went to find her son. He heard her door open. “Excuse me while I ask.” She called to him and he heard Zach’s muffled voice. “Hey, Jason, he said yes, and he hopes you’ll get one with plenty of meat on it.”

  “Will do. That’s how we like it. Well, not Kelly. She only likes cheese. Will either of those work for you?” he asked.

  “Cheese is good, but if Kelly isn’t going to eat the whole pie, could you have some veggies on half of that one?” She giggled. “You know me, got to get four to five servings a day.”

  “That’ll work. We’ll see you in a few. Bye.”

  “Be there in ten minutes, bye.” When she’d disconnected, he pulled up Gino’s and ordered two Meat Lover’s and the other one as Ellie had requested. She sure loved her green stuff. He too, tried to eat plenty as well, just not on his pizza.

  He needed to find the kids to let them know Ellie and Zach were coming over. A shot of adrenaline swept through him. They’d never seen each other two nights in a row. He’d have to watch his words, lest he say too much too soon. He had big plans for Saturday. Whistling, he went in search of Brian and Kelly.

  * * *

  Ellie stood in her kitchen after the call ended, staring at her son in the backyard kicking around his soccer ball. He’d been terribly stressed over what had happened at school. He still had no clue why the kid had singled him out. He hadn’t brought his New Testament to school since the guy had ridiculed him a month ago, but that didn’t seem to matter.

  The fact that Brian had been pulled into the drama made it even worse. Their coach was rigid when it came to fighting, and if they ended up suspended, both boys could be kicked off the team. That would be devastating for Zach and have long-reaching effects on his chances of any type of scholarship.

  She sighed. If they were going to Jason’s for pizza, they needed to leave. She called him in, and they drove toward his house. A bolt of lightning split the darkened sky and thunder rumbled in the distance. A block from the house, they encountered road work, with only one lane open. The sounds of the approaching storm had her concerned as they waited their turn. At last the worker with the stop signed turned it around and waved them through. By the time they pulled into the driveway, the dark skies opened, and buckets of rain fell on the SUV.

  Then huge balls of hail started pounding against the roof, the windshield and the windows. She heard a loud crack when one as big as a baseball hit the glass. It shattered, sending shards flying toward them. “Cover your face.”

  The sting of the splinters and jagged pieces slicing through her sweater and into her arms had her whimpering, but at least it wasn’t her face. Once the glass finally stopped flying, she looked at Zach, and to her horror, a large chunk stuck out from his neck. Blood gushed down the front of his shirt.

  Her heart pounded.

  Her breath caught.

  A scream rose up in her throat.

  Her door jerked open, and Jason’s voice carried through her befuddled state. “Let’s get you out.”

  “No, no, not me. Zach. Help him.” He must have seen Zach because he gasped, then dashed around the vehicle and pulled open Zack’s door.

  He carefully touched her son’s neck. “There’s a pulse.” He pulled out his
phone and called 911. “They’re on their way. The wind blew the driving rain into her side of the SUV, pelting her. “Wait. I’ll help you.”

  He jogged to her. A siren penetrated her fog as he helped her from the driver’s seat. The sound grew louder and a fire engine screeched to a halt. An ambulance followed. Two EMTs jumped out, along with several firefighters.

  They ran to her. “No, no. It’s my son. Please, please help him. He’s still inside.” The EMTs rushed to the open door and started working on Zach. One crawled in on the driver’s side while the other one crouched beside her son. “He’s got a pulse. It’s rapid. We’ve got to get him out of here.” Two more EMTs pushed a gurney to them.

  While the men worked on Zach, she clung to Jason as the rain continued to pelt them. “Are you hurt?”

  “It’s nothing, just a few scratches on my arms. Nothing matters but Zach.” He gently checked her arms. The sleeves of her light blue sweater had holes and blood dotted it, in several other places, it was saturated.

  He pulled up her sleeves, uncovering several deep cuts. “We need to get you looked at.”

  “No. I’m fine. They need to take care of Zach.”

  “At least let me get some gauze for your cuts.” Brian ran to them. “Find something to bandage her arms.”

  His son took off at a run, but her arms weren’t important, just Zach. She pulled away from Jason and stepped beside her vehicle. The EMTs were still working on her son. Jason pulled her away and turned her toward him. “There’s nothing you can do to help. Let me tend your wounds while they take care of Zach.”

  Brian returned with several rolls of gauze. Jason wrapped the bandages around each of her arms while muttering calming words, but nothing he said helped soothe her fears. She turned toward the vehicle.

  The EMTs shouted, “One, two, three,” as they lifted her son from the SUV and placed him on the gurney, then strapped him down. They’d stabilized his neck, but the glass was still sticking out. One of the EMTs called out, “We’re taking him to Virginia Beach General. One of you can ride with us.”

  She took off after the men in a daze, barely hearing Jason as he told her he’d follow. Nothing mattered but her son. The EMT helped her inside, and she took a seat on the narrow bench while they continued working on Zach. The doors slammed. The siren blared as the ambulance turned toward the hospital.

  The whole way there, a litany played in her mind. Keep Zach safe. Don’t let him die. She pleaded with the God she was just beginning to understand. Please let him live. Help my son. Keep him safe. Please, please, God. Don’t let him die.

  She heard the ambulance pull in front of the emergency room and back up to the sliding doors. Several hospital personnel came out. The doors to the ambulance were thrown open and Zach’s gurney slid out and the workers rushed him through the double doors.

  One of the EMTs helped her down. “We need to get those cuts examined.”

  “I don’t have time. I must go to my son,” she screeched, as terror beyond anything she’d ever experienced had her blood turning to ice.

  “You can’t go in there with him,” he told her. “I highly recommend you allow them to look at your arms. You refused to allow us to take care of you because you wanted us concentrating on your son. I understood that, but there’s no reason to refuse now. At least you’ll be close if you’re in one of the other exam rooms.”

  If it would enable her to be closer to Zach, then she’d let them look at her. “Okay, but see if they’ll put me in the area next to him.”

  “All right, Mrs. Branson. I’ll try.” He led her to the reception desk, and soon she was inside having her cuts looked after. The nurse unwrapped the bandages Jason had used. “Oh, honey. You’ve got several cuts that will need stitches. Let me get these cleaned, then I’ll find a doctor to stitch you up.”

  Ellie wanted to scream out her frustration, but she held it inside. The antiseptic stung, but she ignored it, too worried about Zach. The nurse sighed. “Honey, I need a pair of tweezers to get out the glass embedded in some of these cuts. I’ll be right back.”

  Once she left, Ellie stood and walked to the door. She peeked out and saw a lot of activity a few doors down. Hospital staff rushing in and others rushing out. She crept closer. A doctor yelled something, but she couldn’t make out what he’d said. Her heart beat so hard she thought it would break a rib.

  Suddenly, the curtain was thrown back and a gurney was pushed out by several hospital orderlies, all while a man in scrubs barked orders. She only caught a glimpse of blond hair, but it was the exact color of Zach’s. Someone pushed her out of the way, then they rushed him into an elevator.

  She looked into the examination area and a pile of gauze soaked with blood lay in a bowl. Zach’s blood. Did they try to remove the glass and the wound wouldn’t stop bleeding? Her head spun. Her legs went weak, and she fell to the floor, then all…went black.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  When Ellie opened her eyes, she realized she was lying on an examination table, and the nurse was shaking her head. “Now look what you’ve done. I have to re-clean all these cuts. You are one stubborn young woman.”

  She kept muttering and shaking her head as she swabbed the cuts with antiseptic. It stung even more than it had the first time. At last, she stepped away. “Now, I want your word you’ll stay put. Your son has been taken to surgery, so there’s no need for you to try and find him. Do I have your promise?”

  Since there was no longer a chance to get to Zach, she slumped against the gurney. “I won’t leave again.” Her chest tightened as she remembered the pile of bloody gauze. Turning her head to the side, she let the tears flow. Willing to grab onto anything to keep her sanity, she started praying.

  Bargaining with God, she told him if he’d just save Zach, she’d go to church every week, that she’d get down on her knees and pray morning and night, do whatever she needed for him to hear and answer her prayers.

  The curtain was swept back and a young woman marched in. “Hello, I’m Dr. Bennett. I hear you’re bent on getting to your son?”

  Ellie’s sat up. “Do you know if he’s okay?’

  “They took him to surgery,” She spoke in a soothing tone. “He’s lost a good bit of blood, but he’s breathing on his own, and his vitals are good. While I know this is nightmarish for you, he’s in good hands. The surgeon on duty tonight is one of the best here at Virginia Beach General. Now, let’s take a look at your arms.”

  As she washed at the sink, she told her, “I have a brother. He’s sixteen. How old’s Zach?”

  “He’s seventeen. He’ll be eighteen in April.” What if he never made it to his birthday? Shivers ran through her. No. I won’t think like that. God’s protecting him and keeping him safe. I have to believe that.

  The doctor had pulled on gloves and the nurse stood beside her. “Mrs. Branson, I’m going to rub the worst cuts with a numbing solution. Then I’ll get you stitched up good as new.”

  Ellie barely felt anything as Dr. Bennett took care of her cuts. She talked the entire time while she stitched her wounds, asking several questions. “So…does Zach play any kind of sports? My brother plays football.”

  “He’s on the soccer team at his high school. He’s been playing since he was a toddler.” In her mind’s eye, she could see him as the little toe-head chasing after the ball. Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked to keep them from falling.

  Dr. Bennett smiled. “I bet he’s good if he’s been playing that long.” She stepped back. “All done. You have fourteen stitches all together between the three wounds. The rest will heal on their own.” The nurse whispered something in the woman’s ear. “A man has asked to see you. He says he has your purse. A Jason Henderson, I believe. Do you want to see him?”

  “Oh, yes, please.” Thank goodness he had her bag. She’d need to show their insurance cards.

  The nurse with the wide, friendly smile stepped away, and a few minutes later, Jason came in. He had her purse swinging from his should
er. If she hadn’t been so overwrought, she would have laughed, but she couldn’t even manage a smile. He stepped beside her. “Hey. I see you finally let someone take care of you.”

  The doctor looked at him. “Well, my work is done here. Mrs. Branson, I do believe you’re in good hands. The nurse will give you information on caring for your wounds.” She met her gaze. “Remember your son’s surgeon is our finest on staff.” Then she turned, swept the curtain to the side, and marched out the same way she’d come in.

  The nurse retrieved the bowl of instruments. “I’ll leave the two of you to talk while I get the sheet of instructions.”

  Once she stepped away, Jason leaned in and kissed her cheek. Then took her hand in his big warm one. “What’s happening with Zach? They wouldn’t give me any information. They wouldn’t even tell me you were here at first, but then I explained I had your purse. At that point, they said they would check. When the nurse returned, she led me to you.”

  Jason stroked her hand. It soothed her rattled nerves as nothing had since the nightmare began. “He’s in surgery. Dr. Bennett told me he’s lost a lot of blood. Oh, Jason, I’m so scared.”

  When he placed an arm around her shoulders, she buried her head against his chest and sobbed. At last she felt secure enough to let go, and she cried out her fears. “That’s right, get it all out.” He rubbed her back as he pulled her closer.

  She cried until she had no more tears, then hiccupped. “I’m so sorry. I rarely cry. I’ve soaked your shirt.”

  He chuckled. “Hey, it’s okay. The shirt will dry.” He lifted her chin and gently kissed her. “I’m here for you Ellie.” His voice came out husky and deeper than usual.

  “Thank you. That helps.” She looked at her hands. “I tried to pray, but I’m not sure I did it right.”

  “Remember, there’s no wrong way,” he assured her.

  She picked at her thumbnail. “I bargained with him. I told him if he would save Zach, I’d go to church every week and pray every day. Do you think he heard me?”