Chapter 61

Alexa snickered. “No, I didn’t expect that reaction from him, to be honest. I thought he’d laugh.”

“Good God, I’m surrounded by lunatics,” my mom muttered. “While you were taking your nap, the doctor was kind enough to tell us that your injuries, as far as they can tell, are completely ephemeral and superficial, much like a Sociology degree. Michael and I were relieved, of course, but they want to keep you for a day or two, make sure you don’t have a concussion.”

“Fair enough,” Alexa agreed. “Is this likely to be covered? I’ve been here less than a week, even if I’m still a citizen.”

“Oh, I doubt the hospital or province is dumb enough to give us grief about it,” dad chimed in. “It makes no sense to screw over a brilliant young woman who was just offered a full scholarship to one of the best universities in the country. Besides, you’ve got bruises and scratches after a really bad accident, nothing for them to complain about.”

“Yeah, what happened, anyway?” I asked, my mind now focusing on the hows and whys of my morning so far.

My mother shrugged. “We were just driving, passing through an intersection and some drunk moron ran his red light and t-boned my car. Spun us right out and almost up on the curb. I think he’s a couple of rooms over, actually. He’ll be charged no doubt.”

“And your car?” I asked.

“Ugh, total write-off,” mom said, scowling. “He nailed it good, I’m amazed neither of us was killed, to be honest. I was fine, since I could get out on my side and called the cops, while your aunt decided to take an unscheduled nap and scare the hell out of me.”

“Sorry about that,” Alexa said somewhat sheepishly. “I vaguely remember a crashing impact and spinning, but after that, nothing. Well, not until I nearly gave Alex a heart attack, anyway.”

Dad chuckled. “Let’s just all be thankful it wasn’t worse. A wrecked car and some bruises is nothing to sniff at.”

“Could you give us a few minutes while I check her vitals?” the doctor asked, walking up to Alexa, now that we seemed to have figured out everything. Mom, dad and I exited the room and sat on some chairs in the corridor. Dad put his arm around my mother and she sighed deeply, her eyes tearing up. I took her hand and squeezed it.

“She gonna be fine, mom,” I said assuringly.

“I know,” she said in a voice I could only describe as wet. “I just… sometimes you cry with relief, you know? She’s my baby sister and I just got her back in my life, I don’t want to lose her.”

Dad pulled her to his chest and held her tight while she cried silently for some time. I just waited patiently, struggling with my own feelings. Mom and dad would expect me to be relieved, that was just common sense. But they didn’t know about Alexa and I, that we were lovers. They couldn’t know how I felt, how terrified I’d been and how relieved I was now. What would I have done if the worst had happened?

Would I ever have been able to tell them?

A horrible chill ran through me. I could have lost my aunt and my mother.

I glared down the hallway, something hot and beyond angry rising inside me.

“Don’t worry, Alex,” my dad said, noticing my face and deducing what was going on in my head. “He’s in pretty bad shape himself and there’s a cop at the door of his room. His life is going to be hard enough from now on, show a little mercy.”

I sighed. Dad was, of course, right as always. He was what mom referred to as annoyingly melioristic. Not only did he see the good in everything, he had this infuriating way of being right and making you realize you were being selfish, without even trying. I pushed the thought of the other driver from my mind. There’d no doubt be plenty of fallout to deal with later.

The doctor came out a few minutes later and smiled. “We do want to keep her for maybe two nights, just to be absolutely certain, but my opinion is that she has no concussions or other head trauma to worry about. You’re very lucky. You may go in and see her again until the nurses say it’s time to let her rest.”

We thanked him and went back in. Alexa beamed that beautiful smile at us from where she was now sitting in her bed, having raised it to a postion better suited for conversing. Mom sat in the chair while dad and I stood nearby.

“Really sorry about the nap,” Alexa said to my mother. “At least Mike got a good laugh out of my prank.”

Mom and I both looked at dad, daring him to answer. He shrugged. “Maybe just a little one. And on that note, I’m going to go call the university and let them know what happened before they find out through the grapevine and begin calling in a total panic.”

Dad stepped outside, cellphone in hand. Mom sighed and took Alexa’s hand in hers. This had clearly terrified her.

“They say you don’t appreciate what you have until it’s gone,” she murmured. “Let’s hope that this was close enough for the lesson gods to leave us alone for a bit.”

“No argument there,” Alexa agreed. “Not sure what the lesson was, since we weren’t at fault, mind you. But I’m going to do my best to never take my time with my family for granted, that’s for damned sure.”

“Glad to hear it,” mom said, nodding. “I want nieces and nephews on day, after all. You’ll probably find some nice young guy on campus. God knows you’re pretty enough that you’ll be beating them off with a stick before long. Alex probably has some friends to introduce you to. It’s about time you began dating.”

Alexa was silent for a moment as she looked at her lap. “Yeah. I guess it is…”

Mom’s phone rang and she answered it. She looked at us and covered the speaker. “It’s the insurance company, they have questions,” she whispered. “This could be a bit, so I’ll take it down to the cafe on the main floor.”

She left and then we were alone. Neither of us said anything for sometime, lost in the last words she’d spoken before mom got the call. Alexa stared at her lap. I stared off at a cabinet. The air was heavy, the silence between us maddening. I’d never experienced anything like this with Alexa and wasn’t even sure it would’ve been possible before now. We had no idea what to say.

I looked at her when I heard her sigh softly. She turned to look at me and I saw tears in her eyes.

“Could… could you turn off the light please, Alex?” she asked. “It feels so artificial…”

I nodded and walked to the door, turning off the light.

“And close the door, please?”

I closed it and walked back. She drew a deep breath before looking up at me.

“And please sit down on the bed with me,” she said quietly. “I… looking at you is terrifying, but I need to, I owe you that…”

I sat down and she crossed her legs to make room for me. She took my hands in hers and I could see the fear in her eyes when she gazed into mine.