Raelle

8 years earlier

beep* * beep* *beep* On and on this constant beeping. Someone needs to turn the damn thing off already. I move to do just that when a sharp pain rips through my body. Shit! What happened? I close my eyes tight, trying to remember anything that could explain this pain in my abdomen, or this infuriating beeping that will just not stop. Then I remembered. Oh my God. NO! “MOM! AVA!” I yell as I sit up in the hospital bed. I curse under my breath as my hands fly to my stomach where I’m bandaged up. The dressing starting to bleed through a little. Great. I thought. Probably tore stitches. “MOM! AVA!” I yell again louder, more frantic this time. Trying to get out of bed to find a doctor or nurse, hell, anyone who can tell me what happened to my mom and sister. I remember being in our rusted, beat up Bronco. Me and mom were arguing about my latest stint that landed my ass back in detention. Ava was in the backseat playing on a tablet trying, once again, to ignore our normal routine of fighting about every little thing possible. It was late and we had just picked up take out. We were heading home and in the midst of all the arguing, I reached forward and turned the radio volume up until I couldn’t hear her anymore. I just didn’t want to hear any of it. Mom reached forward to turn the music down, and glared at me. And that’s when it happened. Oh God. NO! Mom ran a red light. We were hit on the drivers side and my side hit the median. Then it all went black. As I try to lift myself out of the hospital bed because, obviously there’s no staff around here, a nurse swiftly walks in. “Miss Michaels. Please lie down. You must rest. Your body has been through so much.” She pleas as she ushers me to lie back down. “My mom and sister, are they okay?” I ask praying with everything I have that I didn’t lose the only two people in this world who mean anything to me. “Honey, lie down and a doctor will be in shortly to speak with you about your family.” She wouldn’t meet my eyes. No. No. No. No! “Look lady..” I start to say before a grey haired man walked in. His face gave nothing away. I imagine he has to deliver bad news all the time so he has mastered the blank look. “Miss Michaels, you were in a car accident with your mother and your sister. You’ve sustained head injuries and a broken wrist.” I looked down. How am I just now noticing I have a cast on? Oh yeah, because of the pain in my stomach. Just as I said that, I winced. “Metal from the guard rail pierced the car door and your abdomen. You were in surgery for 5 hours. Everything looks good as of right now.” The doctor spoke straight to the point. I liked that. No pussy footing around “Doctor, my family?” I asked,once again, trying to get some answers. Ava Michaels is still in surgery. She sustained a spinal injury and internal bleeding.” He said looking through files. Oh Ava. My sweet beautiful strong Ava, you fight. I internally plea for my sister. “And my mom?”

The doctor looked me in the eyes and for the first time I thought I saw emotion “Raina Michaels didn’t make it.”