"Hey, I think we need to get this little lady to the
Emergency Room!" Kevin said as he approached Liv. "We can take my
car."
"Ohmigod, what happened!?" I cringed at my friend's
shrill outcry.
"She hit a tree," he told her casually, it sounded,
coming from him, almost like it wasn't that big a deal. I heard Liv laugh. I
couldn't believe my best friend found amusement in my disoriented and pummeled
state! I could have slapped her if either of my hands had been free.
"A tree?!"
"Ugh, Liv?! What's so funny?"
"Nothing!" she covered, "nothing at all! But.....
a tree, Sam?" I could tell she was
smiling still.
"I wasn't watching where I was going."
She chuckled a little. "I can see why." Ohmigod! That
meant Kevin must have
been a fox. And I was a mess! Wait a minute, I'm always a mess... but even more
than usual and that is a sad truth that I could no longer afford!
I burst into tears.
"Oh, no, no, no, please don't cry!" Liv squealed
fanning my eyes. I swatted her
hands away.
"What the fuck am I supposed to do?!" I yelled at her,
and winced in pain. My body had definitely rejected that action because a sharp
pain shot right through my forehead. "I am having a bad day! It is my
birthday for God's sake! Things like this aren't supposed to happen to me!
First, I smack into the wall of my apartment and blacken my eye seven shades,
then you force me to ride a horse, I fall off it; and now my nose is broken, my
ankle hurts, my hips hurt, my head hurts, I can't see, my eyes are probably
crossed for life, I'm very sleepy but can’t shut my eyes for a minute because I
might have a concussion!" I took a breath, "and I am probably in the
arms of a very good-looking man right now and..." there came the tears
again. I really was having a bad day.
My nose was swelling at the bridge and Liv was worried because I
wouldn't say anything. I was glad she was worried, damnit, she made me get on
the damn horse in the first place. But I would have much preferred being
comatose than in as much pain as I was. At least then I wouldn't feel anything.
Or see anything for that matter. My vision had cleared and I finally got the
chance to lay eyes on this Kevin fellow. I probably looked like a train just
ran me over, backed up and did it again. And there he was... looking like some
George Clooney's better looking younger brother or some shit. He parked the car
and we did the 1, 2, 3 lift thingy again. Kevin smiled down at me.
"You gettin' sleeping?" he asked when he noticed the
drowsy look in my eyes.
"I'm definitely gonna pass out soon... either that or
puke."
"I'd much rather you throw up on me than faint."
I laughed then stopped short when that familiar and fierce pain
cut into my head again. I was glad to find that he was one of those rare
beautiful guys who cared more about people's well being than material things. I
used to date this one dick who would have sooner left me to suffer and die
alone in that field than let me bloody-up his brand new François Girbaud
sweater.
The moment Kevin, Liv and I stepped through the front entrance,
there came a familiar voice at the right. It was the first time I was ever
relieved to hear this particular voice.
"Samantha Potter, dear sister, you're looking even whiter
than usual today. If it's
possible, that is." It was my older brother Anthony. We have different
fathers but he has always been there for me so there's nothing half about him,
in my eyes. He always likes to rub it in that he's half Dominican and I'm just
your typical white girl.
"Liv, could you please give him the finger-- I think mine is
broken."
Liv laughed, glad to see me coming back to life.
"Hey, I think I've got a patient down the hall who just had
a baby. Lemme go
check on
her--" He was also a doctor.
"--okay, okay! I take it back!" I shut my eyes.
"I'm glad you see things my way, sis." He walked off
for a moment and came back with a
wheelchair. Kevin lowered me into it.
"Yay! It's always been my dream to be a gimp!"
"Hey, Kev, you can get outta here if you want. Thanks so
much for all your help,"
when I heard Liv's voice I stopped laughing with my brother and bowed my head,
kind of eavesdropping to see what he would say.
"Nah, I think I'll stick around for a while longer, you know,
just to make sure
she's okay."
"All right."
Anthony wheeled me down the hall and I turned my head and saw him
smile at me just as we disappeared around the corner.