A Moment of Regret
As she listened to the rain coming down, Jane had a hard time falling asleep that night. Seeing Daria sitting in that refrigerator box refusing to come out had concerned Jane greatly. It was around one in the morning when Jane was woken up by the phone. As she listened to the voice on the other end of the line, her face paled and she began to quickly change. After banging on her brother's door for a couple of minutes, Trent slowly opened the door.
"What is it, Janey?"
"I need your keys. Daria's been in a wreck and she's hurt pretty bad," Jane's voice broke.
"Calm down, Jane. I'll drive. I don't need you getting in a wreck too." Trent came out of his room and they headed for his car.
A few minutes later, they were in Cedars of Lawndale's parking lot. Jane was about to ask the gentleman at information about Daria when she spotted Quinn. Grabbing her brother, Jane made her way to where the Morgendorffers were sitting. Beside them were a girl and a woman whom Jane thought fit Tom's description of his mom and younger sister. Seeing Jane, Helen got up and pulled her into a hug.
"What - what happened?" Jane asked, dreading the answer.
"Daria ran out of the house after we had talked with her about the box. She was on her way to the Cove and the weather caused a huge pile-up, she tried to swerve to avoid it, but - " Helen couldn't continue.
"She's in surgery right now, that's why I called you. I figured she would want to see you when she wakes up," Quinn said.
You mean if she wakes up. Jane nodded. Looking over at the Sloanes, Jane asked Kay "Are you here to check on Daria, too? Where's Tom?"
Kay stared down at the floor. "Angier and Tom were in the pile-up as well."
Jane sat down. She was not as close to Tom as she once was, but they were still friends. The realization began to set in that she could lose both Daria and Tom in one night. She felt the urge to run but calmed down when Jake and Trent put their hands on her shoulders and squeezed. For the next two hours, the seven of them sat in relative silence. At four a.m., a couple of doctors entered the room. Jane watched as the Morgendorffers followed one while the Sloanes followed the other two. The sounds that Jane heard next shook her to the core. Both were two families crying, one in relief, the other mourning. Soon, both families returned with their arms wrapped around each other as one.
"Jane - Daria made it through the surgery. She's not out of the woods, but for right now the doctors are optimistic," Jake said.
A slight look of relief came over Jane's face until she looked over at the Sloanes. "What about Tom and his dad?"
Seeing Kay and Elsie burst into tears again was all that Jane needed to know. She walked over to her ex-boyfriend's family and gave them a hug.
"I'm sorry Elsie, Mrs. Sloane. Tom really was a good guy. I'll miss him."
"Thank you, Jane."
"They are going to let us go see Daria once they get her in a room. Do you want to come with us?" Helen asked.
"Yes - and if it is okay with you Mrs. Sloane, I would like to see Tom and tell him goodbye."
Kay absently nodded her head. A few minutes later the groups went together to two room beside each other. The Morgendorffers stayed behind and watched the Sloanes enter one room. Kay and Elsie left that room and told Jane that Tom was in there. Helen and Trent hugged her before she walked into the room. Jane took a deep breath before entering the door.
Jane entered the room and looked down at Tom. The side of his head had a huge gash and there were many bruises all over the right side of his face and arm. A rush of emotions came over Jane. Tom was the first guy that she truly felt as though she loved. Sure, she had dated Evan, but that was just an infatuation. Tom cared, gave her her first real kiss, her first feelings of being wanted, and unfortunately he gave her her first heartache. Right now though, there was no anger, only regret. Regret that she couldn't be in the same room with him after the betrayal. She meant it when she had said that she liked him. Regret that maybe; some years down the line, they could have given it another chance. Who knows? She missed his laugh, his smile, his touch. She bent down and gently kissed his cheek. Then another type of regret set in. Regret that in a moment of personal crisis, her best friend sought out her boyfriend rather than herself. Regret that once Daria finds out what happened to Tom, Jane Lane would always be in second place to a ghost.
End