Prologue
Three months had passed, and the memory of the accident was still burning in my head - the accident that had changed my life forever.
"Everything is going to be all right," Em said while we were eating.
I rolled my eyes and didn't answer.
"Carl, I'm talking to you!"
"And I heard you."
"Well, then answer," Em mumbled to himself. "And they say I'm impolite..."
I started to laugh at his stupid comment, and his expression.
"Why are you laughing?" he asked.
I couldn't answer. All I could do was continue to laugh.
"Must be your cereal," he said smartly. "I told you; food without sugar can turn people crazy."
I finally paused in my laughter to ask, "What genius told you that?"
He looked at me with wide eyes and replied, "I have no idea. I think I heard it on Dr. Oz."
We laughed together for a moment. Then I looked down at my watch and noticed that it was almost 8 o'clock.
"I have to go." I got up from my chair and stretched. "I'm late. See you, Em."
Since my car was still broken from the accident, I had to take Emmet's car to work. Working at the hospital was not an easy job (neither was being a surgeon) but I loved it for reasons I could not explain.
When I got to the hospital, I changed into my scrubs and went to my office to see what was on the agenda for this morning.
Everything was peaceful until I saw the pictures on my desk.
The first one was of me, Emmett, Dad, and Mom. The second photo was me and my friend Logan on the day of our graduation. And the last one was me and Lizzy when we were in college.
I felt a sudden pain in my stomach, like someone had punched me. My shoulders began to shake and my hands began to sweat.
Already, on my first day back...?
I couldn't believe this was happening to me.