The damage to Mort's vehicle wasn't bad at all.  He had a rather large dent in the back and a broken taillight, but other than that it was fine and, more importantly, drivable.  The woman who hit him, however, had a vehicle beyond repair.  Mort had begun to drive home, but couldn't get the woman's face out of his mind.  He turned around and drove to the hospital.  Once there, he had to track her down.  He approached the first desk he found in the emergency room.

"Um, excuse me?"

"Yes?" the nurse answered.

"Uh, there was a car accident about forty-five minutes ago.  I believe a young woman was brought here."

"Name?"

"Well, you see, I didn't exactly get it, but she rear ended me and was pretty hurt.  I just, um…"  Mort felt himself blush.  Huh…isn't that interesting?  "…I want to know if she's O.K."

The nurse studied Mort for a moment, then looked through some papers.  "I think you might find her behind curtain twelve."

A smile crossed his lips.  "Thank you."  He walked through the bustling ER until he came upon what he thought was the right place.  Luckily, the curtain was open, so he didn't have to awkwardly peek in.  His actions were almost sheepish as he weakly waved to the woman in bed.  "How're you feeling?"

Genuinely surprised, Alexandra's eyes widened.  "I, um…I'm O.K., I guess.  Are you hurt too?"

"No."

"How come you're here then?" she asked, confused.

Mort shuffled his feet a bit.  "I wanted to, um…make sure you were all right."

"Wow."

"Wow?"

"Yeah, I didn't expect to see you again."

A half smile appeared on Mort's face.  "Did…did you want to?"

Alexandra smiled back at him.  "Maybe."

"Maybe…I like that answer."  Mort felt strange around this woman.  There were feelings flowing through his veins that were alien to him – he knew that he must have felt them before, but it had been so long.  He didn't even know her name and yet, she enchanted him.

"Oh yeah?  Well, how about you answer something for me then?"

"Sure."

"What's your name?"

Mort frowned a bit.  Maybe she doesn't read…  "Mort, er, Morton.  Morton Rainey."

Alexandra froze for a moment, then smiled.  "I knew you looked familiar," she said softly.  "I've taken you to bed with me quite a few times."  Yes, she meant for it to sound that way.

"You…what?"

"Your books, I read them in bed."

"Put you to sleep, do they?"

She smiled.  "Hardly.  Wow, of all the people to wreck into…"  She furrowed her brow a bit.  "What on earth are you doing here of all places?"

"Ah ah – you said one question."

"Actually I asked you to answer 'something' a something can be more than one thing…right?"

Mort smiled again.  I like her.  "Perhaps, but it's only fair that I know your name now, isn't it?"

"Alexandra Liedy," she said matter-of-factly.  "Um, Alex," she added, her voice a bit more unsure of itself.

"So, Alexandra Liedy…"

"Alex," she insisted.

"Alex.  Are they going to let you out of here?"

She laughed.  "As soon as they find a reason to run more tests and charge more money, I'm sure they will." 

"You have a way out of here?  Someone coming to get you?"  He looked at her left hand and frowned internally.  "Husband, maybe?"

Alex played with her I.D. tag.  "Not married," she said feeling a bit uncomfortable.

Obviously embarrassed, Mort said.  "Oh, sorry, I saw your rings and assumed…"

"Widowed," she added.

Another vanishing thought.  Like you.  "I'm so sorry.  I'd stick my foot in my mouth, but it's muddy and…"

Alex laughed at him.  "It's O.K., it's been a year and a half; I'll get around to taking these off eventually.  Anyway, as for a way home, my sister is watching my daughter, I can call her."

"You…you have a daughter?"

And off he runs…  "Uh huh…my little angel," Alex said, her voice sounding almost wounded.  She knew all too well that as soon as a man hears a woman is a single mother, they bolt.  She hadn't even attempted dating for that precise reason.

"How old is she?"

"Nine months."

"Just a baby…"

Wonder if he thinks I'm some sort of slut now…may as well get this out in the open.  Wait a minute, why?  Oh, right, he's gorgeous and seems interested in me – or at least did.  Crap, he's looking at me – I'm not talking…  "You're wondering how, right?"  Mort semi-nodded.  "Most people do.  I was only a month pregnant when my husband died."

Mort looked down.  "I'm sorry, none of this is my business.  Um, there's really no need to disturb your daughter…How 'bout I give you a lift?"

"Thanks for the offer, but you don't have to."

"I know, but I'd really like to."