Make of Two Hearts
Abby was home on her day off, Carter by her side. They sat on the couch, watching on the news without interest and munching on grilled cheese sandwiches. Lauren was at school.
The news reporter's voice droned into the quiet room.
A picture of a school popped up on screen and the room seemed to silence even more but for the clear stoic voice of the newscaster's voice:
A fire broke out at a local elementary school late this morning. Five young students were rushed to a nearby hospital, two were proclaimed dead on the spot…
Abby felt the blood drain from her throat as Carter's strong hand came up to clasp her shoulder protectively.
"Oh, my God," Abby whispered after a speechless silence. She felt the grilled cheese she had been holding fall into her lap. She didn't remember dropping it.
Abby fell into Carter as the reporter announced the names of the children who had been caught in the fire and the hospital they had been taken to.
Lauren Lockhart
That was all she heard before a wave of nausea overcame her.
"Noooo…." she heard herself moan. She felt herself begin to shake, "Not again," she sobbed, "I can't lose someone again."
The phone rang, but Abby was deaf to the noise. Carter rubbed her back as he reached over to pick the phone off the cradle.
"Yes…. Yes…. Thank you," he said, his voice strained, "Wait! Can you tell me if you have any information about her condition? Yes… I understand. Okay, thank you."
He hung up the phone and Abby lifted her head to face him.
"Is she okay?"
Carter looked gravely at her, embracing her in his comforting arms, his own hands shaking.
"She's at Northwestern. They couldn't tell me anything other than that she is alive. Let's go."
Abby nodded, her face resembling that of a small, lost puppy.
Carter's heart broke on the spot looking at her, tears dropping down her cheeks onto her shirt, leaving patches of darker material. Her face was contorted with pain.
He put an arm around her shoulder as they walked down to the car. He didn't know what to say.
All he could do was pray silently to himself as he drove that Lauren still be alive when they got there.