Hayden was 32 now, yet there were times she still felt like a teenager. There were many things she missed growing up, things that she should have done, and things that should have never happened.
She could hear Harold talking, but not what he said for her thoughts had drifted to the past and the first time she had sat in this office. It had been the Sr. Dr. Abbott who had saw her that first time she had gotten in a fight, a black eye, a busted lip, and a fractured wrist. "I hope the other guy look worse than you do," he had said to her, smiling as he put a splint on her wrist. Hayden had said nothing.
"Hayden," came a voice into her thoughts, "Are you alright?" For a long moment, Hayden said nothing, then smiling, she said, "I'm sorry. I was just remembering something your father had said to me." The memory still strong in her mind, Hayden stood to her feet. "Where are you going now?" Harold said to her. "To visit your father." Hayden said simply. Harold was taken aback for a moment, then said simply, "You're expected for dinner, Rose and the kids will be happy to see you." "I'll be there. Don't worry." Hayden replied, hugging him again, and turned to leave.
The cemetery was as peaceful as it had ever been, maybe more. Hayden made her way through the tombstones stopping when she reached the one marked ABBOTT. Placing the single rose she had brought with her onto the stone, Hayden knelt beside the cold grave. Silence, almost deafening, fell around her as she bowed head. A long moment past, and softly she whispered, "I could sure use your help with this, Doc." She had always called him Doc, from the beginning, and the memory made her smile.
"I know that I should be talking to Joe, but I just can't. I haven't been here since the funeral, and I know he would be upset with me for not coming back." As she spoke, a single tear ran down her cheek. "I don't know what to do, Doc, I thought I was ready, but I don't think I can do it, not now, and maybe not ever." Silence again fell between Hayden and the man that lay beneath the ground, and for just a moment, Hayden forgot everything, and blocked out the world.
At first, Hayden thought it had been her own heart she heard beating, but with an unexpected surge the vision came with a jolt. She saw a little girl, had to be around 8 or 9 years old. She was pretty, and she was laughing as she rode her bike. The sight brought a smile to Hayden, but then, as the vision went on, she saw the car speeding towards the girl, but the girl didn't see the car. Trying to focus on the scene around her, Hayden knew she had to find this girl before it was too late. With another flash, the vision was gone, and Hayden jumped to her feet. Hurrying to her car, Hayden tried to remember the location she had seen the little girl; she knew she had to hurry, or the vision would become reality.
Leaving the cemetery, she turned back towards town. The old train station, she remembered seeing the old train station in the vision. Hayden's heartbeat quicken as she headed into town. Please let me be there in time. She silently prayed as the turned on to the main street. Suddenly, Hayden saw the girl, and just like the vision, she was riding a bike. Stopping in the middle of the street, Hayden came out of her car almost in a run. Suddenly, Hayden saw the car speed around the corner, and as if in slow motion, the vision replayed itself to her as she ran for the girl. The driver in the car must have seen her, and tires squalled as Hayden pushed the girl from her bike, and took the hit herself.
Everything was fuzzy like she was in a tunnel. She could hear the words, but she couldn't see anyone. "I didn't see her, I couldn't stop, oh, God, is she dead?" she heard a frantic voice say. "She's not dead, Margaret." this came from Harold, a voice she knew. "Just calm down, and relax." He said again. "Don't you think we should get her inside." his voice full of concern. "I don't want to move her until I know there's no damage to her spine. She just saved my daughters life; I don't want to take the chance of paralyzing her as a thank you. What's her name?" Hayden didn't know this voice; it was different, not from around here. His daughter.
With
that thought, she heard him calling her name. "Hayden." he
said, as if trying to wake her from sleep. "Hayden, can you
hear me?" Again he called to her, but the only sound she could
make seemed to be a moan. The pain rippled through her as she opened
her eyes to see the face of the man bending over her.
"Can
you tell me where it hurts?" he asked. "For God's sake."
Harold said, "Don't you think it hurts pretty much all over."
His words made her smile, same old Harold. "It was a fair
question to ask, don't you think." she said, laying a hand on
his. Turning to look at the other man again, she said, "Mostly
my leg." Looking from one man to the other, Hayden could tell
there was tension between these two men. "Is the girl alright?"
she asked, concern apparent in her voice. "She's fine, thanks
to you," the man said softly. "Let's get you inside and see
about that leg." As he bent to lift her into his arms, he said,
"Do you have objections to me taking her to my office, Dr.
Abbott?" "Oh, for the love of God." she heard Harold
say, as she was carried into another clinic with a sign that read,
Dr. Brown's Family Practice. "I heard there was a new doctor
in town." Hayden said as he carried her into an exam room.
"That'd be me. Dr. Andy Brown, at your service." he
said with a smile, then "and in your debt. Thank you for what
you did for Delia, if you hadn't been there..." he stopped
there, turning away from her. Hayden just looked at him. "No,
problem." she said, "I've been hit before, and she's
terribly pretty to get hit by a car, don't you think." It had
been said to lighten the situation, and the desired effect was
accomplished, and Hayden smiled as Dr. Andy Brown turned back to face
her. "Yeah, I think so. Now, lets see about this leg." he
said, began to cut her pants away from her body.