Chapter Twelve
Spencer and Clay saw the flashing lights in the distance, illuminating the darkened beach. Ashley, Spencer thought, aching to set her eyes on her girlfriend. Ex, Spencer thought, ex girlfriend. The police had roped off a large area and began to direct traffic around the scene. Clay pulled up to one officer and rolled down his window, "Sir, we know the girl that got hit. Is she ok? Can we see her? What happened?"
"Son, I'm not sure what business that is of yours."
"Please," Clay begged, "She's our friend. Just tell us where she is."
The officer shook his head, "It's best if you move on right now, this isn't your business."
Spencer couldn't tear her eyes away from the ambulance. She saw two EMT workers lifting someone into the ambulance. Ashley, Spencer thought. She leapt from the car and ran over to her. Oh God, please don't let her be dead. Please, I can't lose her now, not after I just found her. The blonde's eyes fell upon the bruised brunette. The EMT's had placed an oxygen mask over the poor girl's battered face. "Ashley?" she squeaked, moving closer to the ambulance.
Spencer felt strong hands grasp her shoulders, "You can't be here," the voice said. Spencer turned and faced the man, her eyes pleading with him. He sighed, "She's being taken to country, that's all I can tell you right now."
Spencer silently mouthed a 'thank you' before she returned to Clay.
Spencer raced away from the car before Clay even parked. The blonde sprinted through the glass sliding doors and up to the reception desk. Her heart pounded out of her chest as she asked, "Ashley Davies? Where's Ashley Davies?"
The receptionist shot an annoyed glance at Spencer, "Are you family?"
Before Spencer could respond, Paula shot down the hall. "Spencer? What are you doing here?"
Spencer noticed a man standing against the wall just a few feet from where Paula came from. "Is that him?" she asked, "Is that Ben? The man you chose over your own family?"
Paula took a step back, confused by her daughter's outburst. "Honey, what are you talking about?"
"Don't try to deny it, Mom. You kept saying that it was my relationship with Ashley that was tearing this family apart. But it's you! It's always been you," she crossed her arms and continued, "Was our family not good enough? Was that it? Was it us, or was it Dad who couldn't keep you away from Dr. Ben," she spit out.
Spencer recoiled as her mother's palm connected with her cheek. She threw her hand up to her face, wincing as the welt began to form. She hit me, she really hit me.
"Mom?" Clay yelled from the end of the hall, running over to his sister's side.
"Clay, honey that was…"
Clay turned his back to his mother, "Are you ok Spencer?" She nodded and he turned his attention back to his mother. "Are you trying to push us all away? Just back off, Mom!" He put his arm around Spencer and led her down the hall. "She's in room 224."
Spencer turned her glistening eyes towards her brother, "How did you find out?"
Clay grinned and pulled out a clipboard, "They really should watch what they leave lying around." A look of pure and utter gratitude passed over Spencer's face as she leapt into her brother's arms. She grabbed his hand as they headed towards the elevator.
The monitors beeped steadily as Spencer entered the dark room. She looked at the figure lying in the bed, motionless. Her heartbeat increased as she moved closer, clenching her fists so hard that she thought she might draw blood. Her eyes fell upon the brunette. Oh Ashley, how did this happen? The brunettes face was partially covered by bandages. The cement, as Clay explained from the chart, had scraped a layer of skin off of her cheek. Her beautiful face. Ashley's right leg was encased and slung up in air: broken. God Ashley. Spencer kneeled beside the bed and gently placed her hands over Ashley's. "Please, please be ok. I can't do this without you. You…you are the best thing in my life. Please, please come back to me."
An unnatural rhythm began to beep on the heart monitor, stirring Spencer. "Ash?" she whispered tentatively. The beeping ceased, and one long tone replaced it. Ashley?
"Code Blue, room 224," a voice announced over the intercom. Doctors and nurses flooded the room, pushing Spencer out as they brought in the crash cart.
"She's not responding. Charge the paddles," one doctor shouted.
Spencer backed slowly out of the room. Leaning against the door frame she watched in horror as the events unfolded in front of her. Ashley's body seized as the shocks jolted her body. Ashley, please. Spencer felt dizzy, her stomach in knots, as the doctors tried in vain to get Ashley's heart to beat again. "She's still, not responding," Spencer heard another doctor say. "We might have to call it."
Spencer's world began to fade away as a bright light engulfed her.
