BJ started coughing from the smoke of the airbags. "Kristy, you ok?" he asked trying to see through the smoke and dust. When he received no answer, he lowered his window and tried to fan some of the smoke out. He could hear Bear chattering noisily in the back and assumed he was alright. When the smoke finally started to dissipate, he was able to see that Kristy had been knocked unconscious with her head facing him. He was able to see a gash near her hairline on the right side of her head and her nose was bleeding slightly.
BJ quickly sprung into action. Grabbing a couple of towels from the side compartment, he made his way to her. He tipped her head back carefully to stop the nosebleed and pressed the towel against the gash in attempt to slow the bleeding.
She stirred, her eyes blinking rapidly, in an effort to keep the darkness at bay.
"Hey, hey come on. Open your eyes. Come on stay awake. Hey, come on Kristy, open your eyes," he urged when he noticed her coming to.
"What happened?" she moaned, wincing at the jackhammer pounding in her head. She sniffed, coughing in surprise when she started to choke.
"Your nose is bleeding. Here," he handed her a towel to clean up her nose. "Some moron pulled out in front us. We fishtailed when I tried to swerve and broadsided that tree. The idiot didn't even stop."
She moaned, when he pressed a little harder on the side of her head.
"Sorry, but you got quite a gash here," he explained, "I gotta stop the bleeding. How do you feel besides a headache? Any pain? Anything feel broken or anything? Are the babies moving?"
"My nose hurts, but I think I'm ok. My neck is starting to get a crick in it though," she replied.
"And the babies?" he questioned critically.
She didn't answer, waiting to see if she felt movement. She concentrated on her abdomen. BJ watched her intensely, hoping everything was alright.
Suddenly, one of the babies let loose with a one-two punch and she sighed with relief. "They're kicking," she answered on a gasp.
He also sighed with relief. "Here, take this and keep the pressure on," he instructed as he took his hand away so she could take over. "I've got a first aid kit in the back that might help."
He climbed into the back, noticing Bear was still sitting where he had fallen. "Hey Bear, you ok boy? You ok?" He checked him over. Bear looked dazed, but otherwise unhurt. Bear chattered at him. "You're alright," BJ told him. He located the first aid kit that he kept for emergencies and took out a butterfly bandage.
He moved her hand away from the cut and applied the bandage. "Sutures would probably leave less of a scar, but this'll have to do. At least the bleeding has slowed. I think we should probably find a doctor, though."
Moving back to the driver's seat he said," Alright, let's just hope I can get this thing to start." He tried the engine, but it didn't want to turn over. He tried again and again to no avail. He looked over at Kristy and noticed her eyes were shut.
"Hey, hey!" he exclaimed, "Don't go back to sleep. You've probably got a concussion so you need to stay awake, ok?" He waited for her to agree.
He tried to start the truck once more. This time it worked. "Yes!" he sighed with relief.
They could see the sign on the motel before the truck started to stall again, barely giving BJ enough time to pull it to the side of the road. This time no matter how many times he tried to restart it, it wouldn't budge.
"I'm gonna walk to the motel and see if someone can give me a ride back to get you, ok?" he asked her.
She nodded, wincing at the sharp pain that shot through her head.
"Bad move, huh?" he asked, having experienced a concussion when he fell out of his truck after hitting a tree a few months ago.
"Yeah," she agreed.
"You alright?" he questioned with concern.
"Yeah, my head just hurts," she reassured him.
"Ok, while I'm gone you have to stay awake." He demanded. "Bear keep an eye on her," he added, climbing out of the truck. He began the short trek to the motel through the now heavy snowfall, his cowboy boots slipping now and again on the slippery road.
He reached the motel and decided to register for rooms first that way they could settle in as soon as he got Kristy back here.
"Two rooms please," he told the motel manager operating the desk.
"Sorry, only one left," he apologized to the weary traveler.
BJ looked up from his wallet, "I'll take it," he said figuring he could always sleep on the floor. "Hey listen, I got in an accident down the road and had to leave my rig there. I've got a pregnant lady who's pretty banged up. You think you could give me a ride back to get her?" he implored.
"Sure, sounds like she needs a doctor, but the closest one is about twelve miles outside of town on Old Mill Road and with this storm blowing in…" he trailed off, grabbing his keys and coming around the counter.
"Yeah, thanks a lot, I really appreciate it," BJ thanked him.
By the time they got in the manager's car they could only see a few feet in front of them the snow was coming down so hard. They finally made it to the rig and BJ got out and climbed in the driver's side so he could get Bear and the suitcases before helping Kristy to the car.
She was asleep, sending slight panic into BJ's voice as he tried to rouse her. "Kristy! Kristy, wake up. Come, you gotta wake up!" he yelled at her in an effort to get her to open her eyes.