24. Reality

I saw the scene again and again as my eyes were closed. The car, the broken glass. What was happening? I didn't know. I couldn't move and couldn't speak. I could barely breathe; something heavy was stabbing my chest every time I gasped for air. My mind was searching for answers to this puzzle. As if a little kid was trying to figure out the answer to an unknown question that no one knew. All I could hear was a female voice asking me a question. What is your name? I could barely answer that.

Jace had left a little while ago from my house. Tonight we were going somewhere special. I still had the red mark on my cheek from where… you know the story. My mom was at work today and I found out that David works at the same place. Chase and the rest of my brothers were out and about with their girlfriends.

I was home alone watching TLC's what not to Wear. Stacey was giving the girl tips when the doorbell rang. I got up from the couch. I could already hear yelling before I got to the entryway. "You better apologize or this will be the last time you see daylight!" I heard a female voice yell. I knew that voice.

I looked through the peephole and sure enough I was right. I opened the door. "Hello Tanner." I said as they both looked at me. Tanner's mom was holding him up by the collar of his shirt.

"I apologize for hitting you Cambrey." Tanner said in a reactive voice. Like he was reciting every line from William Shakespeare's play: Romeo and Juliet.

"It's okay." I responded. His mom's eyes never left him. She had a mean glare to him. Just like he was a five year old again. They left and I shut the door. I hoped he was still in trouble, but by his mom's look I had no doubt.

I was getting my new jeans on for my date tonight. They had sequins on them and my shirt was blue v- neck with a pocket at the breast. I was slipping on my silver flats as the doorbell rang. It was six and still none of my brothers were home.

I opened the door to reveal Jace he said his hello and we walked to the car. We drove for a little while and finally had to stop at a red light. Jace looked at me for a split second his look was calm and turned into shock. "Cambrey!" he shouted. I couldn't comphrend it before a car slammed into the passenger side of the car. The side where I was.

I screamed as I felt the impact coming at my body. I was jolted around in my seat. I couldn't hear anything but my own screaming. My arms flew wildly around finding something, anything to grab onto as though that would help. My window shattered on force of the car flipping on its side.

The seatbelt slipped over me and I fell to the ground. I heard Jace scream my name, wanting me to answer, wanting me to do anything but lay on the ground trying to get air in my lungs. I couldn't answer though black spots covered my vision and I slipped into unconsciousness.

I couldn't move and couldn't speak. I could barely breathe; something heavy was stabbing my chest every time I gasped for air. My mind was searching for answers to this puzzle. As if a little kid was trying to figure out the answer to an unknown question that no one knew. All I could hear was a female voice asking me a question. What is your name? I could barely answer that.

All I saw was a bright light as I opened my eyes. There was a light streaming over my vision as I could finally feel what I was on. "Cambrey just hold on." I heard a familiar voice plead. Jace. I remembered what happened a little, but where was I?

"Jace," I breathed out. It was the most challenging thing ever. Although the stabbing pain was out of my chest. I could breath but it wasn't without difficulty. This was a strange and painful reality. "Jace." I breathed again. I felt that was all I could say. I couldn't get any other words out except that one. I felt pressure on my hand.

"Cambrey can you hear me?" he asked, but all I could do was say his name. It was like being put to sleep as you had surgery done and when you woke up and someone was asking you questions all you could do was mumble incoherent words.

"Is she okay?" I heard and recognized it was the voice that asked me my name earlier.

"All she can say is my name." I heard Jace answer.

"Do you think you can get her to say anything else?" she asked him. Hello! Oh hey yeah… girl trying to figure out where the heck she is! And all you can think about is me saying something else! I am perfectly fine with saying Jace's name. What do you want me to do, sing?

"Cambrey can you say this if I hum it?" he started humming the tune god bless the broken road. Our song. Ok apparently they do. I couldn't help but mumble the words while he hummed. Although all the voices I had heard were coming through a tunnel, I could make out the humming of my favorite song perfectly clear.

He stopped and I moaned. There was still a bright light covering up my vision behind my closed eyelids. I wasn't opening my eyes until the light went away. "Jace," I breathed again with difficulty, "the light." I heard a sharp gasp and the light quickly went away.

I fluttered my eyes open and was met face-to-face with Jace's brown eyes. I breathed.

"Hello Cambrey." He said just like he was saying hello to me at school or talking on the phone with me. I realized I was in a hospital bed. His voice didn't sound as though we were in a hospital. It sounded as if we were having a normal conversation at lunch.

"Hi Jace." I breathed out again. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. If that was possible. He told me he loved me as he wiped tears away from my cheek that I hadn't known had fallen. I smiled and stopped crying. "Where is my mom?" I asked him.

"Your mom and all your brothers and sisters are in the waiting room." He said with ease.

"My sisters came down?" I wondered more to myself than to him.

"Yes they are staying for a month." After that he told me I was being released tomorrow. I found out that I had a broken arm and a few bruises on my back. They had to give me surgery to get the piece of glass that cut into my lung. So that's why it was hard to breath. I nodded as he went on.

He finished and I heard my mom talking to the doctor. The doctor came in and checked on my broken arm that was in a blue cast.

"Are you ready to go home?" I heard a voice yell and my eyes shot open. Preston was standing beside me waiting for my answer.

"Preston Michael Landry this is a hospital don't yell!" I heard Cara say in a stern tone.

Preston sat on the couch as my mom and brothers walked inside the hospital room.

"Cambrey I signed the papers you are all checked out all you have to do is get changed." She said. Mallory walked in and held the back of the hospital gown closed as she walked me to the bathroom.

"Ok what did mom bring you?" she asked herself more than me. She picked up from the bag a pair of stretchy roll-up skinny jeans, an American eagle black and white striped U-neck shirt with a white tank top to put under it. I put them on and my flats from yesterday.

We drove home and I shook as we stopped at the red light. As soon as I got home I got in bed beside Jace and fell asleep. My mind kept repeating the car crash and I couldn't stop shaking. Jace had to wake me up when I finally started screaming. I couldn't wait until morning.