“This is Roman,” I answered.
“Roman, it’s Kathy.”
I sighed and combed my fingers through my hair. “What can I help you with?” I couldn’t believe they’d pull me out of a meeting to talk to my ex-mother-in-law.
“I thought I should let you know not to expect Sasha tonight. She’s?—”
“Why would I expect Sasha?” I asked, interrupting her.
“Well… she’s been living with you, taking care of Sophia, hasn’t she?”
Then I realized that even though it had been weeks since Sasha left, she hadn’t told her mom anything.
“Oh, right,” I said, covering for her. “What did you say is holding her up?”
“She’s been in a pretty serious car accident. She’s at Mercy General right now.” Her voice cracked.
“What?” I said a little too loudly, everything from the day Chloe died slamming into me. The phone calls. The worry. The goddamn silent prayers no one answered.
“She-She took a part-time job to fill her days off from working with you and had a shift at the restaurant. So many employees had already called in due to the weather, so she figured she’d pick up a few extra hours.” She sniffled, her voice trembling. “The officer who contacted me said that she was crossing at a green light when another car spun out of control and slid on the ice, T-boning her car.” A sob broke free. “They said he was drunk.”
“Is she alright?” My heart clenched tightly as my hand shook.
“I-I don’t know. She’s in surgery. I…they said she’s banged up pretty good—broken bones, cuts, and bruises. I can’t go through this again,” she said, mostly to herself, her soft cries sounding out.
I didn’t wait for her to say anything else. I didn’t even bother telling her goodbye. I just dropped the phone on the desk and ran toward the elevator.
Part of me expected Monica to chase me down, but she didn’t. She seemed to know exactly what to do. I knew she’d take care of rescheduling my meetings. And even if she didn’t, I didn’t fucking care about shit when Sasha was in the hospital, about to undergo a surgery that I had no idea she’d make it out of.
Just like Chloe.
FUCK.
It took longer than I would have liked to get across the icy city and to the hospital, but I made it in one piece, and that’s what counted.
When I walked into the hospital, I was met by her parents.
“Roman,” her dad greeted me grimly.
I swallowed hard. “How is she? What did the doctors say?”
“Nothing yet,” he murmured as Kathy reached for me to hug.
This was all too reminiscent of years past. I hugged her and stared over her head at Sasha’s dad.
He stared back at me knowingly, the grimness of the situation making it hard to breathe.
I swallowed hard as Kathy pulled away from me.
We all sat, no one saying a word. I wasn’t sure how long we stayed that way. So many thoughts raced through my mind about what this could mean.
If I lost Sasha forever, too…
Fuck.
I put my head in my hands and let out a soft sob, hating all this fucking bullshit. I’d hurt her. She’d die thinking I didn’t want her, that I’d never wanted her.
Sickness rolled through me at the thought of her leaving me behind as Chloe did.
