Frederick and I had just moved to Canada from England, and we had so many plans. We wanted to get married and have a family of our own once he completed his engineering degree. One night, we were driving back to our apartment along the coast. There was heavy fog, and we could hardly see what was in front of us. Frederick couldn’t react fast enough when a set of headlights appeared, suddenly travelling straight towards us. The impact was incredibly quick.” Lizzie stops for a few seconds, catching her br eath.
“I woke up in the hospital five days later. I was confused and in a lot of pain. I didn’t see Frederick anywhere around me, so I kept asking for him. He was the only family I had. Eventually, a nurse told me that we had both been found on the side of the road, unconscious. We were brought into Emergency in critical condition. Unfortunately, Frederick didn’t make it.” She draws in a deep, shaky br eath.
“Lizzie, that’s so awful,” Allison says, “but I’m so glad you surv ived.”
Lizzie blinks back her tears, smiling genuinely at her. “I did survive, Allison. But I had a long road to recovery. I had some broken ribs that caused a puncture in my heart, leaving severe and permanent damage. Dr. Sullivan was the doctor on duty. Given how crucial my condition was, he managed to stabilize me long enough to remove Frederick’s healthy heart for examination. It turned out to be the perfect fit for me. Your father decided to perform the surgery and give me the chance to live with a new heart. I was his first heart transplant, and the surgery was succes sful.
At first, I was devastated, but then I felt the only heart I ever loved beating inside me, keeping me going. I was so grateful to, Dr. Sullivan. He kept checking on me for weeks after surgery, day after day, sometimes even with your mother and baby Adam, as I had no family in town. The day I was ready to be discharged, your mother asked me to be part of the family and move in to help her.
I couldn’t resist the offer, so I happily accepted. I would take Adam everywhere I went while your parents worked long hours. Then came Allison, then you, Elvis. I have loved you three like my own,” she says warmly and all of us look fondly back at her.
“Living with Frederick’s heart has helped me go on. After all, it’s the heart that loved me back. I have learned in life that everything starts with uncertainty. But as you move along, things become clearer. You start to have answers you didn’t even know
the questions to.” Lizzie finishes the story and we all stay si lent.
She looks around the room as we gaze at her, realizing the effect her story has had on us. Another thought seems to occur to her, and she adds, “We all have an angel on e arth.”
Allison’s eyes light up, and I shake my head, smiling at her reaction. Adam stays seated, still speechless, but Alli jumps to her feet, clambering over to Lizzie and hugging her tightly.
“Lizzie, I’m so sorry you lost the one you love.”
Lizzie hugs her back. “Oh, Allison, Frederick lives with me in heart and sp irit.”
At that moment, my dad walks back into the kitchen, and Alli releases Lizzie and throws her arms around him. He looks at my mother with a confused expression and gives Alli a squeeze back.
“Thank you, Dad, for being you, and for taking the chance to save Lizzie when she needed a heart,” Allison c ries.
My dad’s expression changes instantly, and he smiles affectionately at Lizzie, realizing she has shared her story with us. “It was one of my proudest moments, helping Elizabeth to survive. We are very lucky to have her.”
It seems that everyone has a love story. Some of us are in the making of one. I’m beginning to realize that I was meant to be there the night of the attack, and I feel grateful to have been the one to save Scarlette. She’s changed my life in so many ways, starting from the night I carried her out of the darkness. I don’t want to know life without her again. I’m so happy she’s alive, and I’m even happier she’s mine.
Allison’s phone buzzes on top of the island counter. “There’s my Logan,” she announces with a grin. “Hi, hon,” she answers, stepping out of the kitchen to take the call.
Adam hops onto his feet, with his blue eyes looking right into mine. “It’s heroic, little bro.” It’s the same thing he said to me when I found her. Adam then gestures towards our father. “And you too, Dad.”
“I don’t see why I’m a hero,” I wonder out loud.
“Because you’re Scarlette’s earth angel, Elvis,” Allison answers for him, popping back into the kitchen. And before I can react, she adds, “Guess where we are all going t oday?”
“Where, darling?” my mother asks.
“West Vancouver’s spring carnival!” Allison says, making it clear that we don’t have much of an op tion.
Well, why not go? This could be a fun outing for all of us. My phone vibrates in my pocket. I look at the screen and see Philip’s name.
“Hey, Phil,” I answer, staying seated while my mom and Allison still rave loudly about today’s p lans.
“What’s all the excitement there? Am I missing a party?” Phil chuc kles.
“No party, but we are going to the amusement park. Apparently, the carnival is in town.”
“That sounds like a great plan, El. I’ll tell Leanne about it too,” he sugg ests.
“Let’s all meet there at five o’c lock?”
“Be there a few minutes late today,” he says. “You have my permission. Let me make some of my money back!” I hear him laugh and I shake my head.
Philip says, “I’ll call Liam and let him know the plan … I need to place a bet!”
“Bye, Phil,” I say, ending the call and chuckling away.
Before I can put my phone back in my pocket, it buzzes again in my hand. It’s a text message from Scarl ette: I’m on my way.
My heart fills with excitement and a smile tugs at my lips. I can feel her energy through the phone screen. I type b ack …
I can’t wait to see you and tell you our plans for the day. Epic!
It buzzes a gain.
Hmm … worried and excited. Since you’re one for one on your epic prom ises!
I laugh under my br eath.
“I have to go get Natalie,” Adam announces, giving my mom a kiss on the top of her head. “We’ll meet you all there,” he says with a wave as he makes his way out.
Now that the room is quiet again, my thoughts wander back to Ruben. How do I find him? I keep going over it in my head when suddenly it comes t o me.
Mike!
I nearly shout his name out loud. Yes, Mike! He went to high school with Ruben and his friends. Mike is the one who warned me about them that night at the party. I jump off my stool and walk out to the front doors, holding my phone in the palm of my hand and furiously scrolling down my contacts list.
Please have it, please have it. Mike! Yes!
I press the “Call” button and hear it ring on the other end.
After three rings, the line clicks. “Hello,” a voice ans wers.
“Mike?” I ask anxio usly.
“Yes, this is Mike,” he resp onds.
“Hey, Mike. It’s E lvis.”
“Elvis? Wow, blast from the past. How are you, man? Haven’t heard from you since graduation,” Mike says cheerf ully.