I was processing what could have happened?
“Do we know for sure if he drove his car? Could he have called an Uber?” I asked, swiping at the tears running down my face. I could only imagine how frantic Mama T and Boone would be. “Do we know how serious it is?”
“I don’t know much, Addy. My mom said your mom was crying and said it was really bad. Shaw said he saw Alec walking toward his car shortly before we left, and Ty was arguing with him to give him his keys and spend the night there. But I don’t know what happened after that. I tried to call Ivy, but her phone must be off. I just drove straight to you because I knew you’d want to be there.”
“Oh my gosh. Please say he didn’t get behind the wheel, Co. He is acting so crazy lately. I don’t know what is going on with him.” My words broke on a sob as I thought about how bad this could be.
We pulled up to the hospital and I jumped out of the car before Coco even turned off the engine. She was on my heels as we both took off in a full sprint. When I reached the lobby, the scene before me made it clear that things were not okay.
I could not have prepared for the hysteria that followed.
My parents rushed toward me, tears streaming down their faces.
“Addy, my god, where were you?” my mom shouted before grabbing me and pulling me in for a hug. “Never mind. It’s not important. What matters is that you’re here now. Alec is in surgery. He was in an accident,” she said through her sobs.
“What happened?” I croaked, looking to my father who appeared a bit more in control but clearly shaken.
“Alec hit a tree. He was pinned inside the car, and they had to cut him out. The paramedics placed him in a rigid collar to immobilize his head and neck to transport him here. They determined he has a herniated disc or possibly a fractured vertebrae that is compressing his spine. He was taken in for immediate surgery. That’s all we know right now.”
I covered my mouth with my hand and shook my head with disbelief. “What does that mean? Is he going to be okay?”
“He was conscious, yes. He spoke to his parents. But he couldn’t feel his legs or feet.”
Mama T stormed toward me with a look I’d never seen before on her face. Coco reached for my hand and squeezed my fingers so tight I thought they’d break off. “He told us, Adelaide. He told us that your low rent boyfriend hit him. And you did nothing. That’s why he left the party upset.” She spewed her ugliness at me, and I stood there speechless. Because she was hurting, and I understood it. But from what Coco had told me, he’d been at that party hours after Jett and I had left. “He needs you right now. More than ever. He may never walk again, Addy. Do not turn your back on him now. I swear to all that is holy I will report Jett for attacking him. Boone knows the dean at TU, and I’ll make sure that boy loses that scholarship and winds up doing nothing with his life, just like his mother.”
“That’s enough, Lila. You’re upset,” Boone said to his wife, and my father stepped beside me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“You know I think of you as a second daughter, Addy. But if you turn your back on my son when he needs you most, I will never forgive you.” She turned on her heels and walked back to the chairs to sit with her husband.
It was my mother’s turn next. “I don’t even want to know where you’ve been at this point, because you clearly lied to us. But I did not raise my daughter to turn her back on her family, and Alec Taulson is family, whether you like it or not. You’ve known him your whole life. You will step up. And if Jett had anything to do with this accident, he will be held accountable, Adelaide.” My mother stormed off to sit with Mama T, and I stared with disbelief.
How did this become Jett’s fault?
My father led Coco and me off to the corner across the lobby and bent down to meet my gaze. “Do you know what happened to Alec? Did he and Jett have a fight?”
I nodded and swiped at the tears streaming down my face. Coco squeezed my hand in support. “Alec was drunk and angry. He got, um, a little physical with me. Jett only stepped in to stop him from hurting me. You can’t let Mama T make that call. This is not Jett’s fault.”
“What? He got physical with you? In what way? Did he hurt you?”
I looked over at the Taulsons as they sat in the chairs crying. “I’m fine. But Alec was pretty drunk.”
“He was drinking?”
“Mr. Edington,” Coco interrupted. “I was at that party. Alec stayed long after Jett and Addy left. He actually had a fight with Karina and stormed off toward his car. Shaw said that Ty was trying to take Alec’s keys from him, and I don’t know what happened after that. I didn’t know he drove until I heard he was in an accident.”
My father ran a hand down his face. “Jesus. This is not good. Let’s just pray that he’s okay first, and we’ll deal with the rest as we go. Mama T is upset right now. This isn’t your fault, nor is it Jett’s fault. But right now, we need to just support them and pray Alec will be okay.”
“Of course,” I said, swiping at my face for the millionth time since I’d heard about the accident. “Co, you should go home. Thanks for getting me. I need to be here. I’ll call you when I hear anything, okay?”
She hugged me so tight I thought I’d stop breathing, and tears continued to fall down my cheeks.
“Do not let that woman manipulate you, Addy. You and Jett did nothing wrong. If Alec drove that car, that is on him. No one else,” she whispered close to my ear.
I nodded and looked up at my father who clearly heard what Coco had said to me. He was deep in thought, and I was fairly certain that it was about the fact that Alec had been very intoxicated last night. My father loved the Taulsons, but he also respected the law and rules, and he would not be okay with Alec drinking and driving.
Coco left the hospital, and Daddy and I went to sit in the chairs with my mother and the Taulsons.
“Where’s Clem?” I asked my father as he reached for my hand to comfort me.
“We woke her to tell her we were leaving. We didn’t know how serious things were and wanted to come here first. I’ll go pick her up in a few hours and bring her over.”
We sat in silence as Mama T sobbed, and Alec’s little sister, Maisie, came to sit on the other side of me. She leaned her head against my shoulder and dozed off. I had a few texts from Jett and quickly responded to let him know that I didn’t know much and would keep him posted. I did not want to get caught texting my boyfriend while my ex-boyfriend was currently in surgery.
I went to use the restroom as the sun shined through the lobby doors from outside, letting us know morning had arrived. Hours had passed. When I returned, Dr. Toby was speaking to the Taulsons and my parents stood beside them. I walked over as Mama T leaned against my mother and sobbed.