“I know.” She smiled. “I’m sure you’ll need to drink a lot of alcohol first.”
“Right.” I sighed as I looked away from her.
After spending some awkward time down at the beach with my nine-year-old daughter who apparently knew about sex, we went back up to the house to get ready for Alex’s party. Taking the box with the necklace from my drawer, I took the lid off and smiled as I ran my finger over the heart. I couldn’t wait to give it to her, and I couldn’t wait to tell her how much she meant to me. I’d really fucked up and I prayed she would forgive me. She would have no choice but to listen to what I had to say tonight. I wanted to make her birthday one she’d never forget. If I could ride in on a white horse, I would.
Chapter 37
Alex
Before I headed to the restaurant, I stopped at the store to buy a couple new pillows for my bed. I’d been meaning to get some the past week and somehow kept forgetting, so I made sure I left early enough before my shift at the restaurant started. I was happy it was Friday because I always made a killing in tips.
After I left the store with my two new pillows, I threw them on the front seat, climbed in and headed to the restaurant. As the red light turned green, I pushed on the gas pedal and as I started to go, I noticed a car speeding from the opposite direction. A bad feeling washed over me, and I knew it was too late. I couldn’t explain how but in the split fraction of a second, I grabbed one of the pillows and shoved it between my abdomen and the steering wheel before he smashed into the side of me, and everything went blurry.
Simon
I was a few cars back when I heard the crash. Flipping on my siren, I called it in and quickly got to the scene. That’s when I saw it was Alex’s car.
“Shit!”
I jumped out of my car and ran over to her as I could hear the sirens of other police cars and ambulances approaching. I couldn’t open the smashed door, so I ran around to the other side. She was coherent, but in shock.
“Alex, you’re going to be okay. “Don’t move.” I looked at the pillow that was wedged between her and the steering wheel and then up at the side of her face where a steady stream of blood fell.
“The baby, Simon,” she spoke in a groggy voice.
“What baby, Alex? What are you talking about?”
“I’m pregnant.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.
I stared at her in shock. Fuck.
The first ambulance pulled up, and I shouted at them.
“Over here. She’s pregnant,” I told them before running over to the other car.
By the way Alex was hit, I knew the other car was at fault. Opening the driver’s side door, the stench of alcohol filled the air.
“Dude, I don’t know what happened,” the man spoke in an inebriated state.
I unhooked his seatbelt, grabbed him and dragged him out of the car.
“Are you driving drunk, you motherfucker?!” I shouted as I threw him on the ground. “You hit a pregnant woman!”
“Detective Kind, stop.” One of the officers pulled me off him.
“You’re going to pay for this. Your life is over.” I pointed down at him. “Do a breathalyzer and arrest him.”
“The paramedics need to check him out first, detective.”
“Does he look hurt to you?” I shouted.
I ran over and they had just gotten Alex out of the car and onto the stretcher. Grabbing her hand, I held it tight.
“You’re going to be okay.”
“The baby.” She cried.
“We have to go, Simon,” Rodney the paramedic said as they put her in the ambulance.
“You and the baby are going to be just fine,” I spoke with uncertainty.
As soon as the paramedics closed the doors, I took in a deep breath, pulled out my phone and called my brother. This was one call I never wanted to make.
Stefan
“Shouldn’t she be here by now?” I asked Sebastian.
“Her shift started ten minutes ago. She’s never late.”
“Maybe she just overslept. She said she was going to lay down and take a nap after I took her home,” Julia said.
“She would have called,” Sebastian spoke.
Suddenly, my phone rang and when I pulled it from my pocket, I saw Simon was calling.
“Where are you, bro? The party is about to start.”
“Stefan, I need you to listen to me very carefully. Alex was in a car accident and she’s on her way to the hospital now.”
The room went quiet as everyone could tell by the look on my face something had happened while a sickness settled inside me.
“Is she okay? Simon, is she okay?!” I shouted.
“She’s banged up. But she’ll be okay. There’s a patrol car right by the restaurant, and they’ll lead you to the hospital. I’ll see you there.”
I ended the call as the panic started, and I ran my hand through my hair.
“Alex was in a car accident. I have to get to the hospital.”
“Daddy, is she okay?!”
“I’ll drive,” Sebastian said.
“Julia, take Lily with you and meet us there,” Sam spoke as he kissed her forehead.
“No! I want to go with my dad,” Lily cried.
I knelt in front of her and placed my hands on her shoulders.
“You go with Julia. Alex is going to be okay.” I pulled her into me and held her tight.
I stood up and the three of us climbed in Sebastian’s car and followed the cop car in front of us that had its sirens on. When we reached the emergency room, I ran through the doors and saw Simon standing there.
“Where is she?” I hugged him.
“The doctor is in with her. Listen, bro. Fuck.” He placed his hands on his head.
“What? What is it?” I voice loudly.
“When I got to her, she was crying. She told me she was pregnant.”
“Oh shit.” Sam sighed.
Sebastian placed his hand on my back as I stood there in shock.
“Who was at fault?”
“A car sped through the intersection as she was going through it. He was drunk.”
“Where is he?! Is he here?!”
“No. He didn’t have any injuries. He’s down at the station being booked. Trust me, I didn’t let that go, brother.”
“What about the baby?” I asked as tears filled my eyes.
“I don’t know anything yet. But it was weird because she had a pillow wedged between her and the steering wheel. Almost as if she saw it coming.”
“How were you there?”
“I was stuck in traffic a few cars back when I heard the crash. I didn’t know it was Alex until I got up there. Stay here. I’ll go back and see what I can find out.”
I paced around the lobby as I held my clenched fist up to my mouth.
“I can’t believe she didn’t tell me she was pregnant.”
“Maybe she just found out,” Sebastian said.
Julia walked in and Lily ran over and wrapped her arms around my legs.
“Dad, how is she?”
I picked her up and held her tight.
“Uncle Simon is back there finding out how she’s doing. Julia, can I talk to you?”