Finding Our Course: Collision Course Duet

by Ahren Sanders

  “Oh my God!”

  “Come on. We need to get packed, and I’m driving us to Norfolk. No matter what, we’ll be there.”

  I nod in silence, scared to speak. Her words replay in my head—Nate’s hurt.

  She runs around her room in a flash, packing a bag and giving me a minute to absorb the news. I can tell she’s scared, too, but is trying to hold it together for me.

  “Dev, it’s four a.m. We’re leaving at daybreak. The first sliver of light, we’re on the road. That gives you a few hours. Do you want me to pack for you?”

  I nod again in silence, unable to speak.

  She leaves, and I hear her on the phone.

  Suddenly, images and memories of my brother fill my head. So strong, so smart, so kind and loving. My mind then goes into overdrive.

  Someone needs to call Jamie.

  Bryce is no doubt a wreck.

  My mother is freaking out.

  Dad is probably barely holding it together.

  I find my phone on Quinn’s nightstand and dial home. The minute my mom’s tear-strained voice comes on the line, I lose it.

  “Mama,” I rasp.

  “Oh baby, oh baby, oh baby,” she cries.

  There’s a rustling, and my dad comes on and clears his throat. “Dev, baby?”

  “Yeah, Daddy. I’m okay. Are you okay?”

  “Oh, Devon.” His own voice cracks, and I hear his shallow breathing.

  My heart hurts at his pain, and I want to hug him so badly that I wrap my arms around my knees. “Daddy, Nate is strong. He’s going to be okay.”

  There’s another shuffling, and my dad inhales deeply. “Baby, we just got the call. It wasn’t Nate who was hurt. It was a mistake.”

  Relief washes over me, and I whimper. “Thank God.”

  His silence turns my blood cold. “Daddy?”

  “Devon, it was Bryce in the explosion…”

  There’s an ear-piercing, heart-wrenching scream that shakes me to my absolute core. I realize it is me when Quinn rushes in with fear all over her face. That’s the last vision I have.

  Jerk, smooth, jerk, smooth…

  I open my eyes and focus on the patch of unfamiliar grey leather. There’s a warm blanket over me, and when I look down, I’m in my favorite black sweat suit. My body protests when I turn and hit the back of a seat, and I finally start to have clarity.

  I’m in a moving vehicle. Soft voices flow through the car, and I recognize Quinn’s worried tone. Slowly, I sit up and shake my head a few times when I find myself in the back of an SUV with Quinn sitting in the middle seat.

  Her head turns toward me, and I immediately remember everything.

  Bryce was in an accident.

  Nate is okay.

  There was a mistake…

  “What’s going on?” I glance around and see Crystal watching me carefully. Then I notice Morgan driving. “Where are we?”

  “Drink this.” Quinn shoves a bottle of water at me. “You scared the shit out of me.”

  I take it and swallow in little sips, my stomach protesting.

  “Do you remember anything after the call with your dad?”

  I shake my head.

  “You blacked out when I was on the phone with Crystal. Morgan was visiting, and they heard your scream. He was coming over to check your tires and looking at snow chains. I had you in my arms when they arrived. He insisted on driving us to Norfolk.”

  “How long did I black out?” I ask, completely confused.

  Both women look at me with horrified expressions, and I meet Morgan’s eyes in the rearview mirror, flaring with worry.

  “What?”

  “Dev, you woke up, took a shower, and packed a bag. For the five minutes I left you alone, you also packed another bag for Bryce. Then you made coffee, sent a few emails, and called Bryce’s parents.”

  “Oh no!” I cover my face. “Sheila and Dave have to be worried sick.”

  Everyone’s face in the car swings to me, and I slink back.

  “You don’t remember?” Quinn says quietly.

  “No,” I admit.

  She nods in understanding. “You told them Bryce was a fighter and he’s going to be okay.”

  “He is,” I say absolutely, and Quinn’s face falls.

  “You also said he wasn’t going to leave you a widow at the age of twenty. Then you hung up, walked to the truck, and went back to sleep for the last two hours.”

  Suddenly, the car gets hot, and I can’t breathe. I start to hyperventilate, trying to remember the sound of Sheila’s voice or the conversation. Nothing comes to my mind. I lean over and put my head between my legs while Quinn climbs beside me, rubbing my back with soothing circles.

  “This can’t be happening,” I chant over and over. “He has to be okay.”

  “Shhh…” Crystal climbs over the console and comes to me.

  We don’t talk as we drive, and I’m confused when Morgan pulls off at a rest stop. He says nothing as he parks and gets out, not minding the snow. Crystal leans me back, gives Quinn a look, and they slowly move away.

  Morgan opens the door and extends one arm to me, not saying anything. I go to him, and in a second, I’m in his arms, stumbling to a covered area. Once we get there, he wraps me in a hug, his big body covering mine.

  “Let it out,” he says softly.

  I start to cry, really cry. Sobs wrack my body, and I cling to him as hard as I can. “He has to be okay,” I say. “He’s the strong one. He would know what to do. I don’t know what to do…”

  “Yeah, you do. His family, your family, Bryce—they’re all going to need you to be strong. Brace for the worst and hope for the best. He’s hurt, and from what I hear, it’s serious. He needs you to be strong.”

  “That’s not how we work!” I yell and hit Morgan’s chest. “He’s strong. I’m quirky, joking, fun. He’s the fighter, I’m the lover!”

  He lifts my chin gently until I’m forced to look at him. I’m instantly calmed by the deep brown sympathy in his eyes.

  “You love him?”

  “More than anything.”

  “Then find the strength and help him. Let it out here with me. Beat me, scream, question everything in the universe, but when we get to those hospital doors, you are solid. You understand?”

  His words put everything into perspective. Bryce needs a strong woman, and that’s me.

  I nod and step back, wiping my face. “How far away are we?”

  “One hour with the weather conditions.”

  “Okay, I can do this. Do we have any other news?”

  “Quinn has all the information.”

  He puts his arm around me to shield me from the snow and walks us back to the truck. I climb in and sit back between the girls.

  Morgan is back on the interstate before I take a deep breath to clear my head. “Tell me what you know.”

  “First off, Bryce’s parents and your parents are on a flight to Norfolk. According to the story your mom was told, last night around midnight, there was a small explosion in an engine room. Bryce was alone and the only one injured,” Quinn fills me in.

  “Why did they think it was Nate?”

  “Maybe Nate was on shift? Without actually seeing who was in the room, they assumed it was him. It was reported to the ship doctors that Nate Harris was involved in an accident and sustained significant and possibly critical injuries.”

  “They didn’t fucking confirm?” I yell.

  “This is a colossal mistake. Someone is in major trouble. They knew the identity mistake pretty quickly, but lines of communication were jumbled.”

  “Jumbled? Did they use the term jumbled? A fucking Naval Officer is involved in an accident, and they screw up who it is? And they have the audacity to inform the wrong family? How is that even possible?”

  “Devon.” She turns me to her and grips my chin. “Don’t lose focus. We’ll get the details soon. Right now, we need to talk about Bryce. Nate will fill us in soon.”

  “Okay.
”

  “The ship was already heading back to base. They stabilized Bryce, and a Naval helicopter crew was going to transport him to the Naval Medical Center.”

  “Our parents?”

  “The Navy has a transport getting them to the hospital as soon as they land. We’ll probably beat them there. But Nate is with Bryce.”

  “Thank God he has someone with him. Poor Nate.” I fall back on the seat and rub my eyes, thinking about how worried my brother must be. “Nate will take care of him.”

  The two girls exchange a look, and my head starts to pound. I don’t ask any more questions because their silence says it all. I need to prepare for the worst.

  Chapter 32

  We find Nate sitting alone in a waiting room when we arrive. He looks up at me, and my already aching heart breaks a little more. He’s in misery. His eyes are dry but rimmed red, and his face is totally pale. When he sees me, he gets up and opens his arms. I rush into him and hug him as tightly as possible. We stay quiet as Quinn joins in, wrapping her arms around us both.

  Another set of arms circle my waist, and I recognize the smell of Jamie’s perfume. She nudges her head onto Nate’s shoulder, and I swallow hard to hold back my tears.

  We break apart, Jamie supporting Nate and Quinn taking me.

  “How is he?”

  “Stable for now. He scared the shit out of me on the helicopter, but they pulled him through. The second we landed, they took him back, and no word since.”

  “What do you mean, pulled him through?” I start to panic.

  “Dev, he’s unconscious and hasn’t woken up since the explosion. We know for sure he has a broken clavicle and deep lacerations on his body. There are some burns and possible internal injuries. What the doctors seem worried about is the blow to his neck and head. His lack of consciousness may mean a brain injury.”

  “Oh, God.” My knees buckle, and Morgan immediately catches me, placing me in a chair.

  “Tell me what happened.”

  “Can we wait for Dave and Sheila and Mom and Dad? I prefer not to repeat the story more than I have to.”

  My chest aches, and breathing becomes difficult. Crystal hands me a cup of water and sits down, gripping my free hand. We all sit in silence, lost in our own thoughts. I can see the pain written all over Nate’s face. Our eyes meet for a brief second, and he looks away, wiping his eye.

  “Family of Bryce Randolph?” A soft voice calls from the doorway, and I jump up. Nate does the same.

  “Yes,” we say.

  “I’m sorry. I was looking for his parents.”

  “They’re on the way. We’re his local family,” Nate tells her.

  “Are you—?”

  “His brother and his fiancée,” Nate cuts her off.

  She looks at her chart and then back to us. “Nate and Devon?”

  “Yes,” I answer.

  She nods and motions with her head to the hallway. We follow her closely, Nate holding my elbow for support.

  “I know he’s not your brother,” she looks at Nate, “but you are listed on the emergency paperwork. The doctors have him stable and comfortable. As suspected, there is indication of a brain injury, but no idea how critical because of swelling and bleeding. He’s being prepped for surgery, where they will drain some of the fluid surrounding the brain. This will help determine how serious the damage is.”

  “Oh, God,” I gasp, her words clogging my mind.

  “Can we see him?” Nate speaks up.

  The nurse gives us a kind smile and nods. “You can have five minutes. Traditionally, we let the parents in, but since they’re not here, we can allow you to go back.”

  We mutter our thanks, and she points us to a sink to wash and sanitize our hands. Then we follow her down the long hallway to his room. When we get to the doorway, she reminds us of our five minutes and then opens the door.

  The sound of beeping and the smell of antiseptic hits me hard, and I swallow down the three sips of water that threaten to reappear. Nate guides me to the side of the bed, and I close my eyes. When I open them and focus on Bryce, my body starts to tremble.

  His beautiful face is covered in bruises and small cuts. There’s a large bandage or brace around his collarbone, and his arm is placed in a sling. I move around to the side and slip my hand in his, using my other to run my fingertips across his forehead.

  “Bryce, can you hear me?” I whisper.

  Nothing.

  “It’s me… Devon. Nate’s here too.”

  Nothing.

  “Baby, you’ve been in an accident, but you’re going to be fine. The doctors are going to take care of you.”

  One eyelid flutters, and I look at Nate for direction. He jerks his head for me to continue talking.

  “When you get out of surgery, we’ll all be right here waiting.”

  Nothing.

  I take a deep breath and force down all the emotions bubbling to the surface, then lean in to kiss his bruised cheek. “Baby, I love you so much, and I need you to come through this. The minute they let me, I’ll be right here by your side.”

  His fingers twitch, and the heart monitor picks up. Nate lays a hand on Bryce’s thigh and pats encouragingly.

  A throat clears, and we turn to see the same nurse with Sheila and Dave in the doorway. I kiss his cheek once more and go straight to them. Nate whispers something in his ear and follows.

  I don’t say anything but squeeze Sheila’s hand and pass them, going back to the waiting room. As soon as I see my parents, my resolve breaks, and I stop walking. Tears spill down my cheeks, and my dad gets to me first. His arms hold me up as I allow my fears to pour out.

  After a few minutes, I straighten up and look around the room. Everyone is watching me closely with their own sadness. My eyes meet Morgan’s, and I remember our talk then suck in my cries. Mom wipes my cheeks and hands me some tissue.

  By the time Sheila and Dave join us, I regain the little composure I have and go to them. The three of us hug until Dave needs to step aside and hold Sheila’s shaking body. We lead her to a seat, and Quinn offers coffee and water to everyone.

  When the room seems calm, I give Nate an expectant look. He drops his head and leans his elbows on his knees then starts to explain.

  “It was a freak accident. We knew one of the machines in the room was faulty, and that’s why we headed in a few days early. Bryce and my team handled our project, and we were assigning our group to this problem once we were back. The whole ship had great responses during this underway. The CO decided to close up this engine room, and we’d hit it hard next week with a whole new set of eyes.

  “There were a few of us throwing out ideas, and Bryce and I decided we needed some pressure measurements and gauge response times. These were recorded by another team, but when we read through them, we knew there was a miscalculation. I was scheduled to do a test the next morning, so I headed to bed.”

  He takes a deep breath and looks directly at Sheila and Dave. “That’s where the details get messy. For some reason, Bryce went by himself. Once word of the explosion spread, it was assumed it was me because we’d told a number of people I was conducting the test. The first people on the scene say Bryce’s camo was partially on fire, so they ripped it off, not reading the name. Then they got him to safety and a medic.”

  “At what fucking point did they figure out it was Bryce?” Dave asks angrily. “This still doesn’t make sense.”

  “Oh, don’t worry. Both our families will be getting a formal apology. My name was flying around the boat, and Tommy and Rick had the sense to come find Bryce and tell him, assuming he was asleep. When they found me instead, it was obvious there was a problem. We rushed to the med-bay and tried to get a look at the man they were working on, but I knew in my gut it was Bryce. They had assessed that he had hit his head and made the call for flight here. As soon as that decision was made, the call went to my parents.

  “In less than a minute the error was realized. At the same time I was screamin
g their mistake, a tech read the removed dog tags. Then it was pandemonium. As hard as they tried, I wouldn’t leave him and insisted on being on the chopper. Usually, this would be questioned, but since they had made a massive error, the CO allowed it.”

  “Jesus Christ! Massive error? What a bunch of fucking idiots,” Quinn practically screams.

  I can’t help but giggle at her inappropriate yet accurate point.

  Nate grins and mumbles, “Well said.”

  “So what happens now?” Quinn asks.

  I look around and notice for the first time that Jamie is sitting between Nate and Crystal. She’s holding his hand and looking at the ground nervously. Then I realize she’s never met my parents until tonight. Her eyes catch mine, and I try to give her a reassuring smile. She bites her lip and starts to blush.

  “Why don’t you, Crystal, and Morgan go back to Nate and Bryce’s?” I reach into my bag for my set of keys to their place. “Get some rest, and I’ll call when we have news. Y’all have to be tired.”

  “What are you going to do?” She props her hands on her hips and tilts her head at me knowingly.

  “I’m going to wait here. I’m not leaving until he opens his eyes.”

  “Then we wait.” She settles in her seat and rolls her eyes at me. “Did you really think we’d leave you? Maybe Bryce isn’t the only one who hit his head.”

  Even with all the tension and fear in the room, Quinn manages to get a few giggles.

  I lay my head on my dad’s shoulders and mouth ‘love you’ to her. Then I close my eyes and pray.

  “Who’s the boss’s, boss’s, boss?” Quinn questions, and I widen my eyes at my brother, trying to stop him from answering.

  “You mean the largest in command?”

  “Yes! The Chief Commander.” She nods eagerly.

  He looks at me and raises an eyebrow in disbelief. I move my eyes back and forth, trying to warn him again.

  “We citizens call him the Commander in Chief, in other words, the President of The United States.”

  She scrunches her eyebrows and then shrugs nonchalantly. “Him it is then.”