Around the Bend (Sandy Cove Series Book 4)

by Rosemary Hines

“No. Just thinking about when Amber told me she was pregnant. I never would have imagined things would turn out this way.”

  “That’s for sure,” he replied. “Look,” he added, turning his focus to where they’d been throwing the ball.

  They both sat forward a little as they noticed Amber walking over to Caleb. She put her hand on his shoulder, and the two of them started heading toward the play equipment.

  “Where are they going?” Steve asked, rising to his feet.

  “Looks like they’re going over to the swings and climbing fort,” she said, standing beside him. “Maybe we’d better go over there.”

  “Definitely.”

  When they got within earshot, they could hear Caleb say, “Really? Can I meet him?”

  “Maybe someday,” Amber replied. “I know he’d like that.”

  Their son spotted them and said, “Hey Mom, Amber says I look just like her brother. He’s a baseball player, too.”

  “Really?” Michelle replied, trying to sound casually curious.

  “Yeah. She said I could meet him.”

  Amber quickly interjected, “I said, maybe you could meet him someday.”

  “Yeah. Whatever,” he responded. Then turning to Steve, he said, “Can Amber and her boyfriend come over for dinner? They could play my new baseball video game.”

  “That’s not a good idea, Caleb,” he replied. “We’ve still got Gram and Gramps here.”

  “Oh yeah. Well maybe after they leave,” the boy suggested.

  “I think Amber will be going back to Arizona by then,” Steve said, shooting a warning glance Amber’s way.

  “Another time,” she said. Then she looked at them and asked, “Is it okay if we go on the equipment for a few minutes?”

  Michelle’s heart was screaming no, but she didn’t want to raise any flags in Caleb’s eyes. She looked at Steve. “Maybe ten more minutes?”

  He took a deep breath and gave Amber another warning glance. “Ten minutes and then we’ve got to get going.”

  Michelle backed him up. She bent down to Caleb’s level and said, “We’ve got to get home soon, so I can fix dinner for everyone.”

  “Okay,” the little boy replied, sounding disappointed. He grabbed Amber’s hand. “Come on,” he said as he led her to the ladder. Up they climbed into the fort, where Michelle could hear him giving her instructions about how to cross the suspension bridge and slide down the curvy tube at the end.

  “Maybe he’ll be a teacher someday,” Steve observed, nudging Michelle with his elbow.

  “You think?”

  “He sure likes telling people what to do.” He looked at her and winked.

  “He likes to argue, too,” she said. “Maybe he’ll be an attorney.”

  “Touché,” Steve replied.

  Michelle noticed it had gotten pretty quiet over on the equipment. She saw Amber and Caleb sitting in the fort talking. “What do you think?” she asked, gesturing with her head.

  “I’d better go over there.”

  “Good idea,” she replied.

  She watched Steve walk over to the equipment. Amber stood as soon as she noticed him coming. “Time to go?” she asked.

  “Yep,” he replied.

  “Bummer,” Caleb said.

  Amber reached over and started tickling him, and he burst into giggles. “Got you!” she said, then headed across the bridge and down the slide with Caleb close on her heals. They both landed in a heap at the bottom of the curvy tube, Caleb laughing as Amber stood and dusted the sand off her clothes and hair.

  “You’re pretty fun for a girl,” he said.

  Amber grinned. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

  “Are you sure you have to go back to Arizona?”

  “Pretty sure. But don’t worry. I’ll be back. Maybe I’ll bring Jack with me.”

  “Cool!” Caleb exclaimed. “Be sure to tell him we look alike.”

  “Oh, I will. Don’t worry,” she promised. Then she turned to Steve and Michelle. “Thanks for letting us hang out.”

  “Sure. I’m glad you two had a good time,” Michelle said, hoping the sound of her voice matched her words.

  “Well, we’d better get going, sport,” Steve said to Caleb as he placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder.

  Caleb broke free and gave Amber a hug. She looked at Michelle with a surprised expression, and then squatted down at eye level with their son. “See you soon, kid.” Then she stood back up and said to Michelle, “I’ll call you.”

  Michelle just nodded. The three of them watched her head toward Chad’s car. As she climbed in, she looked back at them and waved.

  “Bye!” Caleb shouted, returning her wave enthusiastically.

  As they were driving home, Caleb announced, “I really like Amber. She’s nice.”

  Michelle turned and looked at him. “Yes, she is. She likes you, too.”

  “How do you know?” he asked.

  “I can just tell.”

  “Mom?”

  “Yes?”

  “Did you know that Amber had a baby? She gave it up for adoption. I told her I’m adopted, too.”

  Michelle’s heart froze in her chest.

  Steve put his hand on her leg. “What else did she tell you, son?” he asked over his shoulder.

  “Just that she hopes we can be friends.”

  “Amber lives pretty far away from here, Caleb,” Michelle said, trying to steady her voice.

  “I know. But she said maybe she’d move back to Sandy Cove sometime,” he replied. “Wouldn’t that be cool, Mom?”

  Michelle took a deep breath. “Sure.” She looked over at Steve. He shot her an expression that communicated his troubled thoughts.

  “Okay?” Chad asked as they pulled away from the curb.

  “More than okay,” Amber replied, looking over her shoulder to wave one more time to her son. Turning to face Chad she asked, “Isn’t he cute?”

  “I guess. All kids are cute, aren’t they?” he replied, eyes fixed on the road.

  Amber playfully slugged him in the arm.

  “Ouch! What was that for?” His tone told her he wasn’t in the mood to play along.

  His sharp tone surprised Amber, and her joy began to evaporate. “Can’t you just be happy for me?”

  “Who says I’m not happy?”

  “Your tone of voice for one thing,” she replied.

  “Hey, I’m sorry if I’m not getting all into this with you, Amber. I’ve tried to be understanding, but it seems like all I’ve been doing is sitting around waiting for you. Caleb looks like a good kid, and I think he’s doing fine with the Barons. But I’m getting a little worried about you.”

  “Why?”

  “Because the further we take this, the more attached you seem to be getting.” He turned and looked at her for a moment. “Hey, I’m ready to go home. You saw him, and he’s fine. It’s over. Okay?”

  “Whatever.” Amber turned away to look out her window her vision blurring as her eyes filled with tears.

  “Don’t ‘whatever’ me,” Chad persisted, reaching over and pulling on her arm.

  And in that instant, neither of them saw the car barreling through the intersection right toward his door.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Skidding tires. A sudden jarring impact threw Amber into her door, her head banging the window. Crunching metal and the sound of breaking glass as the car spun around.

  Oh God. What’s happening?? Amber’s hand grabbed the dash to steady herself.

  Then nothing.

  She looked over at Chad. His head was resting on the steering wheel, his window shattered and his door folded inward.

  “Chad? CHAD?” She reached for him, but was interrupted by a pounding on her window.

  “Are you okay?” a voice called through the glass.

  She turned and saw a boy who looked to be about sixteen. He was peering in at her with a panicky expression.

  “My boyfriend! Help my boyfriend!” she shouted. Then turning to Cha
d, she called his name again.

  The boy had come around to Chad’s side of the car and was trying to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. He came back around to her side and pulled her door open. She tried to slide across the seat toward Chad, but something was holding her. Seat belt! She quickly released the buckle and was instantly beside him.

  Grabbing his shoulder, she shook him. “Chad? Chad, answer me!” But he didn’t move. She turned to the boy, “Call 9-1-1!”

  He nodded and grabbed his phone from his pocket. As he talked to the dispatcher and gave a location for the accident, Amber tried to move Chad into an upright position, but his body was like lead. “Oh God! Chad—answer me!”

  His lifeless body remained draped over the steering wheel.

  “The paramedics are on the way,” the boy said. Gesturing to Chad, he asked, “Is he breathing?”

  “I can’t tell.” He has to be breathing. Oh God, what is happening? She leaned close and put her hand on his back. She couldn’t feel any movement at all.

  “CHAD! BREATHE!” she screamed.

  The shrill of a siren pierced her ears and then stopped. A fire truck and ambulance deposited rescuers, who rushed to both cars. As one firefighter opened her door, another tried Chad’s. “Bring the jaws!” he called out.

  “Are you okay?” the uniformed man asked her.

  “I think so. Help my boyfriend. I can’t tell if he’s breathing.”

  “Let’s get you out of here,” he said, extending her his hand.

  She took it and slid out the door. Immediately a paramedic took her place on the passenger seat as the other firefighters began cutting through the driver’s door. Amber was shaking so hard she could barely stand.

  The paramedic wrapped an arm around her and helped her to the curb. She could see the other car and a swarm of rescuers surrounding it as well. The boy stood off to the side, his bicycle lying on the grass along the sidewalk.

  Amber watched the crew extract Chad from the car and place him on a gurney, quickly wheeling him to the back of the ambulance. She tried to stand up to run after him, but the paramedic stopped her. “They’ll take care of him. We can get you to the hospital soon.” He was taking her pulse and checking her eyes. “Anything hurt?” he asked.

  “Just my head and my arm,” she replied as she rubbed her right arm at the elbow.

  He did a cursory exam and had her bend and flex it. “I don’t think anything’s broken. Probably just badly bruised. But I’m sure they’ll want to x-ray it when we take you in. Do you feel lightheaded or nauseated?”

  She shook her head. “Just really shaky and cold.” Turning, she watched the ambulance pull away and another take it’s place. Then she saw the rescuers help an elderly man out of the driver’s side of the other car. They lifted him onto another gurney. But at least he was conscious, and they had him sitting up in a propped position as they rolled him to the ambulance.

  Someone put a blanket over her shoulders and she pulled it tight, fighting to stop the earthquake within. Another hand extended a water bottle to her, but she refused it.

  “Hang in there,” the paramedic said. “We’re waiting for a third ambulance to transport you to the hospital.”

  She nodded.

  “Is there someone I can call?” he asked.

  Amber thought about giving him Michelle’s number, but instead she just said no.

  The boy with the bike stood there watching her. “How are you doing?” he asked.

  “Okay, I guess,” she replied. “Hey, thanks for helping.”

  “No problem. Hope your boyfriend’s okay,” he added.

  “Me, too.”

  “Want me to hang here with you until they take you to the hospital?”

  She glanced over at the paramedic, who was now standing a little way off, talking to one of the firefighters.

  “Sure,” she said. “Thanks.”

  “You got it,” he replied. “Name’s Chris.”

  “Amber,” she said.

  “Nice name.”

  “You go to Sandy Cove High?” she asked, feeling her body beginning to relax a little.

  “Yeah. One more year to go. How about you?”

  “I graduated a couple of years ago from a high school in Arizona. I went to Magnolia, though.”

  “Really? Me, too.”

  “Did you have Mrs. Baron for English?” Amber asked.

  “Mrs. B. Yeah. Cool class. We voted her teacher of the year,” he added.

  “Wow, that’s great.”

  “You had her?”

  “Her first year.”

  “Small world.”

  “Yep.”

  The paramedic walked back over to her. “Okay, we have a coach for you now,” he said, pointing to an ambulance that was pulling up. He reached out his hand and helped her stand. “Do you think you can walk?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay. Just lean on me as much as you need.” He wrapped his arm around her and supported her as they started toward the ambulance.

  Amber looked back at Chris. “Hey, thanks again,” she said.

  He nodded, hopped onto his bike, and rode away.

  Michelle was just getting ready to fix dinner when her cell phone rang. She looked at the number, but it didn’t look familiar. “Hello?”

  “Michelle?” a frantic sounding female asked.

  “This is Michelle.”

  “It’s Amber’s mom, Stacy.”

  “Stacy, are you okay?” Michelle asked, concern rising in her spirit.

  “Amber’s been in an accident. She’s at the hospital.”

  “What? We were just with her a little while ago. What happened?”

  Steve walked into the kitchen and Michelle threw him a worried look.

  “She and Chad were broadsided by some guy. Amber said Chad was really badly hurt. They rushed him to the hospital and she just got there, too.”

  Steve caught Michelle’s eye and whispered, “What?”

  She covered the phone with her hand. “Amber and her boyfriend were in an accident. They’re at the hospital.” Turning her attention back to Stacy, she said, “We’ll head over there. How did Amber sound?”

  “She sounded a little shaky, but she said she’s not hurt. She’s really worried about Chad, though. Nobody will tell her what’s going on. I tried to call Chad’s mom, but she’s not picking up.”

  “Okay. We’ll go over right now. I’ll call you as soon as I know anything,” Michelle promised.

  “Thank you so much. I’ll be waiting for your call.”

  Michelle tucked her cell phone in her purse. “We need to go to the hospital.”

  “Okay,” Steve replied, grabbing the keys from the counter.

  Michelle hurried out to the living room where her mother and grandparents were watching the news. “Amber’s been in an accident. She’s okay, but we need to get over to the hospital. I’m sorry to leave you guys like this again.”

  Sheila stood. “Don’t apologize, honey. Just go. We’ll be fine. Grandma and I will wrestle up some dinner for the kids.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” Michelle gave her a quick hug.

  “We’ll be praying,” Grandpa Phil said. “If you need us, just call.”

  Michelle and Steve went up to the admitting desk of the hospital ER and were taken back to a curtained off examining room where Amber was sitting on a bed. She immediately stood and walked into Michelle’s open arms protecting her right side as she held her hand to her chest. After they embraced, Michelle asked, “Have you heard anything about Chad?”

  “No. They won’t tell me anything. I gave them his mom’s cell phone number, but they won’t tell me how he is.” She was clearly beside herself with worry.

  “You’re okay, though, right?” Michelle asked.

  “Yeah. They took some x-rays of my arm just in case. But the doctor said she thinks it’s just bruised. Can you see if you can find out what’s taking so long with Chad? I really want to see him.”

  Steve nodded
. “I’ll go ask at the nurses’ station.”

  Michelle and Amber sat down to wait. A moment later, a doctor pulled the curtain back and entered. She looked at Michelle and extended her hand. “I’m Dr. Crawford.”

  “Michelle Baron,” Michelle replied, grasping the doctor’s hand in hers.

  Dr. Crawford flipped open the chart in her hand. “You are a very lucky young lady,” she said to Amber. “Looks like there are no broken bones, but that arm’s going to be pretty tender for a few days. How’s your head feeling? Headache gone yet?”

  Amber nodded. “It seems better.”

  “No dizziness or nausea?”

  “No. I’m fine. Can I see Chad now?” she asked.

  Dr. Crawford glanced at Michelle and then back to Amber. “Chad took the full impact of the collision. We’re trying to reach his next of kin right now. I’ll let you know more in a little bit.” The doctor turned back to Michelle. “Good to meet you,” she said.

  “Thanks. You, too,” Michelle replied.

  Dr. Crawford’s face said it all. Chad was not okay. How was Amber going to handle all this when she was so far from home? Maybe I should offer to let her stay with us until her mother can get out here. But where will she sleep? She tried to picture Amber sleeping on their couch. Her grandparents would be flying home in a couple of days, but until then there was really no other place for her to sleep. Unless one of the kids gave up a bed. Maybe she could have Caleb stay at Ben and Kelly’s for a couple of nights.

  She was about to ask Amber about going home with them, when Steve walked into the examining cubicle, another doctor on his heels. Steve’s face was ashen, and Michelle knew a nightmare was about to unfold.

  “My name is Dr. Spindler. I’m here to talk to you about Chad.”

  Amber looked up hopefully. “Is he okay? When can I see him?”

  The doctor took a deep breath and sat down beside her. “I’m afraid your friend didn’t make it,” he said. “We did everything we could, but the trauma to his head created a massive subdural hematoma—a brain bleed.”

  Amber just stared at him shaking her head back and forth as if her agreement was necessary for it to be true. “No. He’s going to be okay. He can’t die—he’s only 23. You’ve got to take me to him,” she said as she stood up.