sorry.”
“Clayton? What’s going on?”
“Accident.” His anguish cries fill my ears. “Hospital.”
I drop my phone, and everything inside me is breaking. The tears don’t stop, and I pick up my phone, waving my arms in the air, praying someone will pull over.
“Please!” I yell and see a car coming to a stop. I rush over to their driver's side window.
“Ashley?”
“Oh, my God. Grant!” I get in the car and instruct him to speed to the hospital. I text Gina.
Ashley: Theeere’s been an acidnt.
It’s so hard to type. I can barely see what I’m typing.
Gina: What? Accident? What’s going on?
Instead of texting her back, I press the call button, and she answers in one ring.
“Gina. There’s been an accident. I don’t know the details,” I say in haste. “Clayton called me. I don’t know how Alex is.” The thought of my baby boy in pain. It’s gutting me. Everything inside breaks, and I’m clutching my chest. “Please. Please go check and see what’s going on.”
“Babe. I know. I know. I’ll check. Call me as soon as you get here.”
I disconnect and hug the phone to my chest and pray for God to listen. Pray he’s not going to take my world from me.
Chapter 34
Clayton
The ambulance ride is fast, and I’m holding Alex’s hand. I’m praying he’ll be okay. The paramedic is keeping an eye on his vitals and asking me questions. I don’t know anything about his history.
“I’m sorry. His mom’s on her way. She’ll know everything.”
He nods and goes back to his iPad while I feel like the world’s shittest dad. Here I come into his life, and things are great. Now, I’m the reason he’s unconscious and for the fucking accident.
“Daddy,” Alex cries and squeezes my hand. “Daddy.”
“I’m right here, Alex.” I move forward in my seat and kiss his hand. “I’m right here. Are you in pain?”
“I don’t know.”
The paramedic takes over, and I move aside, giving him room to examine him.
“I’m so sorry.” I look at him then the paramedic. “Is he okay?”
“I’m not completely sure. It’s best not to move him too much. Try to take his mind off what’s going on.”
“I want Mommy.”
“She’s on the way. I promise. When she gets here, we’ll be by your side, and everything will be okay. I’m right here.”
“It hurts.” He cries again, and I place my lips on his hand. “I know. I wish I could take away the pain. We’re almost to the hospital.”
Once I feel the turn, I squeeze Alex’s hand and place it against my cheek. There are no more words coming from me. I can’t think or say anything. All I need is for him to be okay and for Ashley not to kill me.
Rushing in, the doctors ask me questions, and like a fucking idiot I can’t answer any of them.
Before the doctor can say anything else, Gina rounds the corner and sees Alex.
“They’re asking me questions I don’t know.” I cry, and Gina nods, taking over. She tells them what they need to know, and I feel like a fucking piece of shit. This is my son. Alex is mine, and I don’t know if he has allergies.
Once the doctors are with him, I hear Ashley’s voice and hurry out to meet her.
“Ash.” I cry out and raise my hands. She runs into my arms and breaks down. “The doctors are with him. I’m not sure what’s going on. He passed out and then woke up in the ambulance.”
“What?” She lets me go and covers her mouth. “What happened?”
I explained I was at an intersection. It was my right of way, but the car that T-boned us didn’t stop and rammed into Alex’s side. The damage to the car was severe, and I made sure he was conscious before unbuckling the seat belt and freeing us. It was a stupid thing to do, but my instincts kicked in. I had to get him out.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” My head’s spinning from what happened and how useless I’m feeling. This accident’s my fault. I can’t have my son in pain. Why didn’t the car hit my side? “It should’ve been me and not our son.”
Ashley grabs my hand and squeezes it. “No. Don’t be sorry and don’t say that. I know you did everything possible to be safe, and this wasn’t your fault. Let’s go with our son.”
The only thing I can nod and thank God she isn’t kicking me out of the hospital and banning me from seeing him.
Time passes, and we’re