She held out her hands. “I’m shaking.”
“Believe me, you’re not the only one,” I told her, rubbing my arms. Then the three of us held onto each other for a long time.
“Is everybody all right?” Lisa asked when she finally pulled away.
Jade nodded.
“I think so,” I said. That’s when I noticed the blood on Lisa’s shirt, actually it was my white shirt, but that was beside the point. “You’re bleeding.”
I visually checked her over, while she quickly ran her hands down her body.
“Nothing’s broken. I seem fine,” she said. “Except for this.”
Blood oozed from a nasty gash on her thumb. I instantly knew where this was headed from all those scraped knees she had as a kid. Lisa had a stomach like a rock when it came to other people’s blood. It was her own blood she could never handle.
I ran over and caught her just as she passed out in my arms.
The big lesson of life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.
Fear is the enemy of logic.—Frank Sinatra
TWELVE
Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Two hours later we were still in the ER of Sonoma Valley Hospital on Andrieux Avenue, a few blocks from Highway 12. When Lisa collapsed, Jade called 911, which, along with the quick response of the Sonoma PD, eventually alerted Nick who then phoned Leo, who phoned my mom. Once that happened it was like a dam broke and the news of our accident traveled so fast that by the time the ambulance arrived at the hospital, most of my family stood waiting outside along with Leo and Nick.
Nick ignored us and went right to our driver. I couldn’t hear what they were saying because my mother trumped all other sounds.
“Oh my God, are you girls all right?” she yelled when the back door of the ambulance swung open. Both Jade and I had sat on a side bench during the short ride, while Lisa was prone on a gurney. “This is crazy,” Lisa said. “I feel great. I can walk.”
But the paramedics would have no part of it. None of us was allowed to walk into the hospital.
“We’re fine, Mom,” I said, as a male nurse ushered me into a wheelchair.
“Did they catch the bastard who tried to run you off the road?”
“Not yet,” I told her.
“Damn bastage. They should cut off his balls,” Val said.
“Drastic,” the nurse said behind me.
“Not enough,” Val countered. “If it was up to me, his dick would come off in the process.”
The nurse fell silent.
“Glad to see you girls are all right,” Federico said. “Good thing Lisa was driving.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Good thing.”
Leo came up alongside me, and took my hand in his. I held on tight, happy to see him despite his lying, although his concern was truly touching. “I’m here if you need anything.”
“I’m okay. Really,” I told him.
I wasn’t used to Leo caring about me. This was a new feature to his otherwise closed personality.
“You girls don’t look so fine,” Aunt Hetty said, her hair standing straight up in fuzzy tufts, lipstick smeared in the usual manner. Why the woman even wore lipstick remained a mystery. “You look like hell.”
“Thanks,” I said, wanting to say so much more.
“Wow! I’ve never been in a wheelchair before,” Jade announced as another nurse secured the foot rests. “Interesting.”
Aunt Babe came up on the other side, and walked with me as my nurse pushed me toward the glass ER doors. “You can tell me the truth, doll. How ya feeling?”
“I feel all right. A little unsteady, and uncomfortably dirty, but okay, considering.” It was the truth. I guess what was really bugging me at the moment was the whole idea of someone trying to run us off the road. I wanted to tell Leo all the details about the Tundra dogging me, but I couldn’t take the chance it would get back to Nick.
“That’s good to hear, doll.”
“That don’t mean nothing,” Uncle Ray said. “You could have internal injuries. All that bumping can move things around on the inside.”
“I can assure you, nothing moved,” I told him, still clinging to Leo’s warm hand. The nurse ignored everyone and kept moving me closer to the doors.
Uncle Benny chewed on his stogy. “You are going to be fine, Mia. These doctors are the best. Do not worry about a thing. I will see to it that they take good care of you girls.”
A tall female nurse waiting at the door rolled her eyes.
My mother leaned over to Jade who was coming