lights, and the Gormans talking, but nothing seemed related to Emily. She was surprised to be put on a stretcher. “Doesn’t mean there’s anything seriously wrong with you, honey,” said the attendant, grinning at her. “It’s just the way we do it. Lie down, kid. You’re quite the heroine. You know who that guy was in the car? Your boyfriend saved his life.”
My boyfriend, thought Emily, savoring those two words, smiling at such a lovely thought. “Who?” she said, as they strapped her in.
“Jasper L. Chase.”
She had never heard of him. “He wasn’t that badly hurt then?” she said anxiously.
“He was hurt real bad. Your boyfriend saved his life,” he repeated. “And so did you, getting here. You can be real proud, honey.”
“How come you’re not dressed in white ?” she asked. They slid her into the ambulance and closed the doors behind them.
“We’re volunteers. We have twelve-hour shifts of being on call,” he explained. “I was at home working on my son’s train set. That’s why I’m a little greasy around the edges.”
“I’ve never minded a little grease around the edges,” Emily said.
“Good thing, sweetheart, because if there’s one thing you need, it’s a long hot shower.”
He was joking, but that remark took all the fun out of it in a hurry. Did she look that dreadful? How horrible. She didn’t want anybody to see her like this! She wanted to go home and start the afternoon all over again, beginning with the hairdresser at three.
In the emergency room, a very kind doctor cleaned her up briskly. “Mostly deep scratches, my dear,” she said. “Nothing to leave a scar. I’m just going to put some stitches into this ankle and you’ll be fine.”
“Then I can still go to the dance tonight?” said Emily hopefully.
They all stared at her: doctor, nurse, aide.
“It’s the first formal dance I’ve ever been to,” she explained, feeling stupid. “I can go home and shower and put on another dress. I mean, it won’t be a formal dress, but we can still go. I can catch up with Matt and we can limp in, don’t you think?”
“Catch up with Matt,” repeated a nurse slowly. She and the others exchanged glances. “Emily, we’d better make a few phone calls. You just lie here and we’ll get your parents down.”
Everybody else looked carefully at her damaged foot, and not at Emily.
Matt is dead, Emily thought.
The lightning missed me and got him. Half in, half out of that car the way he was. The wire must have been flung against him, or the lightning struck and he died, and they hadn’t gotten around to telling me yet. They’ll wait until my mother and father are here.
Matt.
Nearly a stranger, but oh so close. So important !
Matt, who had liked her instantly. Thought her perfect from the first minute. Who got a special car, and special flowers to show that she, too, was special. Matt, who was able to make a good impression on her mother and father, who weren’t all that impressed with Emily herself.
She was hardly aware of the stitching and bandaging on her foot.
When the doctor spoke to her she did not answer because she did not hear.
Matt was dead.
If she had not asked him to this dance. …
If she had remembered the first turn. …
Emily began to weep. I was worrying about my hair! she thought, wishing she could shave it all off. I ran worrying about my dress!
And Matt was out there dying.
Chapter 10
K IP CAUGHT A GLIMPSE of Roddy. He was over by the refreshment tables. Kip had had the food spread out so that nobody would have to stand in line in order to eat. Roddy was standing against the food, as if on display. He was so clearly alone. His posture was one of defeat.
Do I look like that? Kip wondered. Am I standing on my side of the room, folded over as if I’ve a cramp in my side from running too fast?
It diminished her to watch Roddy. If I had come alone, she thought, at least it would have shown courage. People would have respected me
My boyfriend, thought Emily, savoring those two words, smiling at such a lovely thought. “Who?” she said, as they strapped her in.
“Jasper L. Chase.”
She had never heard of him. “He wasn’t that badly hurt then?” she said anxiously.
“He was hurt real bad. Your boyfriend saved his life,” he repeated. “And so did you, getting here. You can be real proud, honey.”
“How come you’re not dressed in white ?” she asked. They slid her into the ambulance and closed the doors behind them.
“We’re volunteers. We have twelve-hour shifts of being on call,” he explained. “I was at home working on my son’s train set. That’s why I’m a little greasy around the edges.”
“I’ve never minded a little grease around the edges,” Emily said.
“Good thing, sweetheart, because if there’s one thing you need, it’s a long hot shower.”
He was joking, but that remark took all the fun out of it in a hurry. Did she look that dreadful? How horrible. She didn’t want anybody to see her like this! She wanted to go home and start the afternoon all over again, beginning with the hairdresser at three.
In the emergency room, a very kind doctor cleaned her up briskly. “Mostly deep scratches, my dear,” she said. “Nothing to leave a scar. I’m just going to put some stitches into this ankle and you’ll be fine.”
“Then I can still go to the dance tonight?” said Emily hopefully.
They all stared at her: doctor, nurse, aide.
“It’s the first formal dance I’ve ever been to,” she explained, feeling stupid. “I can go home and shower and put on another dress. I mean, it won’t be a formal dress, but we can still go. I can catch up with Matt and we can limp in, don’t you think?”
“Catch up with Matt,” repeated a nurse slowly. She and the others exchanged glances. “Emily, we’d better make a few phone calls. You just lie here and we’ll get your parents down.”
Everybody else looked carefully at her damaged foot, and not at Emily.
Matt is dead, Emily thought.
The lightning missed me and got him. Half in, half out of that car the way he was. The wire must have been flung against him, or the lightning struck and he died, and they hadn’t gotten around to telling me yet. They’ll wait until my mother and father are here.
Matt.
Nearly a stranger, but oh so close. So important !
Matt, who had liked her instantly. Thought her perfect from the first minute. Who got a special car, and special flowers to show that she, too, was special. Matt, who was able to make a good impression on her mother and father, who weren’t all that impressed with Emily herself.
She was hardly aware of the stitching and bandaging on her foot.
When the doctor spoke to her she did not answer because she did not hear.
Matt was dead.
If she had not asked him to this dance. …
If she had remembered the first turn. …
Emily began to weep. I was worrying about my hair! she thought, wishing she could shave it all off. I ran worrying about my dress!
And Matt was out there dying.
Chapter 10
K IP CAUGHT A GLIMPSE of Roddy. He was over by the refreshment tables. Kip had had the food spread out so that nobody would have to stand in line in order to eat. Roddy was standing against the food, as if on display. He was so clearly alone. His posture was one of defeat.
Do I look like that? Kip wondered. Am I standing on my side of the room, folded over as if I’ve a cramp in my side from running too fast?
It diminished her to watch Roddy. If I had come alone, she thought, at least it would have shown courage. People would have respected me