CHLOE!” I screamed into the phone, but it was too late.
I started towards the door, but I realized I couldn’t leave the house the way I was dressed. I ran upstairs and threw the diaper on the floor, sliding into regular clothes. I barely took time to slide a pair of panties and a sports bra on, but I ran downstairs with my t-shirt and jeans in my hand. I grabbed my purse and bolted out the door. I realized I didn’t know how to get to Benton Regional, but I knew there was a public transportation stop at the end of the street. By the time I got there, I was out of breath and my legs were tired. I stared at the schedule and prayed there would be one coming soon. When I spotted the bus, I ran down the street, desperately flagging it down. The driver seemed a little confused, but he stopped and pushed the door open. I cleared two steps and had to catch myself on the rail as I jumped on it.
“Does this bus go to Benton Regional?” I asked quickly.
“No ma’am, I’m sorry.” He shook his head.
“How close can it get me?” I felt tears welling up in my eyes again.
“Once we clear the residential area, there’s a taxi company…” I didn’t give him time to finish.
“That’s good enough, thank you.” I dug into my purse and threw money at him, not even checking to see how much it was. If there was any other procedure he was supposed to follow, he skipped them.
The bus ride was a blur. I just wanted it to go faster. I practically shoved people off of the bus when it stopped, and that the bus driver threatened to leave me on the side of the road if I did it again. I settled back into my seat and just started crying. Everyone on the bus stared at me like I was a crazy person, and I guess I was, but I didn’t care. The only man I had ever loved was dying, and all I could do was wait for the bus to slowly crawl into town. When the taxi company was in sight, I jumped out of my seat and pulled open the door before he fully stopped. I ran through traffic without any care for my own life, flagging down the first one I saw. The driver was a little taken aback by the crying, red faced woman that ran at him like a tornado, but he opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat.
“Where to?” He asked as his fingers clicked the meter.
“Benton Regional, and you can have every penny in my purse if you floor it.” I said with a sob.
“Okay, you got it.” The tires squealed as he pulled into traffic.
Even the taxi didn’t seem to move fast enough. I felt like I was living in slow motion as I watched the hospital draw closer. I wanted to jump out and run, but I knew I would get there faster if I could just hold on. When the cab got to the line of cars, I dumped my wallet into the front seat and ran to the doors. The cab driver said something I couldn’t understand, but I didn’t care. I just had to get inside. I looked for a sign that pointed me in the direction of the emergency room and I saw Chloe leaned against a wall crying when I got there. I panicked, thinking I was too late. I ran to her side and spun her around. She broke down and hugged me, but a hug wasn’t going to answer my questions. I pushed her away and shook her a couple of times, trying to bring some form of reality back to her.
“Where is he? Am I too late?” I asked quickly.
“They won’t let me see him. He’s in surgery…” She latched onto me again.
“What happened exactly?” I held her close, but I still needed answers.
“I don’t really know the full story. His partner is over there…” She pointed to an older black man who had his face down in his hands.
“Let me go talk to him. Chloe, you gotta let go.” He finally pried her hands free and ran over to him.
“Um, hi… I’m Amy, I’m—” He looked up at me before I could finish my introduction.
“The Amy? Solomon talks about you all the time. I think he might be
I started towards the door, but I realized I couldn’t leave the house the way I was dressed. I ran upstairs and threw the diaper on the floor, sliding into regular clothes. I barely took time to slide a pair of panties and a sports bra on, but I ran downstairs with my t-shirt and jeans in my hand. I grabbed my purse and bolted out the door. I realized I didn’t know how to get to Benton Regional, but I knew there was a public transportation stop at the end of the street. By the time I got there, I was out of breath and my legs were tired. I stared at the schedule and prayed there would be one coming soon. When I spotted the bus, I ran down the street, desperately flagging it down. The driver seemed a little confused, but he stopped and pushed the door open. I cleared two steps and had to catch myself on the rail as I jumped on it.
“Does this bus go to Benton Regional?” I asked quickly.
“No ma’am, I’m sorry.” He shook his head.
“How close can it get me?” I felt tears welling up in my eyes again.
“Once we clear the residential area, there’s a taxi company…” I didn’t give him time to finish.
“That’s good enough, thank you.” I dug into my purse and threw money at him, not even checking to see how much it was. If there was any other procedure he was supposed to follow, he skipped them.
The bus ride was a blur. I just wanted it to go faster. I practically shoved people off of the bus when it stopped, and that the bus driver threatened to leave me on the side of the road if I did it again. I settled back into my seat and just started crying. Everyone on the bus stared at me like I was a crazy person, and I guess I was, but I didn’t care. The only man I had ever loved was dying, and all I could do was wait for the bus to slowly crawl into town. When the taxi company was in sight, I jumped out of my seat and pulled open the door before he fully stopped. I ran through traffic without any care for my own life, flagging down the first one I saw. The driver was a little taken aback by the crying, red faced woman that ran at him like a tornado, but he opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat.
“Where to?” He asked as his fingers clicked the meter.
“Benton Regional, and you can have every penny in my purse if you floor it.” I said with a sob.
“Okay, you got it.” The tires squealed as he pulled into traffic.
Even the taxi didn’t seem to move fast enough. I felt like I was living in slow motion as I watched the hospital draw closer. I wanted to jump out and run, but I knew I would get there faster if I could just hold on. When the cab got to the line of cars, I dumped my wallet into the front seat and ran to the doors. The cab driver said something I couldn’t understand, but I didn’t care. I just had to get inside. I looked for a sign that pointed me in the direction of the emergency room and I saw Chloe leaned against a wall crying when I got there. I panicked, thinking I was too late. I ran to her side and spun her around. She broke down and hugged me, but a hug wasn’t going to answer my questions. I pushed her away and shook her a couple of times, trying to bring some form of reality back to her.
“Where is he? Am I too late?” I asked quickly.
“They won’t let me see him. He’s in surgery…” She latched onto me again.
“What happened exactly?” I held her close, but I still needed answers.
“I don’t really know the full story. His partner is over there…” She pointed to an older black man who had his face down in his hands.
“Let me go talk to him. Chloe, you gotta let go.” He finally pried her hands free and ran over to him.
“Um, hi… I’m Amy, I’m—” He looked up at me before I could finish my introduction.
“The Amy? Solomon talks about you all the time. I think he might be
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