I can’t believe I forgot my practice bag at home this morning. I had to drive all the way out to the ranch to fetch it after school and then all the way back to town for practice. We don’t have a game tonight; instead, it’s tomorrow, so I can’t miss this practice. If I do, I won’t get to play tomorrow, and I love playing too much to have to sit out.
Aside from Dad and the ranch, football is the best thing in my life right now.
I don’t really mind the drive in and out of town every day. I love my truck, and driving it is totally legit, so it’s all good.
I’m almost to town when I see Polly’s car, and I can’t help but smile. I sure love her. I wonder when Dad’s going to figure out that he does, too, and finally ask her to marry him. Just when I raise my hand to wave, a red car zooms up next to her and pushes Polly off the road.
I check the mirror before slamming on my brakes and flip around to rush over to Polly.
Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.
She can’t be hurt. What the fuck did that idiot do that for? Oh, shit, she has to be okay.
As I push out of my truck, I call 9-1-1.
“I just saw an accident,” I begin. “Two cars.”
I give all the details and whip the door of Polly’s car open.
“She’s unconscious,” I say, feeling fear and panic rising in me. “Oh, shit, she’s unconscious. Help!”
“Okay, it’s okay. Feel her neck. Is there a pulse?”
I press my fingers to Polly’s neck and almost cry in relief.
“Yeah, there is. Yeah.”
“Good. I have an ambulance on the way. How is the person in the other car?”
“They’re looking around,” I reply with a scowl. “It’s a woman, and she’s looking around.”
“Stay there until the first responders arrive.”
“I’m not leaving.” I hang up and immediately dial my dad’s number.
“Hey, buddy, did you forget something else?”
“It’s Polly.” I lick my lips. “It’s bad, Dad.”
“Where are you?” His voice is hard now, like he gets when something is really serious, and I can hear him running through the house.
“Close to town. I saw the car hit her. She’s not awake. She has blood on her head.”
“I’m on my way. Did you call 9-1-1?”
“Yeah, I called them first. They’re coming.”
“Okay, you stay with her, Jake. I’ll be there in five.”
He hangs up, and I take a breath. God, this is what happened to my parents. This is how they died.
But I didn’t have to see it.
“Polly,” I say gently and squat beside her. I don’t want to move her in case she hurt her neck. They told us in health class to never move someone in an accident. “Hey, I’m here with you, okay? You’re kind of beat up, but you’ll be okay. Dad’s coming, and the ambulance will be here soon.”
Tears spring to my eyes when I hear the sirens coming.
“Hear that? They’re coming now. We’ll go to the hospital. I’ll go with you. I won’t leave you alone, okay?”
“Jake?”
“Polly!” I take her hand when she reaches for me. “Hey, I’m here.”
“Dizzy,” she says. “What happened?”
“That crazy bitch ran you off the road.” I glance over and see that she hasn’t gotten out of her car yet, and I’m not going to her. I won’t leave Polly. “I saw it all happen. She did it on purpose.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Hey, don’t cry.” Tears are running down her cheeks. “Does it hurt?”
“A little.” She clears her throat and squeezes my hand. “I’m okay. I’ll be okay. Thank you for staying with me. I love you, Jake. It’s going to be fine.”
Now I can’t control my tears. It’s probably just adrenaline or something. Finally, the ambulance screeches to a stop behind us, and people come running up to us while others go to the other lady.
“This is Polly Allen,” I inform them. “She says she’s dizzy.”
“Looks like you have a knot on your head,” one of the EMTs says. “Does anything else hurt?”
“My knee,” she says. “I think I hit it.”
“No neck pain?”
“Headache,” she says. “Dizzy. Is Jake still here?”
“I’m here,” I say and take her hand again. “I’m going with her.”
“Are you family?” someone asks.
“She’s my mom,” I lie easily, not willing to be away from her, and it makes me feel good when Polly smiles and doesn’t tell them that I lied.
Just as we’re loaded up into the ambulance, I see my dad’s truck come screeching up, and he’s out of it in a flash, running towards us.
“Wait,” I say before they can shut the doors. “I’m going with her! She’s okay.”
“I’ll be right behind you,” he says as the doors close, and we take off for the hospital.
“Do you have any medical conditions?” the EMT asks Polly, who’s still holding on to my hand. She’s on a flat board with her head strapped down, in case her neck is hurt. Her eyes move to me, and she licks her lips.
“I’m going to tell them something that you need to keep between us, okay, Jake?”
“Sure, okay.” I nod at her. Hell, I’ll do whatever she wants right now.
“I’m pregnant.”
“Holy shit.” I was not expecting that.
“Jake—”
“I won’t tell,” I insist. “But does Dad know?”
“I was on my way to talk to him,” she says, as tears spill out of her eyes. She can’t move, so I wipe them away for her.
“Hey, it’s okay. You can tell him. Holy shit, I’m gonna be a big brother! Oh, God, we’re having a baby!”
She squeezes my hand so tight, and she starts to cry more, and that makes me cry, too, even though I don’t want the other guy to see it and think that I’m a baby.
But I kind of don’t care.
“It’s okay, sweetie,” Polly says. “I’m so sorry.”
“Sorry? Why? We’re having a baby!”
“You’re not mad?”
“No!” God, why would I be mad? I like kids. I always wanted a family of my own, a real family, and I have it. It’s the coolest ever. “It’s going to be really hard not to tell Dad, so you have to tell him fast, though.”
“How are you feeling, Polly?” the EMT asks. “Still dizzy?”
“No, not as bad. Just the headache now.”
“That’s a good sign,” he says with a kind smile and winks at me, and it makes me feel a little better.
I look out the back window, but I don’t see my dad’s truck. I frown, wondering where he is when we pull into the hospital.
“Okay, let’s get you checked out.”
We’re whisked inside, but Polly doesn’t let go of my hand, and it feels good that she wants me with her.
We’re going to have a baby.
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