“She was wearing a helmet, though. Right?” I’m trying to organize the situation through my spinning thoughts.
“She was, but she hit the rocks hard when she fell. Regan said she was unconscious right away. They’re concerned about internal injuries, and she’s been in surgery for over an hour ...”
I think he continues the story as we enter the elevator, my hand still in his, but a million thoughts and visions are going through my head. I need to find both Bo and Regan.
She has to be OK.
When the elevator dings, I jump away from my thoughts and follow David’s lead. It doesn’t take more than a second for me to find Regan, sunken into the floor with his back against the wall and his forehead pressed into his knees.
“Regan!” I shout as I run toward him. The look on his face when he lifts his head sends me to my knees in front of him. I wrap my arms around his shoulders as he sobs into my chest.
“There was nothing I could do ...” he wails into my shirt.
“I know, I know ...” I try to soothe him through my shock and lack of information. I look around and see no sign of Bo.
“He’s in the chapel,” Regan says without looking up. “We’ve been taking turns going in there. I told him I’d come get him if they come out with any news.”
I look up at David, who nods to me as I stand, and take my seat next to Regan on the floor. A pleasant nurse points me in the direction of the chapel and I feel like I float there, outside of time.
I’ve only been in a church once before, for my grandmother’s funeral when I was ten. I stand outside the chapel door a few moments, unsure of proper etiquette. Do I knock? I decide against knocking and slowly open the door. I’m startled by Bo’s voice in the small, dark space.
“Please, please, please...You can’t do this to me ...” Bo’s hunched in prayer position in one of the rows. I can see from here that his knuckles are white. “You can’t take her, Lord, you can’t. She’s all I have left.”
I’m struck motionless. We never talked about religion; even if we had, I don’t honestly know what I could contribute to the conversation, seeing as how I wasn’t raised with any sort of religious framework. However, this man before me is one with a solid faith, and he’s speaking to someone he believes will help him. The creak of the door behind me whips Bo’s head around.
“November?” He sniffs and drags the heel of his hand under his eyes.
I nod, and before I know it, I’m racing toward him with tears streaming down my face. Kneeling next to him, I pull his head to my shoulder while we both cry for a few minutes.
“Pray with me.” He resumes his position with his forehead pressed into his clenched fists.
“I, uh,” I clear my throat, “have only been to a church once ...” I make a note to ask my parents what the hell that is all about.
“Just beg for Rae to be OK, Ember. I just need you to beg with me. She hit the ground hard, it’s really bad ...” A growl tries to hide his sob but fails. His shoulders shake the entire pew full of fear.
Silently, I start begging.
A few minutes of prayer feels like an eternity in the sorrowful silence of a hospital chapel. My mind wanders to all those who have come through these doors and left with prayers answered...and to those unanswered.
“We should go back down the hall.” Bo stands and grabs my hand, leading me out of the chapel. I look over my shoulder and stare at the large wooden cross one more time before the door closes.
Please.
Rounding the corner, we find David and Regan have moved to some chairs that have opened up in the hallway. Sweat has formed between my palm and Bo’s, but he just grips tighter each time my hand slides.
As we’re about to sit, a surgeon comes through two large doors at the end of the hall. He must be on Rae’s case, because Regan and Bo nearly run down the hall to meet him, while David and I sit back and observe anxiously. I can only see the doctor’s face, but that’s all I need.
In one blink, everything moves in slow motion like it does in the movies, and my ears shut down. Regan’s hands tear through his hair as his presses his forehead into the wall. A breath later I see David race from his chair toward Bo, who falls to his knees at the doctor’s feet. I feel a hand around my arm, leading me to the nearest chair as it all comes crashing down around me.
She’s gone.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
I shake free from the nurse trying to be helpful in my state of shock and run toward Bo and Regan. David is trying to pull Bo off the floor.
“No! Let me see her!” Hoarse wailing rips through Bo’s throat.
I stop behind Regan and place my hand cautiously on his back. He slaps it away and sinks to the floor with his forehead still against the wall, tears trailing his descent.