“I need to speak to Derrick McKenna, please,” a female voice says.
“Speaking. Who’s this?”
“Mr. McKenna, my name is Dr. Elizabeth Moore. I’m an emergency room physician over at Mercy Hospital.”
“I’m already on my way. My little brother just called and told me.”
“Oh,” she says, sounding surprised. “I didn’t know anyone had been notified already.”
“My little brother was with her when it happened. He rode in with her in the ambulance.”
“I’m sorry… I think I may have made a mistake. This is Derrick McKenna, correct?” She recites my number back to me.
“Yeah,” I growl impatiently. “You have a Theresa Paquinn there, just brought in with a nine-year-old named Tyson. He’s the one that called me.
She apparently had a stroke or something?” Oh, God.
I hear Dr. Moore flip through some papers, and then she sighs. “I’m afraid I don’t know anything about a Theresa Paquinn. Derrick, that’s not why I called.”
Confusion. “Then what are you calling about?”
“Oliver Thompson.”
No. No. No.
“What about him?” I hear myself ask.
“Mr. McKenna, there’s been… there’s been an accident.”
“Otter,” I mutter. “Otter. Otter.”
Don’t lead cows to slaughter! I love you and I know. I know. I know. I should have. Told you. Every day I should have told you.
“Mr. McKenna? You’re listed in our system as his emergency contact.
Do you know him?”
“Is he alive?” I ask, my voice just above a whisper.
“Yes,” she says carefully. “For now. I’m not going to lie to you, Mr.
McKenna. It’s… serious. According to the EMTs, he was T-boned on the driver’s side of his vehicle by a van that ran a stop sign. Mr. Thompson’s vehicle was pushed into a tree.”
“He’s my….” Love. Life. Heart. Everything. “Partner.”
“Oh. Oh. Mr. McKenna, I am so sorry to have to tell you like this. Will you be on your way?”
“Yes.”
“Just ask for me when you get here, and I’ll come out when I can. I need to get back to check on your… partner. He’s in good hands, okay? I’m going to do everything I can to bring him back to you.”
Back from where? “Okay,” I say, my voice breaking.
“Do you have someone that can drive you? It’s probably not a good idea for you to be operating a vehicle.”
Like hell. Like fucking hell I am going to wait here for someone to come get me. “I’ll be fine,” I say, trying to make myself sound stronger, like I’m in control.
“If you’re sure,” she says, sounding distracted. “Remember: Dr.