The Christmas Hope(22)

“Hey, Mom, I’m on the road,” he said. “I left an hour ago so I’ll see you in a couple more. I’m going to be losing cell service in a few minutes but call if you need me. See you in a little while. Love ya.”

I dialed the cell number but it went right to voice mail. I knew he was driving through a pocket where his cell didn’t work. I’d try again later. I finished the sugar cookies and put them in the fridge to cool before I rolled them out. I cleaned up my mess, which was particularly big, and looked at the clock. Sean would be home in less than an hour. I dried my hands so I could call him but the phone rang before I could do it.

“Mrs. Addison,” the voice on the other end said.

“Yes.” I couldn’t imagine what sort of telemarketer was brazen enough to call on Christmas Eve.

“Your son, Sean, has been in an accident.”

I felt the blood leave my head and my heart raced. Which hospital did she say she was with? Could she repeat that again? Where is it located? How is he? She didn’t know anything. I hung up the phone. My head was spinning and the wind had been knocked out of me. Where was Mark? He was flying. I had to call the airline so they could get a message to him. I dialed a number but got it wrong. I dialed a different number but got it wrong again. In frustration I pulled out the phone book but couldn’t remember the name of the airline! It was in my cell phone. I’d call from the road. I needed to call Mom and Dad first so they could go with me. I pushed speed dial on my cell phone but they weren’t home and they didn’t have a cell phone. I pulled the car onto the road and headed in the direction of the highway. Did I put the garage door down? Did I even lock the doors? I didn’t care. I sped through the streets of our neighborhood and onto the highway.

“Please keep Sean safe,” I prayed. “Oh, please, Lord, please help him. Please.” I prayed over and over again, repeating the same things. I couldn’t think straight to put anything together beyond “Please, please, please.” I fumbled with my cell phone and called the airline but heard a fast busy signal in my ear. I dialed it again and heard the same fast signal. I screamed. There was either a problem with service on my end or with theirs. “Please let him be alive and safe,” I prayed, pushing redial. There was that same fast busy signal again. I threw the phone down. I didn’t know what to do. Did I just pass the exit? I picked up the scrap piece of paper on which I’d scribbled out the general directions. Exit 218. Was that 218 that I passed? She said it would take about forty-five minutes but I had no idea how long I’d been driving. Here was another exit … 217. One exit away. I ran stop signs and red lights and saw a large white building in the distance. I gunned the engine and pulled into the drive leading to the emergency room.

I ran through the parking lot and into the hospital. There was a group of people behind the desk but they seemed to be moving in slow motion. Were they floating or was I? I tried to walk to the desk. Something was wrong with my legs. It was hard to move. “I’m looking for my son.” No one paid attention, or if they did, they didn’t pay attention quickly enough. I ran down the hall toward a young man with a white jacket and a name tag. I looked at it briefly. It was on the list of names Mark and I had chosen for Sean but I forgot the young man’s name the moment I saw it. “I need to know where my son is,” I said. “He’s here. I need to know where he is.” I was getting frantic. The young man walked me toward the desk where no one had paid attention to me.

“What’s his name?” He asked.

“Sean Addison,” I blurted out. “Someone called and said he’s been in a car accident.”

The young man stopped when he heard Sean’s name. “I’ll get the doctor,” he said. When I saw that young man’s face and heard the change in his voice I knew that something terrible had happened and it was as if ice water rushed through my veins. The sensation almost brought me to my knees. I was shaking and weak but ran after him.

“I want to see Sean,” I said, catching up to him.

He nodded but wouldn’t look at me. “I’ll send the doctor out right now,” he said, moving toward a door. He disappeared and I could hear my heart beating in my ears. I began looking in each room for Sean but I couldn’t find him. When I saw the young man I ran toward him. “The doctor’s in surgery right now but will be out when he’s finished.” I could tell by his demeanor that he was trying to avoid any further conversation with me. He tried to get away but I grabbed his arm.