Love well Lived

Chapter 2: Facing the Storm

Everything after the officer’s sentence seemed to be muffled. Karter felt as if her ears had been stuffed with cotton. She moved robotically. Collecting her purse, phone, and keys. She wasn’t sure if she would need anything else as she slipped on a pair of flip flops she’d left by the door and turned to lock the house up.

She turned back to the officer; trepidation in her eyes. “Okay.... I think I’m ready” she squeaked out past the lump that had formed in her throat. Her voice sounding odd to her own ears. The officer smiled gently and turned to his car saying “this way miss...” he helped her into the passenger seat of his vehicle and walked back around to the other side. Karter was already wishing she had grabbed a sweater. Hospitals are notoriously cold, and who knows how long she will have to be there to wait for an update on her parents.

As the officer drove her to the hospital she said a quiet prayer to herself.

**Please God, let me keep at least one? Please don’t leave me here alone. You already took daddy. Please don’t take mom and Harley too!**

(**Harley is her stepfather’s name**)

The ride continued on in silence. It felt like it lasted forever; when in reality it was only 10 minutes. But finally they arrived at the hospital. The police officer escorted Karter inside. His hand on her elbow gently guiding her to the desk. “Hello; I’m officer Borrette. This is Miss Karter Eaves. Her parents were in a wreck earlier this evening. She’s here for an update on their status.” The sweet looking nurse behind the counter’s face fell. Her smile slowly sliding off her face. There was sadness in her eyes as she turned to Karter. “They’re on the third floor. They’re both still in surgery I believe. If you go right down this hall here you’ll come to a row of elevators. Go to the third floor and then to the nurses station. Let them know who you’re here for and they’ll let you know where you can wait to speak with the doctors.” She said while festering with her hands, and slight tremble to her voice.

Karter turned to the officer. “Thank you Officer Borrette.” She whispered. She could tell he’d just barely heard her, but she didn’t feel up to repeating herself. She then turned and began to make her way down the hall towards the bank of elevators; the officer and nurse both watching her walk away with moisture in their eyes.

As she waited for the elevator Karter took her phone out of her purse. She sent just one text message. To the one person she knew would come without hesitation.

**Hospital. 3rd floor. I need you**

It was all she could bare to send in a text. She walked into the elevator and pressed the number three button. It felt as if it burned her finger. She knew that was ridiculous but she felt it all the same. Dread filled her as she reached the third floor and exited the elevator walking slowly to the nurses station. “Hello; how can I assist you miss....?” The perky blonde nurse asked Karter with a smile.

Karter was frozen. She didn’t know how to answer her. She stood there staring blankly for a few minutes before she finally answered her... “my name is Karter Joone Eaves. My parents are Caroll and Harley Frost; they were brought here. The nurse downstairs said they were in surgery...?” She hesitated not sure if she needed to say more. The perky blonde lost her cheerful demeanor. Her smile fell and she cleared her throat before speaking again. “Oh, yes dear. If you’ll take a seat over here to the left a doctor will be with you as soon as they know something.” Karter continued to state for a few more minutes before she finally turned in the direction the nurse had pointed and sat down to wait.

She sat like that for another ten minutes. Blankly watching as the busy hospital life continued on around her. She felt as if everything were moving in slow motion around her and what was only 10 minutes seemed to have lasted 10 hours. Just as she was about to break down and cry she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. Warmth and comfort filled her immediately. She knew without looking who it was. Her one text message. Her safe place. The one person she could count on no matter what.

Karter turned her head to stare up into eyes as blue as the deepest depths of the ocean. Eyes that had been by her side for most of her life. Eyes that had seen her highest of highs and lowest of lows until this point. Jarett Mckinnly. She stood and hugged him as if her life depended on it. She hugged him as if he was her oxygen; as if she couldn’t take her next breath without him. Karter hugged Jarett and finally allowed her tears to fall. She finally allowed her fears to escape. Jarett stood there tranquilly and allowed her to let everything out.

They stood that way for ten minutes; with Karter crying and clinging to him. And Jarett letting her fall apart in his arms. Finally she took a deep and shaky breath and pulled back. She looked down at her feet and gave a trembling “thank you for coming”. He gave a small crooked smile and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they sat. Pulling her against his chest. They sat there quietly waiting another five minutes before she spoke again. “They were in an accident. Both of them. They’re both in surgery. And it’s not looking good. That’s all I know. I just needed you here with me. Thank you.” Jarett looked at her with a small sad smile. “I’ll always be here for you.” Was all he said. It’s all he needed to say. Karter finally felt safe. And she needed that while she sat waiting for her world to fall apart.

***Jarrett’s perspective****

**Hospital. 3rd floor. I need you.**

That was all the text message said. Jarett felt his heart sink. Karter. She needed him. He grabbed his keys and raced for the door blurting to his dad that he had to leave. “Karter. Hospital. Needs me.” It was all he could make the time for as he raced to his Camaro. With shaky hands he unlocked the car and climbed in. He shoved the keys into the ignition and sped out of the driveway; his dad yelling out the door to let him know what was going on.

(Karter.) It was all he could think. (Karter needs me. I have to get to her.) He was driving so fast with just her on his mind. Concentrating so hard on getting to her that he didn’t see the police officer until he was him with his lights on. Jarett slammed his hand on the steering wheel “f**k!!! I don’t have time for this I have to get to her! Damn it!” He rolled his window down as the officer walked up.

“Good evening sir; my name is Officer Borrette. Do you know why I pulled you over today?” Exasperated and thinking how he didn’t have time for this Jarett snapped without thinking; “I was speeding. But officer I need to go! My friend is at the hospital. She didn’t say what was wrong. Just that she needs me there. I can’t imagine what could be wrong. But she’s not the kind of person to overreact sir. Something bad has to have happened. She needs me sir. I have to go!” He shouted not caring that it was a police officer at the moment. The officer lifted his sunglasses and asked: “what’s your friends name son?” “Karter Joone Eaves. But I really don’t see how that relevant. I just need to go sir. I need to get to her now! I’m sorry if I’m being rude and no disrespect to you sir I just need to go!” The police officer looked at him and said. “Follow me”.

Jarett’s sat there shocked as the officer pulled around in front on him and turned on his lights and siren and sped off towards the hospital. He was quick to speed up and stay as closely behind him as he could. (Thank you God for placing this officer in my path. Thank you thank you. Please please let Karter be okay. Please let everything be okay.) Jarett prayed over and over the entire way to the hospital. When they reached the parking lot the officer directed him to park. Then when he ran towards the doors the officer stopped him only for a moment. “I brought her here earlier. She’s in shock. I knew her Daddy before he passed away. That little girl needs somebody. You’re a good boyfriend. I hope you always treat her right. She deserves it. When you go inside head straight towards the bank of elevators. Go to the third floor. She’ll be sitting in the waiting room. Take care of her son. She needs you now more than ever. And God bless.” With that he drove away.

Jarett couldn’t believe the good fortune he’d had in being pulled over by the same officer that had brought Karter to the hospital. He watched as he drove away for a minute then raced into the hospital straight towards the elevators as he’s been instructed. Once he was on the elevator he pressed the big three button. It felt as if that button was a bad omen. Almost as if it burned him when he touched it. He knew that was a ridiculous thought but at the same time he just couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that came over him.

When he stepped off the elevator he turned towards the waiting room and saw her sitting there. She was wearing an old faded beach tank top and pajama pants with flip flops. Her normally well maintained hair was up in a messy bun. He watched her for a moment and saw the pure devastation that was flowing off of her in waves. He walked over to her. But it was if she couldn’t see him. He placed his hand on her shoulder. Immediately he could see some of the tension leave her shoulders. He felt his doing the same. She felt like home. She always did and always would. Slowly Karter turned to face him. She stared up at him for what felt like an enternity but was actually only a few minutes.

He looked into her hazel green eyes and felt like he was falling. They held a depth of despair like he had never seen before. Her normally sparkling eyes weren’t shining with happiness and mirth. Instead there was fear and sorrow. These were the eyes he’d looked into a million times before; the eyes that smiled when she pretended to be angry. The eyes that held guilt when she tried unsuccessfully to lie. Eyes that were always there when he searched for them. Eyes that made his heart skip a beat. Eyes that somehow both saw him and didn’t see him all at once. But they saw him now.

She hugged him as if he was her oxygen; as if she couldn’t take her next breath without him. Jarett stood there holding her until he finally felt her guard fall. He held her as she finally let the tears out. She finally allowed her fears to escape. Jarett stood there tranquilly and allowed her to let everything out.

They stood that way for ten minutes; with Karter crying and clinging to him. And Jarett letting her fall apart in his arms. Finally she took a deep and shaky breath and pulled back. She looked down at her feet and gave a trembling “thank you for coming”. He gave a small crooked smile and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they sat. Pulling her against his chest. He’d hold her for forever if that was what she needed. They sat there quietly waiting another five minutes before she spoke again. “They were in an accident. Both of them. They’re both in surgery. And it’s not looking good. That’s all I know. I just needed you here with me. Thank you.” Jarett looked at her with a small sad smile. “I’ll always be here for you.” Was all he said. He didn’t know what else to say. But somehow; it was all he needed to say. He could feel her breathing as if she finally felt safe. And he knew she needed that while she sat waiting for her world to fall apart.

***KARTER***

Finally; after what seemed to be an eternity of time, the doctors came out to speak with her. There were two of them. Both had on surgery clothing and both seemed exhausted and as if the weight of the world rested on their shoulders.

“Karter Eaves?”

“Karter Eaves?”

They both spoke simultaneously; turning to look at the other in shock that they were looking for the same person. Karter stood up with Jarett beside her holding her trembling hand. She slowly walked towards them. “I’m Karter Eaves.” She said quietly.

The doctor on her right spoke first. “Ms. Eaves my name is Dr. Mayhew. I’m your father’s surgeon. And I’m sorry but we did everything we could. His injuries were too extensive and we lost him. I’m very sorry for your loss miss.” Karter stood there with tears threatening to fall once more from her mind staring at the doctor and praying quietly (please God let me keep just one, please at least just one. Don’t leave me here alone.) She slowly turned to the other doctor. The doctor took a deep slow breath and with a trembling voice he said; “I’m Doctor Reyes. I was your mother’s surgeon. I have done everything I possibly can. She made it through surgery and is in a medically induced coma. If she makes it through the night we should be out of the woods as far as her abdominal wounds go.” He pauses for a moment still shaken by how Karter was looking at him with so much pain and hope in her eyes. “But..?” She barely whispered loud enough for him to hear. “But the injuries she sustained to her head were quite severe. There is no way of knowing if she will wake up or when...”

Karter took a slow breath. She straightened her shoulders and held her head up high. “Thank you doctors. I know you both did your very best and I appreciate everything.” Then she turned back to Dr. Reyes. “When can I see my mother?” Dr. Reyes stares back at her with understanding eyes. She’s being moved to another floor and placed in ICU. That’s on the second floor. If you go to the nurses station there then you will be allowed to see her as soon as she is all set up. Be prepared sweetie. She doesn’t look like herself.” He said kindly. Karter nodded solemnly and turned to Jarett. Grasping his hand tighter they began to walk back to the elevators and to the second floor. As the elevator moved Karter didn’t say a word and neither did Jarett; though she felt him looking at her a few times.

When they reached the second floor they walked up to the nurses station. A middle aged woman with fading red hair and kind eyes sat behind the desk. She looked up and greeted Karter and Jarett. “What can I do for you dearies?” She asked with a thick Irish accent. Karter took a deep breath. “My name is Karter Joone Eaves. My mother; Caroll Frost is being moved from the surgical floor to ICU. I was told to come here and someone would let me know when I could see her.” The nurse looked at her with kindness and understanding and even a little pain. “Alright dearie. Take a seat right over there and I’ll let you know when she’s ready for you.” She said in her thick accent pointing to a waiting room over to the left of the nurses station.

Jarett took Karter’s hand and lead her to the waiting room. He carefully guided her to sit in a chair. “Do you need anything? Are you hungry? Thirsty? Cold? What can I do to make this even a little better?” He quietly asked. Karter slowly lifted her eyes to him. “Just you being here is enough. Just sitting here and holding me together is making this a little more bearable. I don’t know how I could do this without you Jarett. Thank you for coming. Thank you for staying! Thank you for everything.” She then wrapped her arms around his neck and began to cry once more.

Jarett carefully picked her up and sat with her in his lap. Holding her and trying to offer her as much solace as he could.

***Heavenly Father; please be with us and help me be strong with her as she fights the battles ahead. And please, please let her at least keep her mother. Just one. Please let her keep just one.***

As Jarett prayed over Karter she fell asleep. Exhausted from the days event. She could only hope that when she awoke there would be good news about her mother.