A Second Chance At Love

MAYA “Don’t be a clown, Whitney, it was just a dinner date, nothing serious,” I said sheepishly to my best friend on the phone as she asked me for the details of the first date that I had just gone to with a guy I met at the mall, Adam. “Do you like him?” She asked. Her question made me freeze a bit because I really had no answer to the question. I mean Adam was a sweet guy, caring and he made good jokes, but he wasn't what I was really looking for in a man. “Maya, you haven't answered the question,” “Don’t pressure me Whitney, we'll talk about this when I get back to the apartment,” I charged at Whitney because the whole conversation was becoming draining. Before Whitney could reply to me, the roar of an engine suddenly rushed in front of me leaving a blast of wind in its trail that scattered my hair and made me let go of my phone to fall on the ground. “What the f**k is wrong with these drivers these days?”I asked rhetorically as I dusted my beige dress and bent down to pick up my phone and reply to Whitney who had been screaming my name. As I picked up my phone, I looked straight down the road and saw a man making a call on the road. The black SUV was still moving at full speed in the direction of the man. “Sir!! Leave the road right now!!” I screamed at the top of my voice but before he could even look at where my voice came from, the SUV ran him over and sped off. “What was that Maya? Are you there?” Whitney shouted through the phone in panic because she had also heard the sound of the accident. “I’ll call you back Whitney,” I said as I pressed the red button to end the call. Without hesitancy, my instincts kicked in. I left my bag on the pavement and ran towards the injured man. My heels clicked against the pavement, with each step as a desperate plea for help. Gasping for breath, I reached the man with my shaking hands unsurely. Panic engraved into my face as I evaluated the extent of the man’s injuries. With trembling fingers, I turned on my phone. My fingers danced frantically across the screen as I dialed the three numbers that could mean the difference between life and death, 911. The operator's voice crackled through the speaker, and I struggled to keep my voice stable as I explained the horrifying scene before me. Tears welled in my eyes, but I blinked them away, focusing on the instructions from the operator. As sirens wailed in the distance, I stayed by the man's side, whispering reassuring words despite the fear that gripped my heart. The minutes felt like forever, but the sound of the emergency vehicles drawing near finally broke the silence. Relief washed over me as paramedics rushed forward, taking over the care of the injured person. I stepped back with my chest beating fast from work and emotion. I watched as the flashing lights of police cars and ambulances cast a bizarre glow over the scene. I quickly took a taxi trailing the ambulance till they got to the hospital. The sanitary scent of the hospital welcomed me as I walked through the sliding doors my footsteps sounding on the polished floor. I watched the outburst of actions around me, the hushed conversations, the critical footsteps, and the anxious glances exchanged among the staff. Hours later, I stood in front of the information desk I cleared my throat with my voice just above a whisper as I asked about the injured person. A compassionate nurse met my gaze with her eyes softening with empathy and gave me a reassuring smile. "He's stable," the nurse replied, with her voice acting as a soothing balm to my agitated nerves. “You can go see him now.” As we entered the room, My eyes locked onto the man lying in the hospital bed. Tubes and wires surrounded him, a reminder of the battle he had faced. My breath caught in my throat as I approached his bedside, with my fingers trembling as I reached out to touch his hand. He was a young, handsome looking man who didn’t deserve all this. I looked at the nurse to ask her a question. “Will he be alright?” “Yes ma’am, he will,” she replied to me once again with that reassuring smile. Relief washed over my face as she said so. Now that I knew he was stable, I could leave. I gave him one last glance because I knew this was the last time I would see him and prayed for him. I told the nurse goodbye and walked out of the room. As I stepped out of the hospital, my heart felt lighter, the weight of responsibility finally lifting. I had done all I could for the injured stranger. The city's vibration seemed to echo with mine, assuring me that my journey with the stranger had reached its end, and it was time to move forward.