|
|
prologue
Ring!
Ring!
“I’ll
get it!” Jessica called. She rushed into the kitchen and grabbed the phone.
“Hello?”
“Hey
Jess,” the voice on the other end said.
“Hi
Andy!”
“So,
ya wanna go to a movie?” She smiled.
“Sure!
What time?”
“Um….
How about 8:00?”
“Sure!”
“Pick
you up at 7:45?”
“Sure!”
Click.
“Jess!”
Zac called, entering the kitchen. “Who was on the phone?” She sighed. Zac
waved his hand in front of her face.
“Hellooo?”
“Huh?
Oh, what Zac?”
“Who
was on the phone?”
“Oh,
nobody.”
“Andy!”
Zac mimicked, batting his eyes in imitation.
“Shut up!” Jess said playfully and ran out of the room.
‡‡‡‡‡‡
Ding-dong!
Ten-year-old Zoë pulled the door open to Andy’s face.
“Hi,”
she said shyly. Andy smiled.
“Zoë?”
Jess called, walking in the room. She looked up.
“Jessie,
it’s for you.” Jess smiled.
“Thanks,
kid. Go play.” Zoë smiled and ran away.
“Ready?”
Jessica nodded. “C’mon.”
“Mom!
I’m leaving!”
“Okay,
honey! Be back by 12!”
“Okay!
Bye!” They stepped out the door and into Andy’s car.
After their date, Andy too Jess home. When he pulled up in front of the driveway, the house was dark. They sat in silence for a minute, and then Andy looked over at Jessica. After a few minutes, she looked over at him.
“I
love you,” he said.
“I
love you too.” They leaned forward and shared a kiss. She smiled at him one
more time, then got out of the car.
“Love
ya,” she said through the open window. She blew a kiss at him. He smiled.
“Love
you too. Bye Jess.”
“Bye
Andy.” She stepped away and he drove away.
She
was almost to the door when she heard a crash. Her heart skipped a beat. She
made herself turn around to see the scene she didn’t want to. Andy’s car
crashed into a pole, another car crashed a few feet away. She seemed frozen to
the spot. She couldn’t seem to do anything else, so she just screamed.
‡‡‡‡‡‡
Zac
was sitting on the couch, flipping channels, when he heard a scream outside. He
frowned, flipped off the TV, and walked to the window. He pulled back the shade
and looked out. He frowned at what he saw. Jessie, standing on the lawn,
screaming. But then, he saw the rest of the scene. Two cars crashed at the end
of the street. He could only imagine why she was screaming. Mrs. Hanson entered
the room in time to see Zac flying out the door and down the steps. She frowned,
and her mind raced.
‡‡‡‡‡‡
Zac
rushed out of the house and over to Jessica.
“Jess!”
he exclaimed. “What’s wrong??”
“Zac,”
she managed, “Andy…. car…..crash….” She pointed a shaky finger in the
direction of the crash. Zac looked on in awe. Mrs. Hanson appeared at the door
of the house.
“Zac?”
she said. “Jessie? Is everything all right?” Jessie, still crying, buried
her head in Zac’s shoulder.
“Not exactly,” Zac said. “I think you should call 911,” he said, pointing to the scene. She put her hand to her mouth, nodded and ran back into the house.