Chapter 3
A police officer tapped on his passenger side window. “Yes, Mr. Timberlake, she’s breathing, but I don’t have much more for you. They’re taking her to UCLA Medical Center.”
She’s a nurse there, that’s the perfect place… he thought. “Thank you,” he managed.
“You can drive over and wait in the lobby. Once they have more information, they can talk to you. There’s no need to stay here. We’ll contact you on getting things from her car once it’s moved, so there’s time to get everything out.”
“Thank you,” he said, nodding to the officer before rolling up the window and driving to the hospital. He sat in his car for a while. He knew they wouldn’t have answers right away. He picked up his phone and called Heather.
“Hey Justin, how was the big night?” she asked.
“We need to talk. Something happened…” his voice was low, his tone serious.
“What happened? Did she pass out from the shock of the proposal?”
“There was a car accident. Her car is totaled. A car lost control and slammed into her. She wasn’t responding when I called her name, blood in the car. She’s at the hospital now, so am I, waiting for news.”
“Shit. Oh my god. I’ll be right over. Her hospital?”
“Yeah. It looked bad. I’m scared Heather…”
“I’ll call JC, we’ll meet you there soon.”
Justin sighed as he hung up the phone. “How could this happen? Why now? Why HER?! Why God, WHY? If we’d taken one car… she could be safe. I’d be driving, so either we’d both be safe, or it would be ME in there right now, not her. Why HER?!” he said aloud, breaking down into tears again.
He stopped crying, slowly walking into the hospital lobby. JC and Heather showed up soon after.
“Hey man, I’m so sorry. Things will be ok, just wait. We’ll stay all night with you if that’s what you need.”
JC pulled Justin in for a hug. Justin held him, starting to cry again. JC patted Justin’s back. “It’s ok man, let it out. We’re here for you.”
They sat down in the lobby, a series of individual seats sectioned together. Heather went up to a desk, asking for information.
“I’m sorry, but if you’re not family…” the nurse started.
“See that man crying over there? That’s his fiancée over there, she’s my best friend. Her family is far away, he is HERE. Please tell me HE is allowed updates on her?!”
The nurse sighed. “I’ll let them know to come get him once we know more.”
Heather sat down next to Justin, opposite JC. “They’ll let you know once they know anything. Honestly, with how Nicki talked, word will travel pretty quickly and someone in her department would find us.”
“Talked? Can we keep things PRESENT TENSE, like she’s still alive?!” Justin snapped.
“Sorry, you’re right. Nicki’s a fighter, she’ll pull through this. There’s no good in us giving up hope.”
“It should’ve been me…” Justin said out loud.
“J…” JC sighed.
“No. I could’ve driven both of us. I could’ve waited and picked her up, taken her home. We’d either be at my place celebrating, or I’d be the one up there right now.”
“You can’t talk like that,” JC said. “It happened. You could play the ‘coulda, shoulda, woulda’ game, all the what if’s, and it won’t change anything. It’s not healthy, J. You’re gonna go crazy focusing on the guilt and what could have happened. Be in the here and now, be ready for whatever she needs moving forward.”
“She’s probably got a long recovery ahead, she’ll need you in ways we don’t even know yet. A therapist might not be a bad idea, you just experienced some major trauma. They could help you sort this all out in a healthy way. It’s been helping JC,” Heather said.
JC gave Heather a look, shooting daggers at his sister. She instantly regretted her last comment.
“You’re seeing a therapist?” asked Justin, surprised.
“That’s not the point right now. You need help so that you can help Nicki,” JC said.
Sorry, mouthed Heather to JC.
“I’ll look into it,” Justin sighed.
“You’re still in shock. This all literally JUST happened. Give it a couple days and if you’re still feeling like this, get help. We’re here if you need anything.
A doctor approached the trio. “Mr. Timberlake?”
