Shayna clutched her jacket as she stared at the woman in front of her, wishing she’d managed to leave before her boss had cornered her. “I don’t know if I can.”
“We need you, Shayna,” she said, her brows drawn together as she frowned. “Please make it work.”
Please make it work? How could she make something work when it was virtually an impossibility?
As if sensing her hesitation, her boss said, “The recent glowing restaurant review in the newspaper has brought in lots more customers this week, and I can only imagine that the weekend will be even busier. We need you here.”
Shayna was exhausted and had been looking forward to getting home to be with Timothy and spending the next twenty-four hours recuperating from the hectic week at the restaurant. Just the thought of having to come back for another day—on top of trying to figure out what to do with Timothy for the hours she worked—made her want to cry.
Someone called the owner’s name, but before responding, she patted Shayna on the arm. “Work it out, please. We need employees who are able to help us out.”
Shayna stared after the woman as she walked away from her, back into the main part of the restaurant. Had she just threatened Shayna’s position there? Anxiety ripped through her as she turned and headed out the back door of the restaurant into a gray, snowy day.
Snow had started to fall mid-morning, but surprisingly, it hadn’t stemmed the flow of customers for lunch. It wasn’t until she found herself shivering that Shayna realized she’d forgotten to put her coat on, having been interrupted by the owner with her impossible request while getting ready to leave.
She quickly shoved her arms into the sleeves and zipped it up then slipped behind the wheel, praying the car would start. Thankfully, it only took a couple of turns of the key before the engine came to life and stayed running. She cranked the heat then got back out and found the snow scraper in the trunk. As quickly as possible, she brushed the snow off each of the windows, all the while trying to figure out a solution to her boss’s request.
Sadly, she had no one but herself to blame for being in her current predicament. After Lorne had died, their friends had tried to stay in touch and to help her, but she’d gradually drifted away from all but Lisa. Now that Lisa had had to move away, Shayna was feeling that lack of friendships acutely—and not just because of her babysitting crisis.
Gripping the steering wheel tightly, Shayna left the parking lot, mindful of the state of her tires on the snowy streets. There wasn’t enough snow for the plows to be out yet, and if the roads had been salted, it didn’t appear to be doing much good. The presence of the moisture along with the temperature drop had made the roads slicker than she was comfortable with, but she had no choice but to drive on them in order to get to Timothy.
She glanced at the clock on the dashboard, frowning when she realized just how little time she had to make it to Timothy’s school to pick him up. That was something else she’d had to adjust to since Lisa had left because she’d always been happy to drop him off and pick him up from school. Shayna already paid for before school care so that she could be at the restaurant for breakfast hour, but she couldn’t afford to pay for care for after school as well.
The conversation with the restaurant owner had delayed her leaving the restaurant already, and with the roads a mess, there was a good chance she was going to be late. But there was no way she could hurry.
Seeing a red light ahead, Shayna tapped lightly on her brakes, gradually slowing her vehicle. She breathed a sigh of relief when the car came to a stop without sliding into the car already stopped at the light.
Her relief was short-lived, however, as her car suddenly jolted forward, crashing into the vehicle in front of her. The airbag deployed, slamming into her upper body and face. Panicked, Shayna tried to beat the bag away from her face. With adrenaline coursing through her, she couldn’t tell if she was hurt anywhere.
The absence of noise, brought on by her panic, was suddenly replaced by the blaring of horns and the sounds of people shouting. Shayna took shallow breaths as she tried to figure out what had happened. It seemed to take forever before she could take deeper breaths, easing away the worst of her panic. But then Timothy popped into her mind, and fresh anxiety flooded her.
A man’s face appeared in front of her. “Ma’am? Are you okay?”
Struggling past the tightness of her throat, she whispered, “My son.”
The man’s brow furrowed as he moved toward the back of the car. “Was he in the back?”
“No. He’s at school. I need to go get him.” She reached to start the car again just as the door screeched open.
This time, the man next to her wore an EMT uniform, and there were flashing lights beyond him.
“I need to get to my son,” she said, trying to push at the man’s shoulder so that she could get out of the car.
The man grasped her arm gently. “What’s your name?”
“Shayna. I need to go get my son.”
“Let’s just check you out first,” the man said.
“Can I call someone? Someone to get Timothy. Please?” Shayna wasn’t above begging at that point. The need to know that Timothy was taken care of overrode any pain she might feel.
“Sure. Do you know the number?”
“I need my phone. In my purse.”
“Okay. Don’t move. Just stay sitting there,” the man instructed, then turned to call out to someone nearby.
Shayna closed her eyes against the lights and the pain in her head as she waited for her phone, uncertain whether the trembling that had taken over her body was from the cold that surrounded her now or the after-effects of the accident.
“Here you go, Shayna.”
When she felt her phone pressed into her hand, she opened her eyes. Snow fell on her as she gripped it.
“Why don’t we get you into the ambulance where it’s warmer, then you can make the call. We can check you over as well, make sure you’re okay.”
“Let me make the calls first. To the school and to someone to pick him up. I need to do that. He’ll be scared if I’m not there to get him.” She was prepared to fight the EMT on it if they tried to keep her from making the calls. Timothy was relying on her.
“Okay, but don’t take too long. It’s cold out here.”
Shayna nodded as she lifted a hand to her head where it ached. With the other hand, she tapped on the screen and brought up the information for Tristan. She had no one else to call, and she knew that he would take care of Timothy for her until she could get to him.
“Shayna?” Tristan’s voice washed over her, bringing comfort with it. “Is everything okay?”
“I…I…need help.”
“What’s wrong? What’s happened?”
“I was in an accident,” she said, lowering her hand and staring at the blood on her fingertips.
“What?” She heard the alarm in his voice and felt a corresponding leap of it within her at the sight of the blood. “Where are you? I’ll be right there.”
“No. Don’t come to me. Timothy. I need you to go to get Timothy from school. He’ll be waiting for me.” There was a beat of silence, and for a moment, Shayna wondered if he’d refuse. “Please.”
“What’s the school? I’ll leave right now.”
She gave him the information then said, “Thank you. I need to call them and let them know you’ll be picking him up.”
“Okay, then we’ll come to you.”
“Kay.”
“Call them. I’ll talk to you soon.”
The line disconnected, leaving her free to call the school and let them know that Tristan would be picking Timothy up. Only then did she allow the EMT to tend to her, removing her from the car and putting her into the ambulance. She prayed all the way to the hospital that there was nothing more wrong with her than a few bumps and bruises. And, if the blood on her fingers had been anything to go by, a cut or two.
The fact that they didn’t rush her to a bed immediately at the ER gave her hope that perhaps there was nothing seriously wrong.
Shayna had kept her phone in her hand, refusing to give it up even after she’d placed her calls. She needed to be able to answer it if…when…Tristan called to let her know he had Timothy. Still, when it rang a short time after she’d arrived at the hospital, it startled her, nearly causing her to drop it. Only the quick reflexes of the EMT standing next to her kept it from hitting the floor.
“Tristan?”
“Maman?” Timothy’s sweet voice came over the line, and Shayna felt a sob rise up inside her, but she fought it back. She needed to reassure Timothy, and her crying wouldn’t do that.
“Hey, Bug,” she said, keeping her voice as steady as possible. “Did Tristan pick you up?”
“Yes. He wants me to ask where you are.”
“I’m at…” Realizing that she didn’t know what hospital she’d ended up at, she looked at the EMT and said, “What hospital is this?”
She relayed the information to Timothy then went on to reassure him that she was fine, hoping that she wasn’t lying. Surely God wouldn’t take both his parents.
“Can you let me talk to Tristan?”
“You can just talk. His phone is…”
“Bluetooth,” Tristan said. “I can hear you, Shayna. We’ll be there in a bit. The traffic is jammed up.”
“My car…what’s going to happen to my car?”
“I think it’ll be towed then the insurance company will have to determine how badly damaged it is.”
The ache in Shayna’s head intensified at the thought of what was to come.
“Don’t worry about that right now,” Tristan said. “We’ll deal with it later.”
After he reassured her that they would be there soon, he ended the call. Though there was still anxiety lingering from the accident, at least the worry for Timothy had all but disappeared. She had no concern about him being with Tristan. In fact, the man was probably the one person who could keep Timothy calm, and in turn, that allowed her to be calm.
Tristan breathed a sigh of relief when he finally pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. It had taken longer than he’d wanted to get there, but there was no way he was going to risk a second accident. Especially not with Timothy on board.
He was grateful for the ability of his SUV to get him through the snowy streets safely, and once at the hospital, he and Timothy headed for the ER in search of Shayna. He’d taken the boy’s hand when they left the car, and as they made their way through the hallways of the hospital, Tristan became aware of the ever-tightening grip of Timothy’s hand.
Spotting a waiting room nearby, Tristan detoured into it and sat them on some seats near the entrance. When Timothy looked up at him, a curious expression on his face, Tristan gave him a reassuring smile. He needed to make sure that Timothy’s arrival didn’t upset Shayna anymore than she already was.
“What’s worrying you, buddy?” Tristan asked, well aware there was an obvious answer to his question, but he hoped Timothy wouldn’t give him that.
The boy’s gaze held his for a moment then dropped to the floor. “That she’s going to die.”
Tristan reached out to run a hand over his head. “You know I can’t guarantee that your mom will never die, but I don’t think her injuries are too bad. She called me and the school, plus you were able to talk to her. I don’t think they would have let her do that if she’d been seriously hurt.” Timothy gave him a sideways glance. “She might be banged up a bit, but I think she’ll be okay.”
The worry hadn’t completed faded, but as Timothy nodded, he looked a little more at ease. “Can we go see her now?”
“That we can.” Tristan got to his feet and took Timothy’s hand again. “Let’s go find your mom.”
Once at the ER department, they were instructed to wait for a doctor to come speak to them. The waiting room wasn’t too busy for the middle of the afternoon, but it still had enough people that it took them a minute to find two seats together. Timothy sat pressed to his side as they waited, his legs swinging rapidly.
It seemed like forever before Tristan heard his name called. When it came, they both bolted out of their seats. The doctor—a younger man who looked like he hadn’t slept in days—greeted them with a nod.
“Come with me,” the man said as he turned away.
Tristan pulled Timothy close to his side, keeping his hand on the boy’s shoulder. Despite the assurances he’d given him earlier, Tristan wasn’t sure what they would find when they finally reached Shayna’s side.
“Maman!” Timothy pulled away from Tristan and darted to the side of the bed where the doctor had stopped.
Tristan watched as Shayna shifted in order to pull Timothy close. Their heads pressed together as Timothy reached up to wrap his arms around her.
“How is she?” Tristan quietly asked the doctor.
“Normally, that would be up to her to discuss with you, but she has given me permission to talk to you about her condition.” The man glanced at the bed where the mother and son were now engaged in quiet whispering.
As Tristan listened to the doctor, he took in the cut on Shayna’s face as well as the bruising on her cheeks and around her eyes. Still, considering that her car had basically been sandwiched between two others, she looked better than he’d thought she might. He was glad of that for Timothy’s sake.
From what the doctor said, it appeared that there was no serious injury as a result of the accident though they were still waiting to do a scan of her head. It was no small miracle that she had escaped basically unscathed.
“Can she go home today?” Tristan asked once the doctor finished talking.
“If the scan shows nothing concerning, as long as she has someone to keep an eye on her, she should be able to go home,” the doctor said as he slid the chart back into the holder at the foot of the bed. “I’ll only sign off on her release if you can verify that she won’t be alone.”
“I’ll make sure of that,” Tristan said, even though he wasn’t sure how. It wasn’t as if he could stay at their place or they could stay with him.
Once the doctor had left them, Tristan turned his attention to Shayna. She looked up at him, her blue eyes wide and damp with tears.
“Thank you for bringing him to me,” she said, pressing her cheek against Timothy’s head where it rested on her shoulder. “I was so worried.”
“I’m glad I could help you out.” Tristan shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. “It’s a relief to hear that you’re not injured worse.”
Shayna nodded, though there was no smile on her face. “I need to be able to work tomorrow.”
“What?” Tristan frowned as he took a step toward the bed. “You may not be badly injured, but I don’t think you’re in any condition to work. You’ll feel the impact of the accident even more tomorrow. Did you not hear the doctor? He doesn’t even want you to be alone tonight.”
“But I need to work.”
Tristan moved to Timothy’s side. “That’s not possible, Shayna. You’ll have to let them know you’ve been in an accident and aren’t able to. Better yet,” Tristan held out his hand, “give me your phone, and I’ll let them know for you.”
She hesitated before gesturing to the small table beside the bed. “My phone is in my purse.”
Tristan shifted around Timothy and retrieved the purse then handed it to Shayna. She pulled her phone out, but instead of giving it to him, she kept it in her hand.
“Maybe I should call them myself,” she said as she tapped on the screen.
“No. I don’t want to take the chance that they’ll talk you into coming to work just because you have no broken bones.” Tristan held out his hand again. “I don’t mean to be overbearing, but I think it would be better if I talked with them.”
Finally, Shayna nodded and gave him the phone, then pulled Timothy close and lowered her head.
“Shayna? Are you calling to confirm that you’re working tomorrow?”
“No, ma’am. I’m sorry to say that Shayna won’t be able to make it in tomorrow. She was in a car accident on her way home from work and is currently in the hospital.”
“Was she badly hurt?” the woman asked, concern in her voice.
“She’ll be okay, but at the moment, she’s in no condition to work. She asked that I let you know.”
“Uh, well, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Goodbye now.”
Tristan had never been one for much small talk, particularly with those he didn’t know. With one problem taken care of, he turned his thoughts to the other.
He needed someone to stay with Shayna since it couldn’t be him. With his siblings having families of their own, he couldn’t very well ask his sisters or sisters-in-law. Well, perhaps he could ask Danica or Sierra. Or both.
“I’ll be right back,” Tristan said as he handed Shayna back her phone. He rested a hand on Timothy’s shoulder for a moment. “Take care of your mom.”
At the boy’s nod, Tristan left Shayna’s bedside and made his way to the waiting room. Once there, he found a seat, and sank into it, a bit bewildered by the situation he now found himself in. He’d never imagined that befriending a small boy who reminded him of himself would bring him to this point. Caring for not only that young boy but his mother too.