A loud screech out the front of Mason’s house has me dropping the mop that I was  running over the floor and darting out the front door. I don’t think, I don’t even hesitate. I just run out there. A horn blares and more brakes screech. Shit. I run out past the front gates and onto the road where a car has collided with a pole out the front of Mason’s house, to the left a little.

My heart races, and I rush over, terrified of what I’m going to find.

I know people who have said they’d rather call an ambulance than look inside a car that has crashed, just in case what they see they can never unsee. I’m not one of those people, though; if someone is in there, and hurt, I’m going to get them out. Or at least, I’m going to do the best I can to make sure they’re okay.

I rush over to the car, and a few other people have already stopped and gotten out of their cars. I reach the driver’s side and pull the door open and stop dead in my tracks. Theresa, Mason’s sister, is in the front seat. She’s hanging onto the steering wheel, knuckles white, staring straight ahead. Okay, I know she’s not a very nice person, but I’m not cruel enough to just walk away.

Not ever.

“Theresa,” I say carefully, reaching in and grabbing her shoulder. “Theresa, are you okay?”

She turns and looks at me, looking a little dazed. “Do I know you?”

She doesn’t remember me? That’s probably a good thing.

“I’m Mason’s maid, I heard the crash. I’m going to call an ambulance, are you hurt?”

She nods. “Yes. I ... yes, my neck ...”

I stand up straight and turn, glancing at a man rushing over. “Can you call an ambulance?”

“Already done. Is she okay? She was just driving along and swerved, but there was nothing in her way ...”

I look back to Theresa.

“I got a pain, in my chest,” she whispers.

Great. She’s going to have a heart attack on me.

Just what I need.

“I’m going to stay right here with you, okay, the ambulance is on its way. Do you want me to call someone? Mason? Do you have a husband?”

“No, no,” she murmurs. “No, I don’t want you to call anyone. I don’t ... I don’t have anyone.”

Well, that kind of sucks.

“Okay, it’ll be okay.”

An ambulance arrives about ten minutes later and, carefully, they get Theresa out of the car and put her on a stretcher. “Has she any family who will be riding with her to the hospital?”

She glances at me, and I swear, she looks desperate. God dammit. I’d be a monster to send her off on her own. At least if I make sure she gets to the hospital safely and call someone, probably Mason, much to his dismay, then I’ll know I’ve done the right thing.

“I’ll come with her,” I say, raising a hand.

The paramedic nods, and we climb into the ambulance.

As we head toward the hospital, they do a few tests, ask Theresa a few questions, and then everything falls silent.

“You didn’t have to ride with me,” she says, and I glance at her.

“I’m not cruel enough to leave you on your own; you just had a car accident. Someone needs to be with you until you have help at the hospital.”

She bites her bottom lip, and then nods before saying, “Please, don’t call Mason.”

I shrug. “Then you’re going to have to give me someone else to call.”

“Okay.”

I stare down at my hands and realize I don’t have anything on me anyway. I don’t have my phone, or my purse. Then I realize I left Mason’s house wide open when I ran out. I wasn’t thinking, I just heard the crash and hightailed it out the door. Dammit. As soon as I get to the hospital, I’m going to have to call Mason and tell him his house is open, but Theresa really doesn’t want me to call.

I’m between a rock and a hard place.

We arrive at the hospital and they take her right in to get checked out. I wait, and wait, and wait. I can’t catch anyone for long enough to borrow a phone. After about two hours, Theresa finally hobbles out, looking stiff, but not in a really bad way. I walk over, stopping in front of her. “Are you okay?”

“I’m all clear, they said I can go.”

“I don’t have a phone or I would have called someone for you.”

“It’s okay,” she says, “I’ve called a friend to come and collect me. Do you need the phone to get a lift home?”

I nod. “That would be great, thank you.”

I call Chantelle, who agrees to come and get me in a few moments. After all that, I didn’t call Mason. I’ll tell him what happened tonight, but I don’t want to risk him upsetting Theresa. The relationship between the two of them is strained and, honestly, none of my business. So, I’ll respect her wishes for now.

“Thank you,” Theresa says, and I glance at her.

“Oh, you’re welcome.”

“I know you probably don’t like me a great deal, but I appreciate you helping me the way you did.”

I nod and give her a weak smile. “No problem.”

Chantelle arrives fifteen minutes later, and the second we step out of the hospital, she asks, “Was that Mason’s sister? The one you told me about? She looks exactly like him.”

“It was, and it’s a long story. When we get home, I’ll tell you.”

“You’re going to have to tell me on the way. I’m heading to work, so it’ll be a drop and run.”

So, I get in her car.

And I tell her.

Then, I try and figure out what I’m going to tell Mason.