Six Little Words

"Momma, I've been in a wreck." Trembling voice, shallow breathing.

Somewhere in my mind, I know the good news is it is Daughter's voice and not a policeman at my door.

"How bad? Are you hurt?"  My whole body feels lit up.

"I'm not hurt, except where the airbag deployed. I hit a truck."

"Where are you?"
She was almost home. Three miles away.

"I"ll get dressed. I"ll be right there. Your daddy is on the road headed your way in the truck. I can't reach him, so he'll just show up any minute. Let him see you first thing."

"Okay."

"I'll be right there."

I put on a half way decent shirt and pants, grabbed my purse, turned on my phone, got my keys out of the door, praying, praying.

My car had been having a bit of a hesitancy before starting for a few days, and I had called about a battery this morning. They urged me to take it to the garage first, to make sure it wasn't something besides the battery, as my battery is only a few years old.

The hesitancy was much worse, but it started and I kept telling myself to not drive like a maniac. NO tears!  I said. I heard myself whimper once.

I pulled in, and there she was. In one piece. Her car was in the middle of the road, bashed in. Water and antifreeze was all over the road. The truck's front tire was hanging limply from the truck, but otherwise didn't look hurt.

She came to me. I held her for a minute. She showed me her arm that was burned from the airbag. I asked the boy who was driving the truck if he was okay. He said he was.

The ambulance came screaming up the road. I was so thankful I was there and had seen Daughter before I heard that. They talked to both of them and seemed satisfied that there was no real injury to either of them.

The deputy pulled up. He was as kind as he could be. He asked Daughter three times if she had been wearing her seat belt. She kept telling him she had.

She was preparing to make a left turn and glanced at the little ones playing in the yard on the right side of the road, and as she looked again, she also started moving. The truck was on her before she could do anymore that collide.

Of course, it is her fault. She has a summons to appear in court, but the state patrolman told her to call in the morning, she probably wouldn't really have to go to court.

They towed away both vehicles and we were told we were all free to leave.

She talked to our insurance company for fifteen minutes.

Boyfriend, who showed up before the mess was over,  followed us to the garage. The battery in my car is dead, but they promised to have it ready to go first thing in the morning.

Then we all left in Boyfriend's car.

Daughter and I held hands all the way home.