Page 139 of Collision

I’m already itching to get out of this bed, trying to swing my broken leg off the side, so she steps back towards me quickly.

“Stay,” she whispers. “You can’t get out of this bed and your Mom needs to have some time with you, okay?”

“But you need me, Mik.” I counter with a pleading glance to the door. The idea of her having to relive it all without support makes me sick to my stomach.

“I’ll be fine. I promise. And if they need you, I promise I’ll bring them straight to you, okay?”

My hand cups her face as I pull her lips to mine, kissing her softly as Mom smiles to herself and Jamie groans.

“Okay. But if you need me…” My forehead is pressed against hers as she wraps her fingers around my hand and holds me for a moment.

“Then you’re right here. I know.”

Mikaela

“And then what happened, Miss Wilcox?”

The officer hardly looks up from his notepad as we sit in the small on call room the nurse had lead us to.

I wring my hands together repeatedly as I relive the events of a few hours ago, my breath hitching at strange places with each retelling.

“And then Jamie was there. He told him to let go of me - he had police with him already. I don’t know how. And they got Matthew off of me and Ben was awake. I’m sorry. This is all just a lot right now.”

The officer nods as his pen skims over the notes he already has. “And Mr Kaden told you he crashed into Mr Haston’s car?”

“Yes,” I breathe. We have gone over this countless times now and I’m growing restless. I want to go back to Ben. “And that he’s been following me for a while now.”

“And your relationship with Mr Haston is what, precisely?”

“He’s my boyfriend.”

“Okay.” The officer clicks his pen and closes his notebook with a sigh, before turning off the device on the table that’s been recording this whole ordeal and smiling gently towards me. “You did great, Miss Wilcox. I’m sorry you had to go through all that. We just have to be thorough in these reports.”

I note that his eyes are warm brown, like melted chocolate, and his skin has a deep tan that etches kindness into the wrinkles forming around his mouth and eyes. His hair, dark and short, is speckled with grey and white, and the slight bend in the bridge of his nose gives his crooked smile a soft edge. He’s kind.

“I understand.” My breath leaves me in a gush as I slump forwards, finally done having to speak it all back into existence. “What happens now?”

“Well.” The man leans back slightly as he speaks and his tone is swift and matter-of-fact. “Violation of a protection order is a Class 1 Misdemeanour. I’ll head back to the precinct and file a criminal complaint against Mr Kaden which will put him in contempt of court. He will be arrested and a date will be set for him to face a judge. You may be called as a witness. The judge will decide if he will go to prison or pay a fine or both. In addition to this, charges of Reckless Driving will be brought against Mr Kaden. As this will be his first offence in this state he could face an additional thirty days on top of any prison sentence handed to him. However, a judge may rule to include his previous conviction, for which he has already served a four week sentence, which would allow for a further ninety days incarceration to be applied.”

I rock back in my chair. It’s information overload and my mind is reeling. Court. Fines. Misdemeanours and criminal complaints. I feel sick.

“Prison?” I glance at the man smiling softly at me and he nods.

“Six to eighteen months, Ma’am.”

“Theresheis.”Ben’smom has a small smile aimed at me as I slip back into his room quietly. Instant warmth spreads through me at the sight. There’s a sadness in her eyes though; a sadness that I recognise all too well. “Ben was just filling me in, dear. How are you holding up?”

I sigh as I run my hands through my hair and close my eyes.

“I don’t know,” I admit, leaning against the wall. I can feel them looking at me as I try to breathe through that building bubble of anxiety.

When I open my eyes I see two things. First I see the shame in Ben’s eyes. The shadow of painful regret dances in the waves of blue, no doubt a remnant of telling his mother this story, although it is partially his to tell. I smile sadly at him as I move closer and lean in to him. His expression softens as I do so and I press a soft kiss against his cheek.

Everything is okay.

Then I notice the way Mrs Haston moves. She shuffles in her chair, moving to the side to make enough space for me to sink in beside her, and pulls back the knitted blanket that’s thrown over her lap. While I stand beside Ben, his mother motions to space beside her and opens her arms.

“Any girl who has been through what you have been through today needs a mother’s hug, dear.”

My heart clenches and a small whimper sounds as I find myself curling in beside her, crying as the blanket is pulled over me and a warm embrace envelopes me.

“It’s okay, darling girl,” she soothes. “Get it out of your system.”