She tells me that my presence is no longer required. What kind of company fires you over the phone when you are in a different state taking care of an emergency? Whatever, I never liked the damn job, anyway.
“Sorry, that was my job calling to fire me. Assholes.”
“Are you freaking kidding me? You've been better than that place.
“So, maybe I’ll stick around. Got nothing except my apartment up there.”
I can’t tell whether she is wincing at the idea of me staying or the pain. Hopefully, the latter.
The thought of him still being out there makes me cringe. She hasn’t said so in so many words, but her body language says it all. The police will do their job and arrest him. A jury will find him guilty and put his ass in prison.
“Do you want me to get stuff from your place? Now that you’re awake, I’m sure you would love some pants or comfy socks.”
She shrugs her shoulders. “That’ll be fine. Can you bring my laptop? I have a paper that is due in a couple of days that I haven't finished.”
“I’m sure your professor will give you an extension under the circumstances. Don’t worry about school right now.”
“I’m graduating this semester. There are no extensions. I can finish it, just bring me the laptop. The keys should have been on me when I arrived.”
I close the door and let her get some rest while I approach the nurse’s station. “Can I have her belongings again? I need the key to her apartment to get some clothes for her.”
They hand the bag over, and after finding the key, I order an UBER. I remember her address from the packages she is always sending me, and wait outside. The man next to me is enjoying a cigarette.
“Bad day, huh?” I ask, not minding my business.
“My pregnant wife was in a car accident. No update in hours.”
“I hope your wife and baby are okay.”
The app alerts me that my car has arrived, which shows to be a silver Toyota Corolla, and they have pulled into the parking lot instead of coming to the emergency entrance. So, I walk over to the pickup spots and knock on the window.
“Are you Sarah?” I ask, and she nods, so I get inside. “Can you wait ten minutes while I run and grab some things?”
UBER charges the riders based on the mileage and time with the driver, so she agrees to wait outside for me once we get to Lacey’s apartment. I didn’t want to wait for another driver.
I turn the key into her apartment and walk inside. Lacey was a different person before she moved out here. Her floor used to be covered in clothes, and mom would have to ground her to get her to clean it up.
Her laptop is sitting on her coffee table, plugged into the wall, so I grab it and stuff into the laptop bag that’s sitting next to the couch. A medium overnight bag is sitting at the bottom of her closest so I throw a couple outfits into it. I can always come back.
She wastes no time taking off to the hospital and dropping me off.
“Thank you again,” I say, getting out with the bags and closing out my app with a generous tip.
The automatic doors open and allow me inside, and the man from earlier is pacing.
“Any news?” I ask.
“She’s still in surgery, but we lost the baby,” his voice drops, and the tears begin.
He walks off, and takes a seat in a chair, and that’s my sign to leave him alone. Poor guy.
She is still fast asleep, so I set the bags down next to her bed and go to the cafeteria. I grab a chicken sandwich, fries, and a bottle of water and take a seat.
These last two days have been awful. If my parents found out, there would be no debate about moving Lacey to Utah. They will catch this son of a bitch, and he will rot in prison. Now that I’m here, it’s my job to protect my sister, and no one will ever touch her like that again.