12-in-1

~3~ Together's Where We Belong

*Alex*

April was with me in the ambulance, Alexa with Mia and the twins were together.

April kept repeating the word no and I held her in my arms as they gave her a sedative.

I was well past the crying stage and in came the worse one; the shocked stage.

I kept replaying everything in my mind.

My parents were gone.

They were never going to send me to Harvard.

Or visit up there.

Or watch me get married and have babies.

They will not be there.

I heard the driver of the ambulance mutter to the paramedic something like, "six kids - orphans at once. The boy looks like my son. Going home to give the boy a big ol' hug."

I tuned them all out and kissed the still shaking April.

Her phone was going off every thirty seconds and so I switched it off.

Were we gonna be sent to an orphanage?

Separate foster homes?

What would happen to Mia?

Questions my dad or mum would never be able to answer.

Questions they won't have to answer or think of if we had been a minute late.

*Alexa*

"Is she gonna be ok?" I asked.

Mia had been given a sedative and she was wrapped with three blankets but her lips remained bluer than the skies.

"Let's hope so."

I looked at the baby of the house.

"She can't die. I can't lose my parents and their last born in the same day. You can't let her die." I sobbed into the poor paramedic's arms where she was smoothing my hair like my mother would have.

"I want my mama."

"She's in a better place honey. You just saw an example of the horrible things that happen down here but now she's in Heaven."

"I want her here."

"And so will your siblings so you have to be strong for them. Be strong for your mama."

I sobbed till the ambulance came to a standstill and we were let out.

"Six children - parents may be dead - car accident - no visible injuries - six year old - name's... What's her name sweetheart?" they asked me and all eyes were on me but I was too caught up in her description.

We may now be six orphans.

"Sweetie?" she urged me.

"Mia. Mia Cole."

"Mia Cole, pushed into the ocean in the car. Possible concussion and pneumonia."

Pneumonia.

People died from pneumonia.

"Trauma unit two stat!" the doctor called and Mia was wheeled away with me catching up to them before the paramedic woman said, "be strong. God loves you."

I nodded numbly and ran after my sister.

"So where are the other four orphans?" a pretty young looking doctor asked me.

"HEY! Interns don't talk. Shut up!" the motherly doctor shouted at the guy and he hurried forward where she slapped him upside the head and muttered insults at him.