If This Game Could Talk

Feels like Falling...Off a Cliff.

The 11 hour drive to Alabama, was a complete and total blur. it was as if Kendall and I were in some kind of never ending nightmare, No one in the car spoke the only way I knew that Kendall was alive was her sporadic bursts of crying and whimpering. I felt so bad for her, my heart was truly breaking. The second we pulled into the parking lot at DCH Kendall jumped from the car before my dad even turned the engine off and sprinted off to the entrance; when I walked in Kendall was in the arms of her mom and dad, and various other family members they were all crying. I sat down in a chair and checked my phone Patrick's face was showing up on the caller ID. I knew I should answer it, but I just didn't think right now would be the appropriate time. So instead I hit the reject call button... or the fuck you button as I like to refer to it. However Patrick clearly did not like having the fuck you button pushed on him because he called, again and again, and again.. I counted 20 missed calls before I finally said fuck it all and decided that IF he called again I would have no choice but to answer it. Kendall was with her family talking with Roz's doctors and I was just sitting in the waiting room with my mom and dad. I had no other feasible option or excuse to ignore him any longer. Just as I predicted, Like clockwork my phone started vibrating furiously against my leg, I looked down, it was Patrick. I excused myself from my parents and answered the call. 

"Hey Patrick, Now really isn't a good time to talk." I made sure I could get the first sentence out before he could even speak, I think he was thrown off by the fact that I had actually answered the phone this time. 

"OH, I'm sorry, I just really wanted to check in on you and see how your flight home was. I also wanted to know how your visit home went. You Can just call me back when you're free." I smiled a little bit He was really being so sweet, which is funny because In the grand scheme of life I haven't known him for very long at all. He has no plausible reason to be this nice to me. 

"No, No its okay we can talk. Its a long story so bare with me; My flight and visit home were great thanks for asking! but literally the morning I got back from my hometown, Kendall told me some very sad news so Kendall, Myself and my parents all got into my car and drove down to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I kinda feel like I'm in some sick and twisted dream, it's all so surreal right now." Patrick wasted no time asking questions his voice laced with concern. 

"Wait what do you mean by very sad news? what happened Lorr is everything okay? are you okay? is she okay? is her family okay? Do you want me to come down to Alabama cause I will, The Foxworth's are neighbors and I really want to make sure they're okay." Tears threatened to spill out of my eyes at this point I was utterly shocked and moved at how compassionate Patrick was being. I took a brief second to steady my breathing before responding to all of his questions. 

" Kendall's little sister Rozalyn she's two years younger than us, and also happens to be our sorority sister as well. anyway Roz was staying in Tuscaloosa for summer classes at the University of Alabama, (Where both Kendall and I recently graduated from.) we aren't really sure how it happened but she's been in a really severe car accident. So I'm okay a little shaken up, and my heart is breaking for Kendall and her family, but as far as you coming down to Alabama, you really don't have to do that if you don't want too. Its so out of your way, and I just would feel so bad if you didn't get to spend time with your family." I could almost sense from Tuscaloosa just how worked up all of this was making Patrick, So I really wasn't all that surprised when he sounded so passionate in his answer. 

"Okay, That settles it I'm on the next flight down there. What's the closest major airport? Never mind I googled it. Birmingham-Shuttlesworth, I'll see you Kendall and everyone else in five hours, please keep me filled in. I feel terrible I'm sending flowers to the hospital for everyone in that family, and a get well package for Rozalyn." I should of seen what he was saying coming but I was stunned by his compassion. I could hardly choke out a response I was crying so hard. 

"Y-y-y-y-y-o-o--u Ha-Ha-Ha-ve N-n-n-n-no Id-ea, what. Th-Thi-This means to me and Ken-Ken-Ken-Kendall. Tha-Tha-Thank Y-y-y-y-ou." Patrick said a quick goodbye, and I tried to pull myself together to go back inside. 

I could see Kendall desperately searching the lobby for me So I hauled ass back inside. She looked at me, and I looked at her, Once we made eye contact she broke into a grin and started crying tears of what must have been joy. I ran across the lobby and threw my arms around her. 

"Lorr she's going to be okay, Our baby sister is going to be okay!" we jumped up and down a little bit and then calmed down enough so Kendall could tell us everything she knew. 

"So really when Roz is awake she'd be the best one to tell us, but based on the injuries she had sustained, It looks like a car side swiped her and the impact of that, caused her car to spin around and crash into the cement median on I-59 heading towards Birmingham. Maybe around where Bessemer is." I sat there and listened horrified poor Roz, I could not even imagine what kind of thoughts were going through her head, or how she hung in there. But my heart was bursting with joy to know that she was going to be okay and was going to pull through. 

"Kendall, I am so happy Roz is going to be okay, I was scared shitless is there anything we can do for you or your family? also Patrick know's and he's flying down from New York right now to be with everyone, He must really like your family." Kendall's face lit up at the mention of Kaner, but she started to snicker at me by the end of my thought. 

"NO doofus!" Kendall Laughed, "He doesn't really like my family, I think he really likes YOU!" which made her laugh even harder because, she knew me better then anyone and because of that she knew I was kind of a basket case. I've been dealing with a lot of my own deep and personal things for a while now, and Kendall has been with me through it all. I was really and truly blessed to have a friend like her. 

Eventually Kendall's parents came out and Joined us, The rest of the family was still in Roz's hospital room, I think they just wanted to get some fresh air-- I know I would, having to see a family member in a hospital bed fighting for their life is just one of the most emotionally and mentally draining thing a person could possibly endure. I think they just needed to be able to sit a while and be with their own thoughts; not having to hear the beeps and whirs of various monitors and machines. It was truly heart breaking to see the face of a man who was so joyous and youthful a mere week ago, look so deeply distraught and twisted in pain; deep dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. Kendall's mother looked no better, In that moment I wished that I could take away all of their pain and make everything better. 

Patrick arrived at DCH right around the time he said that he was going to, Normally under completely different circumstances I think my parents would of Flipped out when he showed up and wrapped up both Kendall and I in a huge hug, but they didn't; we all knew just how somber of an occasion this truly was, and we were all just waiting for that magic phrase from the doctor, the phrase that told us Roz was awake and talking. It was a phrase that would really solidify in our brains that she was really going to be okay, and that Heaven was not about to gain another angel; because it was far to soon for a person like Roz to go, her light shone so bright that it lit up the lives of all who encountered her. It was a light that was meant to shine for years and years to come; all that needed to happen, was for her to wake up.