"WHERE IS RHETTA?!" I screamed, the second i woke up. I shot up but people suddenly restrained me, pushing me back down.
"WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?! TELL ME RIGHT THIS MINUTE!" I screamed.
"Ma'am, please calm down. You are frightening our other patients." A nurse told me.
"Then tell me where my daughter is. Now." I demanded.
"Your daughter is fine. She is down the hall, a boy is visiting her. The one that got her out of your car." the nurse replied calmly.
"Can i see them? What is his name? I want to thank him. Can I see Rhetta?" I asked, still panicking.
"Yes, Miss Hershey, but we will have to get you into a wheelchair." The nurse said.
"What? Why?" I asked nervously.
"Your left leg was broken and you have a major concussion." They replied. I lifted my left leg and saw a bright orange cast covering the majority of it.
"Why orange?" I asked.
"Your daughter said you'd like it." The nurse laughed.
A man brought a wheelchair and the nurse helped me into it. She wheeled me down the hallway to the room where Rhetta was. I was shocked as I saw who's lap she was sitting on-- who saved her from the car.
The one and only Paul Zimmer.
"Paul?" I stuttered.
"Look-- I'm sorry we hit you... But--" i cut him off.
"You saved Rhetta." I stated.
"I did." He said.
"Thank you." I whispered.
"Momma, Paul is my best friend now!" Rhetta giggled. I whimpered as i saw the stitches, the IVs, and the cast. She had a bright orange cast on her right arm. It matched mine. Her body was littered with stitches, from where the glass had punctured her skin. She had multiple IVs in her left arm. I slowly wheeled toward her. I stayed in the chair and Paul lifted her onto my lap.
"I'm so sorry, Baby Girl. It's all my fault. I was changing the music like you wanted me to... I was putting on Danny and Paul... And i didn't see the light turn red... It's all my fault." I said. Tears fell from my face.
"It's ok, momma! I'm ok! Paul came to see me and now he's my best friend!" She giggled.
"Paul... I can't explain how sorry i am..." I trailed off.
"Shhh. It's ok. I'm just thankful that you're both ok. I have something to tell you. Would would you mind coming into the hall for a moment?" He asked. I nodded. He placed Rhetta on her bed and let her watch the tv, which was playing Disney Junior. I wheeled into the hall, with Paul close behind.
"I don't know how to say this... But Rhetta was dead when i took her from the car." He told me.
I nodded, "I know... Thank you, though... She might not have been brought back... If it weren't for you..." I said.
"Like I said... I'm just glad you are both ok." He smiled. I smiled back as I turned the chair so i could go back in the room.
"Wait-- You were turning on our music? That's what you were doing when it happened?" He stuttered. I turned back and nodded.
"Rhetta and I are big fans." I laughed. He smiled.
"Well, thanks. So, um... Maybe you should rest.. you seem tired... I-- uh-- can stay with Rhetta?"
"N-no, I'll stay with her... You don't have to stay... You can leave, if you want--" I stuttered. Why would he want to stay?
"Are you sure? Danny's here too he just went to eat and Rhetta seems to like us both..." He interrupted.
"Momma, Daddy can stay with me!" Rhetta giggled from inside her room.
"Rhetta, Baby, Paul isn't your father... I don't know who your father is..." I trailed off.
When I was fifteen, i went to a party. There was alcohol involved... I was drunk and a few days later, I found out I was pregnant... No idea who the father was.
"Yes he is! The doctor told me that!" She said seriously. I grabbed Paul and pulled him back in the hall.
"What in the world is she talking about?!" I scream-whispered.
"Um, the doctors had no record of her father and they said she looks like me and she started calling me daddy so they gave me a dna test while you were asleep and um... Voila?" He said nervously.
"You are her FATHER?!" I asked. He nodded.
"Look-- Emily-- i you want me to leave, i can get out of your lives right now.." He said.
"No! I mean, stay... Please... Uh, how long was i asleep?" I asked.
"Two days... You were in a coma for two days." He informed me.
"Oh." I said.
"I guess um... We're uh... Parents..." He said. I smiled.
"I guess we are." I giggled.
