3. Fall out
Cameron looked to her parents for help. She was immobilized and trying to remember how to breathe when she noticed their stares. Evan was battered and bruised, his arm in a sling and stiches across his forehead, his shirt open revealing purple bruises along his abdomen. Scarlett's arm was in a cast her leg stitched above her knee and her shirt ripped and bloodied, bandages wrapped around her stomach. There was still a trickle of blood coming from her ear where a small piece of glass sliced her face.
Cameron looked to them as tears flew down their cheeks, she had never seen her mother look so sad and broken and Cammie had a feeling that it wasn't their injuries that were causing them the most pain.
"Cameron," the doctor began. "There was a problem..." Evan reached for Cammie's hand gently touching the scratched flesh that used to be so pristine and perfect. Not like him, he never wanted his daughter to suffer like he had and now... "When the accident ensured we had hoped to be able to..." Cammie couldn't hear the doctor, she was dizzy and confused. Her eyes weren't focusing correctly and she couldn't open her eyes fully, or her mouth.
"What," Cammie tried to speak, but found that she was unable, even the motion of moving her mouth was difficult.
"Don't try to talk sweetie," Scarlett said softly, as teardrops hit Cammie's bed.
"Do you remember the accident?" Evan questioned and Cammie looked to them confused. Accident, what accident?
"There was a car crash..." Scarlett's voice hitched in her throat. "A semi-truck collided with us. You went flying out the front window." Cammie looked to them confused. She was dazed and in pain, but didn't know 100% why. She also didn't know why they were all surrounding her. Doctors and nurses alike gathered around looks of horror and amazement on their faces. There were too many doctors for a car crash.
"Cameron," Evan began. He looked down to his own burnt skin and cringed, he never thought this day would come when he wouldn't be able to help his daughter.
"Cammie we love you so much and are going to do everything we can to make you better again." Scarlett said as she staggered slightly on her hurt leg.
My face! Cammie tried to scream to call out in pain when she was showed her own reflection. Her heart rate went up and she started hyperventilating. My face! My face! What happened to my face? Moans escaped her mouth as a sedative was delivered to her.
"You need to try and stay calm. You had to have stitches in your shoulder. We don't want you pull out your stitches." Cammie's eyes moved away from Dr. Cade and towards her parents. How could they let this happen to her? How could they stand there and let this woman destroy her beautiful face? Cammie's eyes shut involuntarily sending her to sleep with angry thoughts floating through her head.
"Probably best," Evan began as he let go of Cammie's hand. "She won't feel the pain while she sleeps." Evan said softly. "What are we going to do moving forward?" Evan asked after a long hesitation. He looked up to Dr. Cade and saw that a herd of women and men gathered around the room, watching his daughter, eyes wide, looking at her like a freak show, an insolvable case to figure out. They looked at her like people looked at him and it broke Evan to see that. Scarlett cried into Evans shoulder as Dr. Cade looked to Cammie trying to figure out what to do, how to give these people their daughter back.
"I don't know." Dr. Cade told them honestly. "I have sent some emails, made some calls, I am trying to see if anyone has dealt with something as extravagant as this..." Extravagant, Scarlett repeated in her head. Her daughters condition was considered extravagant. "I want to keep her here for the time being. If you want to get cleaned up, take care of anything at home we will keep a close eye on her." Dr. Cade looked around the room, shooing the rest of the doctors and nurses out with her eyes. "Ethaline." She said, keeping Ethaline in the room, she involuntarily took a step towards them. "I want you to stay with Cammie while I try and get some more information from her scans and MRI's."
"Of course," she said with a small smile. "I will take good care of her." Ethaline said to the Brooks.
"We should probably get Eliot," Scarlett turned her attention to Evan. "Or maybe see if he can stay with the Kyles a bit longer." Scarlett said pulling away from Evan.
"Okay, why don't you go and get cleaned up and see if your mom can take care of Eliot for a few days until we can figure this out. I will stay here in case Cammie wakes up." Scarlett nodded, but tears ran down her face and she didn't think she could leave. "Or," Evan countered. "You can stay and I'll get new clothes for you and deal with Eliot. Ethaline, can we use a phone?" She pulled out her own phone, unlocked it and handed it them. "Call your mom, I will get a car and go home, check on Eliot... we will get through this. We always have." Scarlett nodded again as Evan kissed Cammie's head and then Scarlett. "I will be back soon."
"Mom?" Scarlett said into the phone, her voice hitching.
"Sweetie what happened? Who's phone is this? Are you alright? Are the kids alright? What do you need?" Lena Connor questioned rising from spot already looking for her car keys.
"We were in a car accident." Scarlett said slowly, softly, Lena had to strain her ears to hear her daughter. "Cammie was really hurt." She heard Scarlett's tears, as clearly as she heard the birds chirping outside her window. "Evan and I are going to be fine... Eliot was at a friend's, but Cammie is really hurt mom."
"What do you need to do? Where do you need me to be? I'm already in the car, tell me where you are."
"I'm at the hospital, Evan just left to check on Eliot. Could you go to the house and stay with Eliot until we figure out what to do?" Scarlett begged, Ethaline stood in the corner of the room, flipping through Cameron's chart, viewing her basically inexistent facial structure. Her bones shattered her skin puffy and inflamed.
"Yes of course. I will be there soon. Do you need anything Scar?" Lena asked, as the light turned green she slammed on the gas.
"I need my baby to be okay," she sobbed.
"Oh Scarlett, everything is going to be okay. God won't let you lose her." God, you protect my grandbaby! She mentally screamed at the sky. "Everything is going to be alright, I just know it." She tried to keep her voice calm as she spoke. "Cameron is strong just like her parents. Honey your father is calling, can I call you right back?"
"This isn't my phone, it's a nurses. Just call the Kyles I will send you their number. I have to tell Evan that you are coming."
"Okay sweetie, I will be there soon." Lena hung up and Scarlett opened a message sending the Kyles phone number to her mom and then typing it in herself, calling them.
"Hello?" Karen said quizzically thinking that the unknown number was just a wrong number or a prank call.
"Karen its Scarlett Brooks."
"Oh Scarlett, how's Cammie?"
"Not good, Evan is on his way to you. He is going to pick Eliot up and my mom is coming to stay with him. I think it will be best if he's at home when we tell him what happened... once he sees Evan... can you tell Evan that my mom is coming? We don't have our phones."
"Of course, of course." Karen said, "you let me know if you need anything. I am here for you. I'm praying for you."
"Thank you." Scarlett handed Ethaline back her phone. "Thank you." She repeated and Ethaline nodded.
"If you want to get cleaned up there is a small bathroom right here," she pushed open the door reveling a tiny shower, sink and toilet.
"Thank you, I will..." Scarlett looked to Cammie and her knees went weak. "Please baby, baby..." She didn't know what to do, what to say, how to feel. Cameron was alive, but her face, her faces wasn't really there.
"I'm going to get you some water." Ethaline announced moving towards the door her scrubs scratching as she moved. "I will be right back."
Evan stepped in the shower, running a hand over the dried blood and debris from the accident. He thought that a fresh clean face would be better for picking up Eliot. He didn't want to appear all bloodied and looking like a Zombie from the walking dead when he delivered Eliot the news. Evan gave himself time to think as he got clean. He should go to the impound lot and see if he could get their phones and wallets back. He would have to see if Scarlett called her mom somehow, he should call his parents and let them know what happened as well. Shower, pack clothes for Scar and Cameron, go to the impound lot, get Eliot, go to the hospital. That was the plan.
Cammie's freshman year had went off without a hitch. She was on the soccer team in the spring and did softball the past fall. She was on track to make it to varsity by her sophomore year. She got good grades, had good friends, guys liked her apparently. Evan wrapped a towel around his waist and let out an exasperated breath. He got dressed quickly cringing at the motion of lifting his hand over his head to put on his shirt. He threw an extra pair of clothes in a bag for himself and then a few pairs of clothes for Cammie and Scarlett. He grabbed Scarlett's nook off the bedside table, Cammie's tablet from her schoolbag, a hair brush, toothbrushes, he shouldn't have to be doing this Evan couldn't help but think. He should be picking Eliot up from the Kyle's with a smile on his face, Eliot bouncing with excitement because he loved the park at the soccer field while Scarlett would be getting Cammie ready for her soccer game, probably braiding her hair out her Cammie's face. He shouldn't be packing a bag for the hospital, he should be packing snacks for the game... Evan wiped away tears that were threatening to fall down his leathery skin.
Evan moved with a purpose as he rummaged through Scarlett's purse for the keys to her car that was kept safely, uncrushed in the garage. He shook her purse upside down revealing hair ties, gum, her wallet, receipts, lip balm... "Come on..." Evan shook it more viscously, "Key, key, key..." he muttered. Then he saw the keychain stuck to the zipper. "Gottcha." He pulled it out and dumped everything back inside, taking a bandaged hand and running it along the table the products spilled in like a slots machine.
"God, please protect my Cameron." Evan drove more cautiously and shakily than he ever had. He knew what happened was a freak accident, but it still made him nervous and antsy as he gripped the streeling wheel.
"This hunk of junk your car?" The man asked when Evan showed up. Evan looked at the remains of his car.
"Sadly, yes."
"Well, we went through got a purse, a wallet, three phones, smashed pair of readers... everything else was well..." he gestured to the car.
"That sounds about right, everything else doesn't matter." Evan reached for the stuff, taking his wallet out of the bag and handing the man his credit card for the charges.
"I'm sorry about your car..." the man twiddled with Evan's card. "Was everyone alright?"
"No, my wife and daughter are at the hospital right now and I need to pick my son up..." Evan let out a sigh, "if we could hurry this up, it's already been a long day and it's only," Evan glanced at his watch. "9, its only nine." Evan repeated more to himself as he thought through the past 24 hours as the man handed him back his card.
"No charge, I'm sorry about what happened. I will be sending good vibes your way." Evan nodded putting his card back in his wallet.
"Thank you, that's really kind of you." The man turned back to his computer as Evan left.
"Hey, how's Scarlett? Eliot your dad is here!" Karen Kyle called from the door. "Would you like to come in? Do you need anything? Can I get you anything? I can keep Eliot until you have things settled if you want?"
"Karen you are too kind," Evan began, but the phone rang in the distance.
"MOM PHONE!" Timmy shouted.
"Do you know who it is?" Karen asked turning back to them from the doorway.
"NO!" Timmy shouted back.
"Then let it ring. Sorry, would you like to come in?" Karen went on.
The beep of the answering machine went off.
"Hi, this is Lena Connor, Scarlett's mother... Eliot's grandma... um I'm at their house so if you would be a dear and give me a call back I can pick up Eliot for them..." Evan walked past Karen and to the phone.
"Hi Lena..."
"Oh Evan, how are you? How's my baby and grandbaby? Scarlett sounded miserable on the phone." Lena said as she put her purse down on the kitchen table and greeted the animals.
"Yeah, it's not the best right now." Evan admitted. "I'm picking up Eliot now, we will be home soon. Thanks for coming so fast."
"Of course, of course. Did the animals get fed yet?"
"No, I completely forgot."
"Dad, I'm ready." Eliot said dragging his Spiderman backpack along the floor behind him.
"One second El, I'm on the phone with Gamma."
"Is she coming to visit?" Eliot said excited jumping up and down.
"Yeah, she is already at the house."
"Then what are we doing here?" Eliot announced. "Gamma's there, what are we doing here?" Eliot pulled Evan's hand leading him towards the door.
"Thank your friend for having you," Evan said. "We will be home soon." He repeated hanging up the phone. "Thank you Karen for having him," Evan scooped up Eliot's backpack as he moved to the door.
"Of course and let us know is you need anything, or need us to take care of Eliot. Please, you all are like family, don't hesitate to ask."
"Gamma!" Eliot announced, hugging her.
"Hi my sweets, did you have fun at your friend's house?"
"Yeah, where's Grandpa?" Eliot questioned looked around the house.
"He is coming a bit later, did you eat breakfast yet?" Eliot nodded. "Good, can I talk to your dad for a second?"
"Sure, but don't take too long I want to show you my new action figures." Eliot announced as he pulled out his Nintendo Switch from his bag. He beat Timmy at Mario kart and smash bros, it was awesome.
"So tell me what happened hon?" Lena asked Evan as he picked up Trix and she purred in his arms. Evan went on to explain what happened and how Cameron looked, then he remembered that he took a picture and Lena couldn't breathe. "Oh Evan," she hugged him gently noticing the way he held his arm gingerly to his body. "Her face... what are they going to do?"
"I don't know, they want to give her time to heal before they start poking and prodding her again, but..." Evan sat down at the table no longer able to stand. "I'm sorry, I'm just so tired and I don't know what to do!"
"Clothes, phones, and Cameron still asleep?" Evan questioned as he held out the bag he prepared earlier that morning to Scarlett.
"Yeah, she's asleep. I'm going to clean up. Did my mom show up?" Scarlett questioned as she pulled off her torn shirt.
"Yeah, Eliot was so happy to see her. I told her what happened, but I didn't tell Eliot. I didn't know what to tell him yet..."
"No, that's smart. I don't want him worried. My mom told me she could stay as long as we need, but she wanted to come and see Cameron once my dad comes. Did you call your parents?"
"Yeah, I called them in the car. They are on their way as well. I told them they didn't have to come, but they insisted." Evan loved that his parents wanted to be part of his children's life. After his accident they had become very illusive until he met Scarlett. She brought him together with his parents and now she gave them grandchildren, so they really loved Scarlett. They wanted to be better grandparents then they had been parents so they visited often and called every week. Evan hoped that now Cameron looked different, they would still care, they wouldn't retreat to their selfish, conceded ways. He hoped that they would have learned how to deal with a unique child and wouldn't turn away from Cameron like they did him.
"Mmmm," Cameron's mumbled voice said as her eyes peeled partially open.
"Hey Cam, your mom is in the shower. She will be right out, but I'm here." Cameron looked around the room, her vision still blocked and her face numb. She couldn't smile, she couldn't blink without her eyes getting stuck, she had to blow her nose but as she brought her hand to her face remembering what horror lay under her fingers. Evan handed Cameron her phone and she tried to smile. Her friends would be worried when she didn't show up for the game. Jackson would be upset that she didn't show up and she couldn't show up until they fixed her face. "Do you need anything? Should I get the doctor?" Evan questioned quietly. Cameron tried to shake her head no. Her arms and legs felt fine, her body slightly bruised and bandaged, but the drugs kept her numb to most pain. She held her phone up to her face and it refused to open. Facial recognition. Cameron wanted to cry, she let out moans of agony, she couldn't get into her phone.
"AHHHH," she called out, Evan moved closer to her. She threw her phone across the room, the already cracked screen, crumbling to the ground. "Agh." She announced pointing to her phone. "Agh," Evan looked to the phone, moving swiftly to pick it up.
"Oh." Evan said simply, looking down at the locked screen. "Can you use a passcode?" Evan picked away at the broken screen protector, the screen underneath was broken, but the screen was still visible, useable and worked fine for now. Cameron nodded, holding her hand out for her phone. She didn't want to put a code in, she wanted to look at her phone and have it see her beautiful face, and suddenly be unlocked. She sadly typed in her code and unlocked her phone.
"Hi Cameron," if Scarlett were a normal parent she would ask 'how are you feeling?' but seeing as though Scarlett was not a normal parent she didn't ask that. She had been asked how are you feeling? A million times over her life and each time a part of her died inside. Scarlett didn't like the question because she was never cured, she knew asking would only make Cameron have to admit that she was sick, that there was something wrong with her and Scarlett didn't want to see her daughter even more broken. "We are going to get through this, I promise." Cameron nodded just as the doctor emerged through the door.
"I'm afraid I have some bad news." Dr. Cade said with Ethaline's smiling worried face following behind her.