Nine years ago,
The woman watched in horror as the speeding vehicle struck Kelly. She screamed as his body hit the hard pavement and lay still. With shaky hands, she fumbled for her phone and dialed 911. Rushing closer, she joined three neighbors already gathered at the scene. One was checking if the driver was still alive, another was on the phone, and the third was leaning over Kelly, whose face was pale against the blood pooling beneath him. She recognized him immediately—Kelly—the boy who always visited her neighbors, the late Mr. and Mrs. Royce.
"He's breathing, but barely," said the man crouched beside Kelly, and her heart lifted with a thread of hope. At least he was alive.
"What about the driver?" she asked, glancing at the other man beside the crumpled car.
"He's alive," he replied, looking back at her with relief in his eyes.
"The paramedics will be here soon," added the British-accented woman on the phone. "Does anyone know how to reach this boy's family?"
Just then, a ringing sound broke the silence. A few feet away, Kelly's phone lay cracked on the pavement. She bent down, picked it up, and saw the caller ID: Dani.
Taking a steadying breath, she answered, "Hello?"
"Kelly, where the hell are you?" Dani's voice, sharp with worry and annoyance, crackled through the line.
The woman swallowed. "This… isn't Kelly. There's been an accident. He's hurt."
"What?" Dani's voice broke, and shuffling sounds came from the other end.
Then a male voice spoke urgently. "This is Kelly's father. Did you say he's been in an accident? Where is he? Is he badly hurt?"
"The paramedics are on their way, sir. Just come to…" Her words trailed off as the wailing sirens grew louder, filling the street.
"They're here," she whispered into the phone, watching as the paramedics rushed to lift Kelly's limp body onto the stretcher. She clutched the phone tightly as the ambulance doors closed with a final, heavy thud, sealing him inside and leaving the street in silence.
The doctors wheeled Kelly on a stretcher toward the operating room, an oxygen mask over his nose, his face pale and lifeless. His family gathered in the waiting area, all thoughts of Kelly and Dani's graduation now forgotten.
"He's lost a lot of blood," Dr. Morgan informed them urgently. "He'll need a transfusion before we can proceed with surgery. What's his blood type, and who's a match?" Dr. Morgan's eyes scanned from Dillon to Treon, searching for an answer.
Dillon immediately stepped forward. "Kelly's blood type is O+, and I'm a match."
Dr. Morgan nodded. "Good. Come with me, please."
Dillon turned to his family. "Kelly's going to be fine, okay?" His voice was steady, but the worry in his eyes told a different story.
Cherise managed a nod, her voice soft and shaky. "Go," she whispered, her eyes red and puffy from crying.
Dillon gave a final glance to his family and then followed Dr. Morgan. The waiting room fell into a tense silence, with everyone absorbed in their own worries and prayers. The air felt cold, thick with the weight of the unknown.
After a moment, Cherise looked over to the kids, trying to find strength in their presence. "Has anyone heard from Em and Cara?"
Treon shook his head. "No, nothing."
Dani's face crumpled as she started to cry. "Why would they leave without even saying goodbye?" Her heart broke, her voice filled with despair.
Liv wrapped her arms around Dani, trying to console her. "We'll find them, Dani. I promise."
Cherise watched them, her own heart aching as she brushed away a tear. She tried to stay strong for her children, but the worry for both Kelly and the missing girls weighed heavily on her.
***
The family waited anxiously, each of them lost in their own thoughts, the only sound being the occasional footsteps of hospital staff rushing down the hall. Hours felt like days as they sat huddled together, drawing strength from each other. Dillon returned after giving blood, his face pale but determined.
"He's strong, you know," Dillon said quietly, sitting down beside Cherise. "He's always been strong."
She nodded, forcing a small, tremulous smile as she reached for his hand, clinging to the reassurance he offered. Dani wiped her cheeks, glancing at the clock on the wall, its steady ticking amplifying the tension in the room.
Just then, the doors to the operating room swung open, and Dr. Morgan approached the family, her expression focused but grave.
"Mr. Woods is stable enough for surgery, but the next few hours will be critical," Dr. Morgan explained. "We'll be doing everything we can."
"Thank you," Dillon said, his voice thick with emotion.
As Dr. Morgan headed back inside, Cherise pulled Dani and Treon into a tight embrace, whispering, "Let's keep praying for him." Liv joined in, wrapping her arms around all of them as they huddled together.
After what felt like an eternity, the doors opened again, and this time, Dr. Morgan's expression was calmer. She approached, removing her mask.
"Kelly made it through surgery. He's still unconscious, and the next 24 hours are crucial. We'll be monitoring his brain activity closely to see if there's any permanent damage."
The family let out a collective sigh of relief, but the worry remained etched in their faces.
"Can we see him?" Dani asked, her voice trembling.
Dr. Morgan nodded. "Yes, but only briefly. He needs to rest."
One by one, they stepped into the dim room, taking in the sight of Kelly lying motionless, hooked up to monitors and IVs, his face pale and bandaged. They each took turns whispering words of encouragement, love, and hope, willing him to wake up and come back to them.
Dani lingered by his side the longest, clutching his hand. "Kelly, you have to come back to us," she murmured softly, her voice breaking. "We need you."
***
Five days later,
A nurse was in Kelly's room, monitoring his vitals when his eyes slowly fluttered open. He let out a soft groan, squinting against the brightness of the room.
"Mr. Woods?" the nurse called gently.
"Where… where am I?" Kelly managed to ask, his voice hoarse and barely a whisper.
"You're in the hospital. I'll call Dr. Morgan right away." The nurse quickly paged Dr. Morgan, alerting her that Kelly was awake. Kelly blinked, trying to piece together how he'd ended up here, but his mind was blank. A moment later, the door opened, and Dr. Morgan entered, giving him a warm but professional smile.
"Glad to see you're awake, Kelly. How are you feeling?" she asked, reviewing the charts handed to her by the nurse.
"Dead. My head is killing me," Kelly croaked out.
"That's to be expected, considering you survived a serious car accident," Dr. Morgan replied.
Kelly's face drained of color. "A car accident? How… how did that happen?"
Dr. Morgan observed him carefully. "Can you remember anything from before you were brought in?"
Kelly's brow furrowed as he tried to recall, but he shook his head slowly. "No… I can't remember anything."
Dr. Morgan nodded, whispering something to the nurse before making a note in his chart.
"Where's my Ma?" Kelly asked suddenly.
"She went to get some coffee. She's been here all night," Dr. Morgan answered, and Kelly's gaze drifted to the blanket on the couch. He frowned, realizing how uncomfortable it must have been for her to sleep there.
"How long was I—" Kelly began, but the door opened just then, cutting him off. A light-skinned, bald, and handsome man entered the room, his brown eyes carrying heavy bags under them, looking exhausted yet relieved. His face lit up as he saw Kelly awake. Kelly's frown deepened as he took in the man's face.
"Why is he here?" Kelly asked, a mix of confusion and anger in his tone. It was his father, Dillon—the man he despised, the one who had broken his mother's heart and left her when she was pregnant with him.
Dillon's face softened with relief, his voice cracking slightly. "Kelly… thank God you're awake. You had us all worried."
But Kelly's expression stayed cold. "I don't understand. Why would you care?" he asked, bitterness lacing his voice.
Dr. Morgan gently intervened, sensing the tension. "Kelly, try to stay calm. It's normal to feel confused after what you've been through. Let's take things one step at a time."
But Kelly barely heard her, his mind swirling as he looked at Dillon, struggling to understand why he was here and what had happened to bring them all to this moment.
_N