Forever and always

Chapter twenty-three

Charles's pov:
August 2021

"Olivia!!" I screamed as another car slammed directly into her side of the vehicle. The sound of metal crumpling and glass shattering still echoed in my ears. "No, no—please, please answer me, Olivia!" My voice cracked, trembling, as I looked at her motionless body. Her head fallen against the half-shattered window, blood tickling down her temple.

My hands were shaking violently as I fumbled for my phone and dialed 112-the emergency number here.

A man answered, speaking quickly in Dutch. I couldn't understand a single word. "I-I don't speak Dutch" I stammered. "We were in a car accident and my—my girlfriend, she's unresponsive!" My throat closed up as I glanced at Olivia again. She didn't move. Not even a twitch.

"I need your location" the dispatcher said urgently. I looked around frantically, trying to find any indication of where we were. My heart raced in panic, but I finally spotted a street sign. I read it out loud, barely able to focus.

"Okay, sir. Fire department and paramedics are on the way. Can you tell me—is she breathing?"

I reached across the wreckage, placing two trembling fingers on her throat. I waited. And waited. Then—there it was. Faint, but there. "She is... she's breathing" I whispered, my voice barely holding together. Relief washed over me, but it didn't stop the tears from coming. This can't be real. Please, let this be a nightmare.

"That's a good sign. Keep watching her until help arrives. Are you hurt?"

"I—I don't know. I'm a bit sore." I reached up to touch my head and felt something sticky. When I looked down, my fingertips were stained red. "I think I'm bleeding somewhere" I said numbly.

"Can you locate the bleeding?"

I couldn't. I didn't even try. I didn't care. All I cared about was Olivia.

The dispatcher stayed on the line with me the entire time. He was calm, patient, kind—exactly what I needed. A few agonising minutes later, I heard sirens. Two ambulances and a fire truck pulled up. I threw open the door and stumbled out. She's in here! My girlfriend—she's not responding" I shouted to the medics.

Two paramedics, both woman, ran to Olivia's side. One turned to me and said firmly. "We've got her. Go get yourself checked by the EMTs, okay?" I hesitated but obeyed, backing away as they climbed into the car.

The firemen began working on prying apart the twisted metal to access Olivia. Her side was completely crushed in, blocked by the other driver's vehicle. I watched in horror as they worked.

"You're bleeding through your bandage" a paramedic said as he wrapped fresh gauze around my head. "You need to be checked at the hospital. Internal injuries aren't always obvious"

"I'll go, but only if I can ride with her"

"You can. Just stay close"

Minutes felt like lifetimes. Finally, they managed to pull Olivia out and lay her on a gurney. My breath caught. She looked... destroyed. Bruises bloomed across her arms and face. Blood soaked through her shirt at the abdomen. She wasn't moving.

I broke again.

I couldn't lose her. I wouldn't. Not after Jules. Not after Papa. I wasn't strong enough to lose another person I loved.