Maple

Ch20

 Maple

"Finally, it's over!" I said to David cheerfully, stretching my arms above my head. He was waiting for me by the school gates, like we had agreed previously.

"They weren't too bad" he said as we walked out of the school.

"That's what people always say after exams are over" I joked.

"Well, it's the holidays, so let's not think about it anymore!"

"Agreed"

Max and Megan didn't have an exam at this time, but we had agreed to meet over at Max's to celebrate the end of school later today. However, what we didn't plan for was that David's mom's car broke down, so she was using his until hers gets fixed.

"I'm sorry about the car," David said as we made our way out of the school car park.

"It's not your fault, these kinds of things happen."

"I guess," he sighed, "are you sure we shouldn't call Max to come pick us up."

"Let's not bother them!" I said, "The weather's not too cold and you said that Max doesn't live too far away. Besides, I'm used to walking. Or maybe you think you'll get tired?"

"No way!" he huffed "I was just worried about you"

"Good, then it's agreed, we're walking" I smiled. "We said we'd be there by three, so there's still time."

David and I walked a few minutes in silence, enjoying the cool breeze and the winter scenery, before my phone vibrated in my pocket.

"Oh, who could that be?" I wondered aloud as I fished my phone out of my pocket. "It's Dr. Leonard."

"Who's that?"

"My brother's doctor" I replied as I put the phone to my ear.

"Hello, this is Dr. Leonard, am I speaking to Maple Owens?"

"Yeah, that would be me". There was something strange about the phone call. Al's doctor hardly ever calls me, unless something was gravely wrong with Al. But this time it seemed different, his voice, usually flat and distant, was quicker, excited and almost happy. "Is there something wrong?"

 "Something wrong? Far from it," then Dr. Leonard laughed. The stern man behind glasses who never even smiles, was laughing. "I'm here to inform you of a miracle!" my heart soared. I hardly dared to raise my hopes. "Alexander Owens has regained consciousness!"

Time seemed to stop. I froze in mid-step, my eyes wide in disbelief.

"What!" I screamed when I found my voice. "No way!" I was laughing and jumping on the spot, hardly listening to what Dr. Leonard was saying.

"What? What happened?" David was asking.

"He woke up about five minutes ago. He seems to have forgotten the crash, but he does remember about himself, so he doesn't seem to have amnesia…" Dr. Leonard was saying.

I was laughing and crying like a fool. David finally grabbed me by the shoulders and turned me to face him.

"It's Alex isn't it?" he guessed. I nodded furiously, the phone still to my ear.

"I can't believe it" I whispered "he woke up!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" David asked, grinning. He grabbed my free hand and we ran in the direction of the hospital.

"Dr. Leonard!" I yelled through my panting breaths. "Tell Alex I'll be right there!"

"Of course" he replied. "He still has not been informed of his parent's death. I feel it's most appropriate if you or another member of the family tell him."

I gulped. In my blind happiness, I had forgotten about that.

"Ok, thank you Doctor"

I closed the phone and ran faster, gripping it in my hand tightly, my school bag, thankfully light since it was exam week, bouncing on my hip. It was hard to think. My brother, Alex, my only remaining family, was back after a year and a half. There were tears in my eyes. But deep inside there was the seed of doubt and guilt that was planted in my heart. How will he react when I tell him about the accident? Will he blame me?

I could hear David talking on the phone, he seemed to be talking to Max, but I hardly registered what he was saying. I just focused on running. Then I remembered Grandma and I quickly opened my phone and called her number. She picked up on the third ring.

"Grandma!" I yelled before she could say anything, "He's up! Alex woke up! Quickly, you and uncle Tim have got to come down here!"

"What! Maple, really?" She was screaming, too.

"Yeah! I'm going there now, too!" I said through my panting breaths, my smile never leaving my face. I could hear her calling for uncle Tim as I cut the line.

He was awake. Alex was back!

David

I got off the phone with Max and waited for Maple to finish informing her grandma of the good news. We were still holding hands as we ran down the pavement to the hospital.

"Max is going to come pick us up at the intersection off of Gray Street, that way we could get there faster."

"Great!" She grinned. I had never seen Maple this happy since I met her.

My phone rang again. Weird, I'm quite sure I gave Max clear instructions. I fished my phone out of my pocket and saw that it wasn't Max, but Meggs. I was about to get an earful. I picked up reluctantly.

"Ok, is it true?"she asked.

"Um, yes?"

"Oh, and you all happened to know that Maple's parents are dead and her brother, who I didn't even know was in a coma, woke up, but none of you thought of telling Megan."

"This really isn't the time!" I panted. I started crossing the street hurriedly, Meggs still screaming in my ear, when Maple suddenly let go of my hand. I stopped and turned to see what had happened. She was putting her phone in her pocket.

What happened next was a blurr. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, yet I still didn't have time to move. Maple looks up and she screams my name, her eyes wide with shock. I turn to see a car speeding towards me, but it was too close and too fast. I was frozen. It somehow reminded me of Cyrus running towards me with a knife.

There was the screeching of brakes, Maple's screams. Then someone pushes me and I'm no longer in front of the car. I'm on the floor.

I don't need to lift my head to know what had happened.