Succulents on the Window Sill

Chapter 17

The car door opened, and Corinne felt a hand against her shoulder, pushing her off the steering wheel and back against her seat. She blinked up at Zach as he reached over her and unbuckled the seat belt.

"Is she alright, mate?" There was a man stood over his shoulder, dressed in an England football shirt. He must have been the owner of the car Corinne had nearly crashed into.

"Yeah, It's just shock; isn't it, Cori?" Zach carefully moved the belt across her body and let it wind up into its holder. He was leaning over her, and Corinne blinked up at him, wishing she could wrap her arms around his neck and cry her eyes dry all over again. She would have if it wasn't for Sara in the back seat.

"Is she hurt? Maybe she's got whiplash?" The man stepped closer, right up to hover over Zach's shoulder.

"She's fine. Come on, you can stand up for me, right?" Zach leaned back, offering her his hand. His voice was softer than Corinne had ever heard it before, words slow and carefully pronounced. It was like he was speaking to a small child. Corinne felt just like one right now.

She took his hand, and climbed out of the driver's seat with shaky legs. Zach's hand was still holding hers, his other coming to rest around her waist to keep her steady.

"You sure you're alright, love?" She gave the man a small nod. "I know what it's like;" His eyes darted to the back window of Corinne's car, looking into the seat where Sara was sitting. "I've three kids myself. No matter what I say, they'll scream and shout while I'm driving, they'll throw things too!" He shook his head in exasperation. Zach must have explained to him what had happened.

Corinne didn't know what to say to that, and she was thankful for Zach's fingers suddenly dropping her hand to cup her chin instead, tilting it up towards him as he looked into her eyes.

"She's all glazed over looking. Was she drinking, mate?"

Zach's jaw tightened, and Corinne could see him take a breath to calm before answering. He dropped her chin. "No. She's just in shock, and has been crying." Corinne sniffed as if on cue.

"Need any help getting her back into the car? Can you walk, love?"

"Yeah." Corinne took a tiny step as if to show the man. Her voice was weak, muffled from crying.

"Come on, love." Zach's words were a whisper she doubted anyone but she could hear. He offered her his arm, and she allowed him to help her around the front of the car and into the passenger seat. He didn't need to, but he grabbed her belt and put it on for her, before closing the door with a small smile.

"How are you feeling?" Sara was pushing her head through the two front seats. Corinne hadn't the energy to turn her head to face her.

"Like I just want to go home."

"We'll be there soon; once Zach stops talking about football that is." Her voice was soft and sympathetic, but it turned sharp and irritated when speaking about Zach. Corinne hadn't the energy to care.

Sara thankfully hadn't spoken once whilst Corinne had been crying. If she had, Corinne hadn't been able to hear her. She didn't want to talk right now, didn't want to answer the question that had caused this drama in the first place.

Corinne rested her head on the window, trying to see what damage had been done to her car when Zach had pulled it away from the other car and slammed it into the kerb. With the angle they were in, it seemed like only the front wheel was touching it. It was a relief, even if it didn't really feel like it.

The driver's door had been left open, and Corinne could hear the goodbyes being exchanged between Zach and the man. A minute later Zach slid inside, closing the door after him. His seat was shifted back to accommodate the length of his legs, interior mirror wriggled into a better position, before the engine started. Corinne was sure his eyes were on her, watching to make sure that she was okay, but she didn't acknowledge him at all.