Chapter 4: Accidents Happen

Chapter 4 

Eliana’s P.O.V

I had just closed for the day from work, and on my way home, I decided to buy something for my daughter. She loved fruits, and I bought her favorites — apples, berries, and of course, pineapples.

I work as a house help, and while everyone else saw house helps as low-income earners, my case was different.

Though I don't know the kind of business they run, they pay well — maybe a little too well for a house help’s wage. Well, that was none of my business. As long as I'm able to make ends meet for my daughter and me, that's all that matters.

“Hi, Brad!” I greeted the fruit vendor with a broad smile. Brad was a man in his late sixties. His daughter used to be my classmate, and he was always friendly to me, even after I gave birth to Leah.

Brad looked up, delighted to see me. “Hey, Lana!” he returned the smile.

“How's work going? Great, yes?” I asked.

“Yes,” he laughed. “Same usual, right?”

“Right.”

“Haven't seen you around in a while,” he said as he packed the fruits”

“Um… been busy with work,” I responded.

“How’s our baby girl doing?” Brad asked.

“She's fine,” I smiled.

“I heard they're graduating soon. Our baby girl is all grown up — just a few more years, and she'll graduate from university, get a job, get married, and have kids.” Brad shook his head and added with a chuckle as he handed me the bag of fruits, “How time flies.”

“Yeah,” I said absentmindedly. After paying, I took the plastic bag and left.

I had always feared that a time would come when Leah would end up like me…

No! Impossible! I won't let that happen. I've brought her up to be an upright woman, nothing can go wrong now. Leah is almost eighteen, and she knows the right things to do — definitely, nothing can go wrong… right?

Whenever I console myself about Leah's safety, doubts always arise. I would always think — so what if I did my best? What about fate? What if fate has planned the opposite of what I planned?

Fate has the power to rearrange every arrangement, and accidents happen… right?

The loud screeching of tyres and honking horns jolted me back to reality, freezing me in fear. I had just stepped into the middle of the road when the traffic light was still green!

My brain screamed loudly, telling me to run, but my body failed to obey the command — my knees were weak, and before I knew it, I collapsed. It happened so fast — the screeching, the honking, my fast paced heartbeat — all silenced by a loud crash!

I couldn't feel any pain, or even tell if my body had been thrown across the street — I was still on the ground. I opened my eyes, lifted my gaze, and gasped at the sight before me. The driver had hit a lamp post. I didn't see how it happened, but I know it was all my fault.

I ran to the car and looked inside — the driver wasn't carrying any passenger. He was bleeding and unconscious. He wasn't wasn't wearing his seatbelt, so he hit his head pretty bad.

I wanted to call for help, but by this time of the night, there were barely any passersby, and there wasn't any taxi in sight either. If I were to order an Uber, the poor man would've been dead, and instead of going to the hospital, I'd be heading to the morgue to dump his body, call his family, then be dumped behind bars.

No, I can't let that happen! If not for me, for the sake of my daughter. What would happen to her if I go to jail? Or if she has an ex convicted mother, who was charged for murder? Well, I still have a chance to change all that…

But I'm not a good driver! I've only driven a car a couple of times!

Right now, one word was enough to describe my current state — panic!

I tossed the bag of fruit onto the back seat, and shakily pushed him to the passenger seat, and tightened the seatbelt around him, then mine. 

I don't know how I managed to get to the hospital, but when I did, I screamed at the top of my voice, “Help! Somebody help us!”

Soon, people gathered, and he was taken to the ER.

I paced around impatiently for God knows how long, before I finally sat down in the waiting area.

Leah! I've left Leah at home, all alone by herself! I don't even know if she's home yet.

I searched my handbag for my phone. I pulled it out and stared at the screen for a few seconds.

“Calm down, Eliana,” I muttered, inhaled, exhaled, then dialed Leah's number.

She wasn't picking up, and I dialed her number, time and time again.

When I called her for the eleventh time and she didn't pick up, I sprang to my feet. I couldn't calm down. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks as countless thoughts roamed my head.

What if someone had captured her? What if she wasn't okay? What if…

No, I'm going home.

I turned around and bumped into someone — an old lady, to be precise.

“I, I, I'm really sorry,” I stuttered.

“It's okay,” the woman said. “Are you alright?” she asked me. She must've seen the fresh tear streaks on my face.

“No. I, I, I…” I wanted to say ‘I'm okay,’ but the words choked me into sobs. I am not okay, and I can't bring myself to say otherwise.

“Everything is going to be alright,” she said softly, leading me back to the chair.

“Is a loved one in the ER?” She asked when I had calmed down.

“Yes, I mean, no. I don't know him, but he got involved in a car accident because of me,” I responded.

“Don't worry, he's going to be fine, trust me.”

“I know. It's just…” I didn't know if I should say this, but the way she stared at me… those calm eyes hypnotizing me to trust her… she gave me the comfort I hadn't felt for years — one that can only come from a mother.

“What’s wrong, my dear?” She asked again. It made me remember my mother, and tears threatened to roll down my cheeks.

I took a deep breath, promising myself I wouldn't cry. “I'm worried about my daughter,” I said — and burst into tears.

Somewhere in this hospital, a man was fighting for his life because of me.

Somewhere else, my daughter wasn’t answering her phone. Deep down, I knew — something had already gone wrong.