The Wreck
The first couple weeks of our marriage flew by effortlessly. We had finally settled into our camper, Jonathan moved in with us and things were going so great. During the day sometimes, me and Nathaniel would go to Jana’s and spend the day with her while Justin was at work and usually he would be there right after to pick us up. Things were changing. It could be felt in the air. Justin had learned to joke around or so it seemed. He never wanted to fight anymore, well I think that had a lot to do with his friend living with us. But things were starting to play out the way that they should.
It was about two or three weeks after we married, I can’t really remember now, it’s been so long ago. I was spending the day at Jana’s. Nathaniel was crawling on the floor and it was getting late. We thought nothing about it and went about doing what we normally did when I was over at her house. I have so many fond memories of sitting over there at the table with her and listening to the stories that she shared with me.
“Did I ever show you the pictures of Justin when he was three in the Speedo?” She asked
“I don’t think you have.” I replied, even though I was sure that I had seen them at one point in time before, but why was I going to stop her from making me laugh?
“Hang on, I’ll go grab them.” She said. As she headed for the hallway, Aaron came out of his room and Jana yelled “Got YA!”
Aaron let out a scream that I am sure could be heard all the way into town. I laughed so hard that I cried. As I was trying to control my laughter and grab Nathan before he got to the pantry that held the cleaners, Jana walked in, holding the picture up and there he was, 8 year old Justin in a Speedo. I grabbed Nathan up finally and started to laugh even harder. Jana smiled. You could tell that it made her feel a little better to get a reaction out of me about the picture.
“That is cute but embarrassing at the same time. Poor Justin.” I said
Jana laughed, “The best part is, these are professionally done so if he ever tried to start something with me I could get copies and post them everywhere.” she said.
“That is cold. Sounds like something that I would do.” I said as a lit a cigarette and inhaled the cool menthol smoke.
Jana lit her one while looking at the clock.
“I wonder where Justin is. It’s almost midnight.” She said.
“I have no clue. Sonic closes at 11. It’s a weekday. I’m starting to worry and I think that Nathan is getting sleepy.” I said as I looked down, taking another hit off of my cigarette and sure enough Nathan was rubbing his eyes and starting to fuss. “But he said that he would be here to get us and I don’t want to have you take us home just for him to show up right after you do.” I said.
“That is usually how it happens, but Aaron will be here and he will let him know.” She said.
“Alright. That works for me. I would love some alone time.” I said.
I gathered up mine and Nathan’s stuff and we headed home. We didn’t live to far from Jana and Wayne, at most it was like twenty minutes. Nothing to major. He would be home in no time.
Once in the camper, Jonathan called to see if I had heard from Justin. In which I had told him no but I would have him call him. With that we hung up. I went around the whole camper looking for a bottle, and finally found them all cleaned and put away.
I guess jonathan did dishes I thought to myself. After fixing Nathan his bottle and laying him down, I sat down on the couch for some well deserved rest and relaxation. Justin would be home and sense it was the first night that we had been alone for a couple days, I knew he was going to want me just as bad as I was wanting him. I pulled out my book and had just started to read when there was a knock on the door.
“Who in the hell?” I caught myself saying out loud.
I walked over cautiously and unlocked the door. It was Justin’s uncle, Luther.
“Ali, Justin has been in a wreck.”
My heart sank. I fell apart in front of him.
“Now Ali, pull yourself together. They said that it was just a broke wrist. They are taking him to Erlanger.” he said
“Just a broke wrist, they don’t take you to Erlanger unless something is seriously wrong luther. Where is jana and wayne?” I muttered.
“They left when the helicopter did.” he replied
“So they airlifted him? Seriously? I need to get to the hospital.” I said
“Ali, you need to stay here with Nathan, I will call your mom and me and her will stay the night here. Who knows, maybe then you can get heather to stay with Nathan while you go see Justin.”
I liked that idea. At least I wasn’t alone to worry. By the time mom had got to the camper, word had spread like wildfire. And it seemed like every time that Jana called she had worse news. It went from a broken wrist to his wrist and leg, from his wrist and leg to his wrist leg and pelvis, from his wrist leg and pelvis to his wrist leg pelvis and his sternum. I was falling apart inside. Though I tried to hide it from everybody. I was falling apart. After a lot of begging, I finally talked mom into driving me to Erlanger and 5 in the morning. It was a scary trip sense the woman was half asleep. When we got there I was told that Justin was still in ICU but he was stable. I told the people at the desk that I was his wife and demanded to see him so they sent me back.
I walked into the room and he was just laying there. Covered in blood. His arm and leg were bandaged but you could still see the bone coming out of his wrist.
“ He’s not stable enough for surgery yet, Mrs. Gay.”
I sat there, staring at my husband as he laid there.
“What do you mean surgery? What kind of surgery? Where is jana? I need her?” I asked.
“We need to reconstruct his pelvis and his wrist.” he said.
I could not believe this. This couldn’t be happening to me. Just then somebody grabbed my arm. I looked over and it was Justin.
“My wedding band.” he said
I smiled and hugged him, just grateful that he was alive.
“I have it sweetie. Don’t worry.” I said stroking his hair.
The doctor finally moved him into his own room at about 7 am, and I told jana that I was going to have to go make arrangements for Nathan to stay with mom and dad and I would be back later on in the day. I also left a note at the desk stating that in my absence that jana is the go to person, after all she is his mother.
When we got back to the camper, Nathan and heather were still asleep. I packed a bunch of baby food and clothes, sent a whole pack of diapers and wipes and formula and bottles to mom’s. I walked in the front door with Nathan and dad grabbed him up. That was dad for you, straight to Nathan before a word.
Once Nathan was settled in on the couch with dad, me and mom were set off once again for Erlanger. This time with Jonathan as a tag along. He was freaking out worse than I was. You would have thought that he was the one who had married Justin. The ride didn’t seem so long this time around, thanks to all the talking that was going on. Plus jonathan drove so I didn’t have to fear for my life. When we got to the hospital, jana and Justin were nowhere to be found. I kind of started to flip out but was reassured that a spot had opened and that they had taken him back for surgery. They also went on to tell me that jana pitched a fit because I wasn’t there and she had no clue what to do.
We waited for what seemed like hours for them to bring Justin back. The suspense killed me. But finally they rolled his bed back into the stuffy hospital room. Were I was once again, reunited with my husband. He looked pale, but the blood was gone. He was sedated enough to feel the effects of drowsiness but not enough to lose touch with who he was or where he was.
“He was on the road next to the house when he wrecked. The one that Brittany lives on.” Jana said
I knew Brittany all to well, Justin’s ex before me. What was he doing on that road?
“I don’t know what he was doing over there, all he kept saying was something about an Amber and That he had to get home.” She said
I sat there. Amber? The girl he works with? It couldn’t be. There was no way. It was the medication that the doctors gave him making him think like that. Little did I know that I was wrong.
Later that night when Justin was fully awake and jana had went to get something to eat I looked Justin dead in the eye and asked, “Were you with amber?”
“I was.” He said
“Why?” I asked
“She needed a ride home and I knew it would make you mad.” He said
“Promise?”
“Promise.” he replied.
As the night went on, I felt more at ease, Justin had started to hurt and they had given him a shot for the pain. Me and jana watched TV and finally ended up sleeping on top of each other on the tiny couch in the hospital room. Neither one of us tempting to leave Justin alone for one more second. We grew closer that day, or so I’d thought. It made us stronger as a couple, as a family. Things happen for a reason and maybe this was Justin’s wake up call. It was a strange one, but it was a wake up call nonetheless.
We spent a week in the hospital as Justin got the hang of walking through the pain and getting in and out of the bathroom by himself. Even though it really wasn’t by himself. Instead it was me lifting him from the bed to the bathroom then back to the bed. When they finally released him, we moved back in with jana and Wayne. It was just to hard for us to be in that camper. Justin wouldn’t be able to make it up the steps. I had never been so tired in my life as I was in the months that followed that wreck. I had never cared for a grown man as if he were a newborn. And that is what I did for Justin, until he was strong enough on his own, I was his strength. I helped him with everyday tasks. I never once complained and still to this day. I won’t because I loved him and he needed me. So I was there. Like any wife would be. I was there.
It was about two or three weeks after we married, I can’t really remember now, it’s been so long ago. I was spending the day at Jana’s. Nathaniel was crawling on the floor and it was getting late. We thought nothing about it and went about doing what we normally did when I was over at her house. I have so many fond memories of sitting over there at the table with her and listening to the stories that she shared with me.
“Did I ever show you the pictures of Justin when he was three in the Speedo?” She asked
“I don’t think you have.” I replied, even though I was sure that I had seen them at one point in time before, but why was I going to stop her from making me laugh?
“Hang on, I’ll go grab them.” She said. As she headed for the hallway, Aaron came out of his room and Jana yelled “Got YA!”
Aaron let out a scream that I am sure could be heard all the way into town. I laughed so hard that I cried. As I was trying to control my laughter and grab Nathan before he got to the pantry that held the cleaners, Jana walked in, holding the picture up and there he was, 8 year old Justin in a Speedo. I grabbed Nathan up finally and started to laugh even harder. Jana smiled. You could tell that it made her feel a little better to get a reaction out of me about the picture.
“That is cute but embarrassing at the same time. Poor Justin.” I said
Jana laughed, “The best part is, these are professionally done so if he ever tried to start something with me I could get copies and post them everywhere.” she said.
“That is cold. Sounds like something that I would do.” I said as a lit a cigarette and inhaled the cool menthol smoke.
Jana lit her one while looking at the clock.
“I wonder where Justin is. It’s almost midnight.” She said.
“I have no clue. Sonic closes at 11. It’s a weekday. I’m starting to worry and I think that Nathan is getting sleepy.” I said as I looked down, taking another hit off of my cigarette and sure enough Nathan was rubbing his eyes and starting to fuss. “But he said that he would be here to get us and I don’t want to have you take us home just for him to show up right after you do.” I said.
“That is usually how it happens, but Aaron will be here and he will let him know.” She said.
“Alright. That works for me. I would love some alone time.” I said.
I gathered up mine and Nathan’s stuff and we headed home. We didn’t live to far from Jana and Wayne, at most it was like twenty minutes. Nothing to major. He would be home in no time.
Once in the camper, Jonathan called to see if I had heard from Justin. In which I had told him no but I would have him call him. With that we hung up. I went around the whole camper looking for a bottle, and finally found them all cleaned and put away.
I guess jonathan did dishes I thought to myself. After fixing Nathan his bottle and laying him down, I sat down on the couch for some well deserved rest and relaxation. Justin would be home and sense it was the first night that we had been alone for a couple days, I knew he was going to want me just as bad as I was wanting him. I pulled out my book and had just started to read when there was a knock on the door.
“Who in the hell?” I caught myself saying out loud.
I walked over cautiously and unlocked the door. It was Justin’s uncle, Luther.
“Ali, Justin has been in a wreck.”
My heart sank. I fell apart in front of him.
“Now Ali, pull yourself together. They said that it was just a broke wrist. They are taking him to Erlanger.” he said
“Just a broke wrist, they don’t take you to Erlanger unless something is seriously wrong luther. Where is jana and wayne?” I muttered.
“They left when the helicopter did.” he replied
“So they airlifted him? Seriously? I need to get to the hospital.” I said
“Ali, you need to stay here with Nathan, I will call your mom and me and her will stay the night here. Who knows, maybe then you can get heather to stay with Nathan while you go see Justin.”
I liked that idea. At least I wasn’t alone to worry. By the time mom had got to the camper, word had spread like wildfire. And it seemed like every time that Jana called she had worse news. It went from a broken wrist to his wrist and leg, from his wrist and leg to his wrist leg and pelvis, from his wrist leg and pelvis to his wrist leg pelvis and his sternum. I was falling apart inside. Though I tried to hide it from everybody. I was falling apart. After a lot of begging, I finally talked mom into driving me to Erlanger and 5 in the morning. It was a scary trip sense the woman was half asleep. When we got there I was told that Justin was still in ICU but he was stable. I told the people at the desk that I was his wife and demanded to see him so they sent me back.
I walked into the room and he was just laying there. Covered in blood. His arm and leg were bandaged but you could still see the bone coming out of his wrist.
“ He’s not stable enough for surgery yet, Mrs. Gay.”
I sat there, staring at my husband as he laid there.
“What do you mean surgery? What kind of surgery? Where is jana? I need her?” I asked.
“We need to reconstruct his pelvis and his wrist.” he said.
I could not believe this. This couldn’t be happening to me. Just then somebody grabbed my arm. I looked over and it was Justin.
“My wedding band.” he said
I smiled and hugged him, just grateful that he was alive.
“I have it sweetie. Don’t worry.” I said stroking his hair.
The doctor finally moved him into his own room at about 7 am, and I told jana that I was going to have to go make arrangements for Nathan to stay with mom and dad and I would be back later on in the day. I also left a note at the desk stating that in my absence that jana is the go to person, after all she is his mother.
When we got back to the camper, Nathan and heather were still asleep. I packed a bunch of baby food and clothes, sent a whole pack of diapers and wipes and formula and bottles to mom’s. I walked in the front door with Nathan and dad grabbed him up. That was dad for you, straight to Nathan before a word.
Once Nathan was settled in on the couch with dad, me and mom were set off once again for Erlanger. This time with Jonathan as a tag along. He was freaking out worse than I was. You would have thought that he was the one who had married Justin. The ride didn’t seem so long this time around, thanks to all the talking that was going on. Plus jonathan drove so I didn’t have to fear for my life. When we got to the hospital, jana and Justin were nowhere to be found. I kind of started to flip out but was reassured that a spot had opened and that they had taken him back for surgery. They also went on to tell me that jana pitched a fit because I wasn’t there and she had no clue what to do.
We waited for what seemed like hours for them to bring Justin back. The suspense killed me. But finally they rolled his bed back into the stuffy hospital room. Were I was once again, reunited with my husband. He looked pale, but the blood was gone. He was sedated enough to feel the effects of drowsiness but not enough to lose touch with who he was or where he was.
“He was on the road next to the house when he wrecked. The one that Brittany lives on.” Jana said
I knew Brittany all to well, Justin’s ex before me. What was he doing on that road?
“I don’t know what he was doing over there, all he kept saying was something about an Amber and That he had to get home.” She said
I sat there. Amber? The girl he works with? It couldn’t be. There was no way. It was the medication that the doctors gave him making him think like that. Little did I know that I was wrong.
Later that night when Justin was fully awake and jana had went to get something to eat I looked Justin dead in the eye and asked, “Were you with amber?”
“I was.” He said
“Why?” I asked
“She needed a ride home and I knew it would make you mad.” He said
“Promise?”
“Promise.” he replied.
As the night went on, I felt more at ease, Justin had started to hurt and they had given him a shot for the pain. Me and jana watched TV and finally ended up sleeping on top of each other on the tiny couch in the hospital room. Neither one of us tempting to leave Justin alone for one more second. We grew closer that day, or so I’d thought. It made us stronger as a couple, as a family. Things happen for a reason and maybe this was Justin’s wake up call. It was a strange one, but it was a wake up call nonetheless.
We spent a week in the hospital as Justin got the hang of walking through the pain and getting in and out of the bathroom by himself. Even though it really wasn’t by himself. Instead it was me lifting him from the bed to the bathroom then back to the bed. When they finally released him, we moved back in with jana and Wayne. It was just to hard for us to be in that camper. Justin wouldn’t be able to make it up the steps. I had never been so tired in my life as I was in the months that followed that wreck. I had never cared for a grown man as if he were a newborn. And that is what I did for Justin, until he was strong enough on his own, I was his strength. I helped him with everyday tasks. I never once complained and still to this day. I won’t because I loved him and he needed me. So I was there. Like any wife would be. I was there.
