The day before

October 10, 209

My best friend is making the drive from Comox to Victoria to visit for a night. We haven't seen each other in a couple of months. A girls night in the making - she wants to go to the city for dinner. I've not been to the city for dinner since I've moved here. She arrives and we go for dinner downtown and in a restaurant that seats 1800 and wouldn't you know it her sister in law is across the way. I meet them, they are nice. Turns out they live half way between where we are at that m,oment and where my house is. The car is safely parked undergroung, we could leave it over night, have a great time, maybe a little dancing, and pretend like we're still in our 20's! Then we could all share a cab home, great idea!

No, yes, no, something is telling us we just need to go home.

We have spent the evening talking about the phone calls we hope to never have to make for each other. I have a number to call if she's ever in crisis and she had a phone number to call if I'm ever in crisis. We get home around 11 pm, pour a glass of wine, visit for a while and decide we need to go to bed. So we do.

6:00 AM - BANG! BANG! BANG!

What? What is that noise? Who is banging on the door in the dark?? What's hapening? Nobody we know would bang on the door, they would just come in, it's never locked.....but something must be wrong.

I throw my robe on, go to the door and see a man in uniform....is this a joke?

'Hello Ma'am I'm ........' I don't even remember his name I was so confused.

'Your sister has been trying to get a hold of you.......you need to call home.' But I am at home....

In a split second, and I mean a split second, the thoughts that go through your head are phenomenal. Oh My God, Martin, No, my dad.....Oh My God WHAT?

'She's ok, but your daughter has been in an accident, you need to call home.'

I call my mom's house and get my sister. 'Where have you been all night?' I'm confused because like most people I've been in bed all night. 'We've been trying to get a hold of you!'

I'm in a fog...I'm trying to explain how it's quite normal to be sleeping in the middle of the night....

Now I'm a little more aware - I say to her, 'WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?'

'Well, your daughter has been run over by a truck and she will never walk again!'

What on earth have I done in my life to deserve getting such tragic news in such a cold hearted manner....

I hang up - thank God Danean is there, she takes over. The next couple of hours are a blur, all I really remember is saying, 'Get me on a plane...NOW!'

I throw a suitcase on the bed, I put a t-shirt and one running shoe in it and declare myself ready to go. Danean demands that I put the other shoe in and at least pack a pair of pants. Because she loves me she knows that at a moment like this I am not in a place to handle any of this.

I need to go.

To my office.

I need my laptop.

I need my phone charger.

I need to call Joe.

When we get back from my office, it dawns on me - daughter..accident.....daughter....WHICH daughter????

Danean makes another call to my parents house, and I can't even tell you what happened other than both of us were interrogated about our whereabouts ALL night.

It was night.
We were in bed.
Sleeping.

I haven't slept much in the last 2 months. I use to turn off all ringers, (cell phone, house phone) at night because made a decision years ago to not take work home with me and that nothing was so important that is couldn't wait until morning. Since October 11, I panic when a ringer is turned off 0r my phone is not fully charged, what if something happens....

Finally, there is a flight booked.....another story...... I'm on my way to Edmonton......She's having surgery......'Hurry' they say, the surgeons will wait as long as they can. My baby girl....hurry.