I was driving through town.  I looked over at my daughter, Emily, in the passenger seat. I looked back on the road.    

       “Mommy,” Emily said. I looked over at her quickly and heard a thump.  I stopped the car.  I looked at Emily.  I put the car in park.      

“Stay here, baby,” I said. I got out and slowly walked to the front and saw someone lying on the ground a few feet from the car.  I slowly walked towards the person and looked closer and saw my best friend, Alicia.

“Oh my god!” I said as I started to cry.  I knelt down next to her.     

“Ali, Ali, wake up, please, Ali,” I said.  I saw blood.  I felt for a pulse.  It was weak.  I went back to my car and called 911.  I didn’t give my name and I hung up. I got back out and went back to Alicia. 

“Ali, please, wake up,” I said.  I heard a shout.  I looked up and saw Brian.  He ran down and knelt down beside her.

“Ali, baby, Bri, what happened?” Brian asked. I couldn’t talk. I stood there and cried softly. 

“Bri, who did this?” Brian asked.  He saw my car and looked at me.

“Oh my god,” Brian said.  I collapsed against my car and cried.  Brian got up and came over to me.

“Was this an accident?” Brian asked. I nodded.  He saw Emily in the car.

“Did you call 911?” Brian asked.  I nodded.

“Bri, get out of here, go to Nick’s suite, get Emily out of here, get away before the police get here,” Brian said.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“I know, now go, now!” Brian said.  I got into the car and drove to the Orlando Hotel.  I was still really upset and crying but I made it without an accident.  Emily and I got out.  We went up to Nick’s suite.  I knocked on the door.  No one answered.  I knocked again.        “Who is it?” Nick called.

“Nick, it’s your wife and daughter, open the door, please,” I said crying.  The door opened and there stood Nick, in nothing but a towel.  He must’ve just gotten out of the shower. 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Nick asked.  Emily and I went in. I wiped my tears away.  Emily and I sat down.

“We’ll wait while you get dressed,” I said.  Nick went to get dressed.  He came back out and sat down.  Emily got into his lap.

“Hey princess, how are you?” Nick asked.

“Fine, Daddy,” Emily said. She hugged him and ran into the other room and closed the door.  I knew that room was hers when she stayed there.  She turned her stereo on to the guys’ music.  I looked at Nick.

“What’s going on?” Nick asked.  I got up and went over to the window. 

“Alicia got hit by a car,” I said.

“Oh my god, how is she?” Nick asked.

“I don’t know,” I said.

“Do they know who did it?” Nick asked.

“Me and Brian know, and Emily knows,” I said.

“Who was it?” Nick asked.

“It was me,” I said.

“What!” Nick said.  I looked at him.

“I was driving down Brian and Alicia’s street, I just picked up Emily at school, I was driving along, she said me and I looked over at her quickly and that’s when I heard a loud thump, I stopped and got out and went to see what it was, I saw her lying in the street, I tried to get her to wake up but she wouldn’t, I called 911, I went back, Brian came out and went to her, he realized that I did it, he came over to me and asked me if it was an accident, I nodded, then he asked if I called 911, I nodded again, then he saw Emily and he told me to leave and come here, now here we are,” I said.  I turned back and started crying again.  I felt arms around me.  I turned and buried my face in his chest.

“I know it was an accident, she was your best friend, I know you didn’t mean to do it,” Nick said. I cried. There was a knock at the door.  Nick sat me down and kissed my forehead and went to the door and opened it and saw Brian.  He came in and came over and sat down beside me. I looked at him.  He hugged me. 

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“I know, Bri, I know you didn’t mean to, I know it was an accident, Bri, Alicia’s in the hospital, she’s in a coma, she might not make it, the police questioned me and I told them that it was a hit and run, that I don’t know who did it, no one will know that you did it, Bri,” Brian said.

“But I will, I will know, you will know, Nick will, Emily will, we all will know, I can’t let it go,” I said.

“Bri, you could go to jail, no one will believe you,” Brian said. I looked at him.

“Bri, you could go to jail, you’ll have to leave us, and Emily, she needs you,” Nick said.    

“Oh god,” I said as I started crying.  Nick sat down and hugged me close.

“Uncle Brian!” Emily said running to him.  She hugged him.  He hugged her back.

“Emily, do you know what happened today?” Brian asked.  She nodded.

“Mommy hit Aunt Alicia,” Emily said.

“You can’t tell anyone, no one, do you promise?” Brian asked.  Emily looked at me.  I nodded.

“Emily, promise?” Nick asked.

“Emily, if you tell someone, they will call the police and I will be taken away from you,” I said crying. 

“I don’t want you to go, Mommy,” Emily cried hugging me.  I hugged her tightly.

That night, we all were at the hospital. I stood there looking at Alicia.  I felt tears in my eyes. 

      “Alicia, it’s me, I’m praying for you, I’m so sorry!” I said. 

      “What are you sorry for?” a voice said behind me.  I turned and saw a cop standing at the doorway.

      “Um, for her being in here,” I said.

      “Mrs. Carter, did you do this to her?” he asked.

      “No, I didn’t do it, I would never do anything to hurt my best friend, I just felt sorry she was in here,” I said.

      “I see,” he said.

      “Officer Grant, she’s my best friend, if I did hit her, I would’ve turned myself in, but I didn’t do it,” I said.  He left the room.  I looked at Alicia.  I went out to the waiting room.  I went to the nurses desk. 

      “Can I help you?” the nurse asked.

      “I need to see Dr. Kelly, it’s important,” I said.  She paged Dr. Kelly.  Dr. Kelly came out. 

      “Hi Bri, how are you,” Dr. Kelly said.  We went to her office and sat down.

      “I might be pregnant, Dr. Kelly, I’m fat, and I’m sick in the mornings,” I said.  She took me to an examination room and examined me.  She left the room.  I sat there. The door opened and Nick came in.

      “Hey, there you are,” Nick said.

      “Hey, where’s Em?” I asked.

      “With Kevin and Kristen, Brian’s with the doctor about Alicia’s condition, something’s wrong,” Nick said as he sat down. I looked at my hands.

      “What’s going on?” Nick asked.

      “I think I’m pregnant, I’m fat and I’ve been sick in the mornings,” I said. 

      “How far along do you think you are?” Nick asked.

      “Five months, I think,” I said. Dr. Kelly came in.

      “Bri, you are five months pregnant,” Dr. Kelly said. 

She had me lay down and got the ultrasound machine and the screen lit up and we saw the baby.  I smiled.  I looked at Nick.  His face was glowing.  I reached up and stroked his cheek. He looked at me and I smiled at him.  He held my hand and kissed it.  Dr. Kelly cleaned me up and left the room.  I looked at Nick.

      “Come home, Nick, I want us to be a family again, I forgive you,” I said.  He smiled and kissed my lips softly.

      “I love you, so much, more than you know,” Nick said.

Ten minutes later, we met up with Brian.  He told us that Alicia is paralyzed.  We told him our news.  He hugged us. 

      “Brian, I’m sorry,” I said.

      “Bri, forget about it, it’s in the past,” Brian said hugging me.  I rested my head on his shoulder. 

Three days later, Brian brought Alicia home.  She couldn’t move or talk.   All she could do was blink. I went to visit her.  I sat down beside her.

      “Hey Ali, how are you, forget that, I know, I’m sorry,” I said.  She blinked twice. I looked at Brian.

      “Once for no, twice for yes,” Brian said.  I nodded.

      “Ali, do you hate me?” I asked.  She blinked once.

      “Are we still best friends?” I asked.  She blinked twice.

      “Do you think it was an accident?” I asked.  She blinked twice. 

      “Did Brian tell you my news?” I asked. She blinked once.

      “I’m five months pregnant, and Nick’s home, I forgave him, isn’t that great,” I said.  She blinked twice.

      “Do you think I did the right thing about asking Nick to come home?” I asked.  She blinked twice.

      “Do you think I should keep him?” I asked.  She blinked twice.  I smiled. 

Three days later, Brian, Alicia, and Gracie came over. We were all sitting around talking.  Alicia blinking. Gracie and Emily were playing on the floor.  I went over to Alicia’s wheelchair and knelt down beside her.

      “Ali, do you want some water?” I asked.   She blinked twice.  Brian got up to get her some. I sat down beside Nick.  He kissed my neck.  I looked at Alicia. I saw a slight smile on her face.  The doorbell rang.  Nick got up and opened the door and saw Officer Grant and Officer Smith standing there.

      “Mr. Carter, may we come in?” Officer Grant asked.

      “Sure,” Nick said.  They came in.  I was saying something to Alicia.  I looked up and saw them and stood up.  They came over to me. 

      “Mrs. Carter, you are under arrest,” Officer Grant said.

      “What!” I said.

      “What!” Nick said.

      “What!” Brian said.

      “We found evidence linking you to the hit and run of Alicia Littrell,” Officer Smith said.

      “You have the right to remain silent,” Officer Grant said.

      “You can’t do this!” Nick said.  He came over to me. 

      “Mr. Carter, please step away from your wife,” Officer Smith said.

      “Why, this is my house, she’s my wife, I have the right to be near her, what evidence do you have!” Nick said.

      “We inspected her car at the hospital, we found that the car was damaged in the front end,” Officer Smith said.

      “You aren’t taking her, she’ll get stressed out, she’s five months pregnant,” Nick said. 

      “We’ll keep her calm,” Officer Smith said. I looked at Nick with tears in my eyes.

      “Don’t do this, please, she needs to be here,” Nick said.

      “Please don’t take Mommy,” Emily said.

      “We are just taking her in for questioning, Mr. Carter, better call your lawyer,” Officer Smith said.  Nick cupped my face in his hands.

      “I’ll call Sam, I love you,” Nick said kissing my lips softly. 

      “I love you, too,” I said.  I hugged Emily.  Officer Smith took me out.  Officer Grant looked at Brian.

      “Mr. Littrell, we will need to take you in for questioning, too,” Officer Grant said. Brian nodded and hugged Alicia and kissed her cheek. He saw Nick hugging Emily as they both were crying. Brian and Officer Grant walked out.  They took me and Brian to the station and we were put in a room.  We were left alone.

      “No talking without a lawyer, Bri, remain calm, okay, for the baby’s sake,” Brian said. He squeezed my hand.  Officer Grant and Officer Smith came back in.  Sam came in. 

      “Brian, Bri, the officers told me the story, is it true?” Sam asked. 

      “Yes, it’s true, I did hit Alicia, but it was an accident, I swear, I didn’t mean to,” I said.  Brian held my hand under the table. 

      “An accident, are you sure?” Officer Smith said.

      “Yes, it was an accident, I know Bri and she’s my wife’s best friend, okay,” Brian said.

      “You want the story, okay, I was driving along, with my daughter, I just picked her up from kindergarden, we were driving along the street that Brian lives on, Emily asked me something and I looked at her for just a sec, when I heard a loud thump, I stopped, I told her to stay in the car and got out and saw Alicia lying in the street,” I said.

      “I saw them through the window and I saw Bri call 911, I ran out and I realized what Bri did, she was crying and couldn’t talk, I went to her and asked her if she called 911, she nodded, I asked her if it was an accident, she nodded, I told her to get away from there, I told her to go, she left, I know it was an accident, she didn’t mean to, she and Alicia grew up together, after Alicia came home from the hospital, Bri came to visit her, Alicia couldn’t talk, she blinks once for no, twice for yes, that’s how she communicates, Bri asked her if Alicia hated her, she blinked once, Bri asked if she knew it was an accident, she blinked twice, Alicia doesn’t blame Bri, it was an accident,” Brian said. 

      “This is clearly an accident, what you have here is an accident,” Sam said.

      “We will let the judge decide that, you two will be put in a holding cell until the trial date which will be decided,” Officer Grant said.

      “I can’t, you can’t do this to me, I’m five months pregnant, I can’t go to prison!” I said crying.  Brian sat me down and calmed me down.  They took us to a holding cell.  I sat down.  Brian sat beside me. He held me close. 

Sam went to Nick’s house.  He rang the doorbell.  Nick opened the door and saw him and let him in.  Sam came in and saw Alicia.  He sat down.  She smiled at him.

      “What’s the news?” Nick asked.

      “Bri and Brian are being bound over for trial, they told the story, the police don’t believe them,” Sam said.

      “No!” Nick said sitting down.  He looked at Alicia.  He went over to her.

      “Alicia, what, you want to talk to the cops?” Nick asked.

She blinked twice.  He took her to the police station.  Sam went with him.

      “Can I help you?” a officer said.

      “We want to see Officer Smith and Officer Grant right now,” Nick said. They were led to a room.  Nick sat down.  Officer Smith and Officer Grant came in.

      “Mr. Carter, I’m sure your attorney told you,” Officer Grant said.

      “Yes, and Alicia wants to say something about that,” Nick said. 

      “Mrs. Littrell, do you believe Mrs. Carter tried to kill you?” Officer Grant said.  Alicia blinked once.

      “Do you believe she would hurt you in any way?” Officer Smith asked.  Alicia blinked once.

      “Is Bri a threat to you?” Officer Grant asked.  Alicia blinked once.

      “Is she your best friend?” Officer Smith asked.  Alicia blinked twice.

      “Do you love her like a best friend?” Officer Grant asked.  Alicia blinked twice.

      “Do you want to press charges against Mrs. Carter?” Officer Smith asked.  Alicia blinked once.

      “Should we let her and your husband go?” Officer Grant asked.   Alicia blinked twice.

      “Can you talk?” Officer Smith asked.  Alicia blinked once. The officers talked. 

      “The charges are dropped, we’ll get Mrs. Carter and Mr. Littrell,” Officer Smith said. 

      “We’re going with you,” Nick said.  He wheeled Alicia as they followed the officers. They saw Brian and Bri in the holding cell. Brian was holding Bri as she rested her head on Brian’s shoulder.  Bri looked up.

      “Nick! Ali!” I said. 

      “Bri, baby, you okay?” Nick asked.

      “Mrs. Carter, Mr. Littrell, you are free to go, the charges were dropped,” Officer Smith said. He unlocked the cell and opened it and I ran to Nick and he hugged me close. Brian hugged Alicia.  We all went to mine and Nick’s house.  Amanda hugged us and left.  Brian, Alicia, and Gracie went home.  I was in the bathroom when Nick came in.  He wrapped his arms around me from behind. 

      “I’m so glad you’re home,” Nick said.

      “I’m glad to be home, that cell was horrible,” I said.

      “But you are home, and you aren’t going anywhere,” Nick said.  I smiled and looked up at him. He kissed me softly.  We went into the bedroom and went to bed. 

The End!