Don't Tell Me

"Are you sure you don't want to come to Vegas? You won't be able to make the awards tonight, but Matt is going to be here for a few days." I knew my mom was trying to get me out of the house. Lately, I really didn't leave unless I absolutely had to.
"Yeah but Aaron is here.." It had been over two weeks since I said I was going to break up with him. I still haven't. "I have to work anyway."
"Well, make sure Jared doesn't do anything stupid while your father is gone," She told me. Apparently I'm the responsible one.
"I will." ..Probably throw a party.
"I know what Aaron has still been doing.. You're better than him."
"I know, Mom. I know." I whispered, she didn't make it any easier though.
"I'll see you next week. Love you Maggie."
"Love you too."
I hung up the phone and walked to the kitchen. I kicked off my muddy boots in the mudroom and went to my room to change into a big sweater and a pair of spandex shorts. I would be the only one home until tonight so I grabbed the bright headphones sitting on my desk and turned up the music before starting to cook myself dinner.
"Been washed in the blood of the Lamb and I've washed blood off of my hands and I can't do a damn thing about it." It really is a damn shame that I can't change. Oh well just makes life a little more interesting.
After finding out I didn't have a few of the key ingredients, I threw on a pair of sweats and drove to the store. It was pouring rain and I was having trouble seeing. Out of nowhere, headlights were quickly coming towards my side of the truck and there was nothing I could do about it.
Matt's POV
I walked around talking to a few people I hadn't seen in a while. Most of them asked about the Olympic ring I recieved yesterday. As much as I engaged in conversation, I couldn't get my mind off of Maggie. I knew it was a lost cause. She wasn't going to leave her boyfriend any time soon. Even if he was cheating on her.
Jeff Carter was talking about the Cup Finals when Coach Roy caught my eye and waved me over. Mrs. Benson was next to him with tears in her eyes, talking on the phone.
"What's going on?" I wondered. Immediately, my mind started to wander, praying this was not about Maggie.
"Maggie was in a crash. She's in pretty bad condition. They brought her into Denver for surgery." Roy told me.
The last time we talked, we actually yelled. We had a screaming session after the Dierks Bentley concert, all over her not breaking up with her boyfriend. I should have just let it go..
"Jared, just make sure she's okay. I'll be there as soon as I can," she ended the call, "Her father is in Casper for the weekend. I need to get back to see her."
"No, Mrs. Benson. Stay for the awards. I'll head back now and book you two a flight back."
"No, I should really go to be with her." She protested.
"Right now they aren't going to let more than one person in there with her. I'll go and get ahold of Jared and pick you guys up at the airport. Stay here with Coach Roy, it's something you don't want to miss," I told her. I wasn't quite sure why I cared so much, but I knew that I needed to be in Denver.
Maggie's POV
"Maggie, you can't leave me," My brother cried as someone pumped air into the mask. Tears were running down his face, voice was cracking. All I wanted to do was make him feel better.
I was in pain. A lot of it. I heard my brother ask the paramedic if I was going to be okay before everything went black.
The next thing I remember, I was getting rushed through a hospital.
"You're going into surgery," they said, "You have some bad internal injuries."
Everything went black again.
I wasn't sure what happened next, or how long I was out, but my whole family was there in my room with me.
"What happened?" I asked, hoping someone would hear me. My father opened his eyes and sat up.
"You were in a car wreck," he explained.
"Why you here? You be gone," that came out a little different than I would like it to but I can't really talk. I don't think there's anything wrong with my brain, the drugs were just that good.
"I drove back as soon as I found out." He looked tired. I'm sure he drove straight through the night and hasn't gotten much sleep since. I wonder who was taking care of the animals, or if he was driving back and forth. "The people I was meeting with understood, so I'll be gone next week and you'll go to your mom's house."
"Vegas?"
"Matt got us tickets back right after the awards," my mom told me. Her makeup and hair were still done. I'm guessing I wasn't out for that long. Or it just took them a while to get here.
"Matt." This wasn't a question, but I wanted to know where he was.
"Him and Aaron are out in the waiting room with Angela, Patrick, Clint and a couple Avs players." Shit. Aaron. Those two in the same place can't be good. This was all too much to take in at once. I still had a lot of questions, but I saved them for a time I could actually talk.
This time I woke up in a different room. My mom wasn't there, but I didn't worry. Angie took her place. She was asleep on my brother, but judging by the sun coming in from the window, it was after 8.
"What happened?" I asked my father who was reading the paper.
"You were hit by another truck." Damn. That sucks.
Wait.
"My truck is totaled isn't it?" My eyes widened, I loved my truck. Hopefully our insurance covers it.
"So was your liver, but I'm glad you have priorities," He laughed, "Don't you think your body is a little more important?"
"Well, I wouldn't be talking to you if I wasn't okay. And now I'm more concerned about my liver than anything. I need that." Poor thing has been through enough this summer.. And there were still two more months left until I started class again.
My dad cracked a smile, "Your liver needs a rest."
"Is everyone still out in the waiting room?"
"No, the two blonde kids left with Matt to go get breakfast. Your mom and Patrick went to change and Aaron should be back any minute now. He just went to the coffee cart."
"Text Matt and tell him to bring me biscuits and gravy with hash browns." I started thinking about the food from the diner back in my home town. I hadn't eaten in who knows how long. Right on cue, my stomach started to growl.
Aaron walked in with two coffees and pulled up a chair next to my bed, "How are you feeling?"
"You know, I think I could be better. These drugs are top notch though." I laughed, thinking I was hilarious. And I ended up waking Angie and Jared.
"Good to know you're still able to laugh." Jared rubbed his eyes, sitting up. "I'm gonna go get something to eat, do you want anything?"
"We just texted Nate, he's bringing me back food." My dad gave me a questioning look but dropped it. I think he realized I didn't want to bring up Matt while Aaron is around.
"I was talking about dad."
"Yeah, I actually have to go home for a while." My dad said.
"And I have to get back too." Angie stood up and stretched.
"I'll take you two to breakfast."
"Maggie, I'll be back in a bit. Try not to like die or anything." He came over to mess up my hair, making my head hurt even more.
"Thanks asshole. I'll try my hardest."
Once they were gone, it was just me and Aaron. He didn't engage in conversation which was nice. I was tired of talking for a while.
"So what have you been doing while I'm in here?"
"Helping my mom with the clinic and driving back here." I wanted to believe him, I really did. I mean he didn't seem like the kind of guy to cheat on his girlfriend while she was in the hospital. Then again he didn't seem like the kind of guy to cheat in general. I liked to think he was that heartless.
"Is that really what you're doing?"
"Yes, Maggie. I promise."
I dropped the subject after that. Thinking about him cheating hurt my head more than usual. After about ten minutes of silence, the two of us started to fall asleep. Then Matt walked in with my food and Nate followed him with a case full of sunflowers.
"Oh you guys are the best." I grabbed one if the bags from Matt and are one of the sausage links with my fingers. "Oh. This is so good." I shoved good in my mouth, trying to ignore the tension that clouded the room as soon as
I couldn't remember the last time I had to eat some solid food instead of something pumped into me by an IV. Probably a couple of days at least. This was like heaven.
Landy came in just minutes later, holding a stuffed animal of some sort. "Sorry I had to park." He handed me the cow and kissed the top of my head. "We made that for you."
"Let me guess, you dressed him." I had noticed the 'C' on the jersey.
"Yeah. A hockey playing cow for our ranch girl." He seemed pretty pleased with himself.
"Well thanks. It means a lot." I put the cow in my lap and pulled over my table so I could finish eating.
Aaron eventually left me alone with the hockey players. I was hoping that Jared would be back by now, but he was still no where to be found. I kept catching eyes with Matt and realized that there was no postponing our talk any longer.
"Can you give me some alone time with Matt?"
"Yeah, of course. Don't do anything too kinky. You are in a hospital." I threw my pillow at Nate, but knocked over my empty cup instead.
"So how long are going to be in here?"
"I don't know. I think jut a couple more days. They want to make sure everything is fine with my insides then I can leave. Broken bones and what not, my doctor at home can finish fixing when need be." Silence fell over the room once again and I felt the need to fill it. "Thanks for coming, Matt. I appreciate it."
"I know I've been an ass lately."
"And you have every right to be."
"I miss you, Maggie." He came over to sit by me and kissed my forehead. "I'm so glad you're okay."
I had no idea what was going to happen next now that Matt was back in the picture, and that was scary to say the least.

Notes