Page 9 of Remember Me

We’ve just finished a delicious meal, and now we’re sitting in the bar finishing our drinks before we drive home for the evening.

As we’re walking through the parking lot to Dad’s rental, my phone rings, it’s Jake. Like the coward I am, I send the call to voicemail.

When we’re in the car, Mom turns to me and asks if I’m ok. Nodding, I go back to fiddling with my phone. There’s a voicemail from him. The desire to listen to it weighs heavily, and I think about what Wren said to me earlier. Is it really worth losing the years of friendship we have over this?

We’ve been driving for about 10 minutes when curiosity finally gets the better of me and I decide to listen to the voicemail.

“Hey Lottie, I know we said we would talk tomorrow but this couldn’t wait. I need to tell you how I feel and somehow it feels easier to do it this way. I’m sorry about last night, that’s not how I wanted it to go. It’s not how I envisioned it in my head. I’m sorry about Vanessa, she’s nothing more than a puck bunny and I have no interest in her. There’s only one girl I want. Lottie I, l-”

Just then, I look up. Seeing headlights coming straight at us, fear grips my entire body. “Oh my god, Dad! Look out!” I shout out as I grip the door handle, my phone clattering to the floor, my eyes slamming shut as I brace myself. Everything happens all at once, and the next thing I know, I’m being catapulted from my seat, my seatbelt strangling my neck before everything goes black.

Chapter 6

Jake

Ikeep staring at my phone, hoping Lottie will call or text. She should be home by now from dinner with her parents, and I know she definitely will have listened to my voicemail; she wouldn’t be able to leave that ignored. She’s not that type of person.

Feeling restless, I call Lottie again, needing to hear her voice, to know we’re ok. This time, instead of ringing out, it goes straight to voicemail. Like her phone is off. Something’s not right, I can feel it. Just as I’m about to get up and grab my keys from the side, my phone rings. I don’t recognize the number, but the area code is local.

“Hello?” I ask, wary of the caller. It could be some gossip rag for all I know.

“Hello, can I speak to Mr. Jake Smithson, please?” the voice at the end of the phone says in a calm, controlled voice.

“Ah speaking, can I ask who’s calling?” Who the hell is this? I stand from where I’m sitting on the sofa and start pacing the room. This guy is putting me on edge.

“This is Officer Shaw from the San Diego Police Department.” The police? What do they want with me? “You’re listed as the emergency contact for Miss Charlotte Bennett. I’m calling to let you know that she’s been involved in a car accident and is currently being transported to San Diego General Hospital.”

My stomach bottoms out, my vision goes blurry, and I fight to stay upright, gripping the kitchen counter to steady myself. No, no, no, this can’t be happening.

“Is uhm, is she ok? What happened?” I manage to choke out, fighting back the blur of tears that are going to fall at any moment.

“Drunk driver in the wrong lane. Head-on collision. She’s unconscious at present, the hospital team will examine her when she arrives. I suggest you head down there.”

“Wait, she was with her parents, are they there as well?” I ask.

“Unfortunately, sir, both her parents were pronounced dead at the scene.” Fuck. Louisa and David are gone? I feel my stomach lurching, and I manage to make it to the sink to throw up the contents.

“Sir? Are you still there?”

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I continue. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m here. Was there a dog there? A beige Italian Greyhound?” I need to make sure Bella wasn’t there.

“No sir, no dogs involved,” the officer confirms.

“Ok, ok.” I try to swallow, but it’s like I have a thousand knives stuck in my throat. “I’ll head straight to the hospital now. Thank you, uhm, for calling.”

I move on autopilot, my feet slipping into my shoes and grabbing my jacket from the hook. As I pick up my keys from the side table, I slip off Lottie's key, leave it on the counter, and text my sister.

Jake - I need you to go to Lottie's house and grab Bella, take her to Mom’s.

Jake - I’ll explain later.

Alyssa - Ok…Jake what’s going on?

Shoving my phone into my jacket pocket, I rush out the door and to my car. Breaking every speed limit known to man, I make it to the ER in record time, where the police and ambulance crew who brought Lottie in are waiting for me. I actually don’t remember getting in my car and driving here. The last hour has been a whirlwind and one massive blur. My head is swimming, and my heart feels like it’s going to beat out of my chest. Good job I’m in a hospital, I feel like I’m going to have a heart attack.

How did we get here?

I’m shown to a family waiting room by a nurse who lets me know a doctor will be along shortly to give me an update once they’ve finished their assessment of Lottie’s injuries. Head in my hands, I let go of all the emotion I’ve been holding onto. What I really want to do is beat the shit out of the asshole who crashed into them, but he’s already dead. And just like that, I’m thinking of Louisa and David again, which then makes me think of Lottie. She has no other living relatives; her parents were only children and so was she. I vow from that moment on, my girl will not be alone—she has me, my family, and her friends.