"Come fast or we'll be late..." called Anna from the drawing room.
"Yes yes coming...", replied Liza.
It was a great morning with beautiful weather outside. It was a bit foggy with the chill in air, enough to make one shiver.
Anna was ready in her formal attire. She's of normal height, slim stature in her late twenties, with beautiful brown hair reaching her waist and today they were tied up. Her eyes are hazel brown that complement her fair complexion completely.
She wore a deep pink colored coat with white shirt neatly tucked in black trousers. She love to wear formals. Her makeup was subtle with no heavy accessories. She was standing with her overcoat in her left hand and her bag in right. She once again checked time on her beautiful black watch that her mother gifted her. It was 8:15 am.
"For God's sake come down or I'll leave you here", Anna said with angry voice.
"No, no, I'm here. Why are you always in such a hurry? "Liza said coming down stairs gaping for breath.
She was wearing a black pencil skirt with peach top accessorized with diamond studs and black pumps. She was looking more mature and formal than her age. She was almost 20 but her dressing style was much more sensible. She is 6 years younger than Anna.
"Why the hell you take such long time in getting ready every time. You know it's an important event and we should not be late.", Anna said with rough voice.
"And you look stunning sis...", Liza said with a wink.
She knew very well how to handle her sissy's bad mood.
Anna adjusted Lisa's coat and gave her a warm smile to ensure that she was looking beautiful.
They both left the house , locked the door and sat in their car which was driven by a well-dressed driver.
Anna opened the car window and let the breeze and fog in. She loved winters.
"Sister it's chilling, close the window.", Liza said rubbing her arms with her palms.
Anna was continuously looking outside the window and just replied with "hmmm".
Her Hazel brown eyes were complementing her light brown hair which were flowing with the breeze. She seems to enjoy the chilled breeze.
Suddenly she turned towards Liza and said, "My nose is frozen and cold, just like a cat."
She said this with such seriousness that it took a moment for Liza to understand her joke.
Anna was giggling. But still didn't closed the window.
It was a 50 minutes ride to the auditorium and hardly 30 minutes were passed.
Liza was now checking her phone and Anna was still watching outside.
Now traffic was getting heavy and the vehicles were moving slowly on the flyover. Though it was usually a busy street with a bit of traffic but today it seems like the cars were not moving at all. On looking outside and hearing people talking to each other it became clear that there was a car crash a few cars ahead and the man was panicking. He seemed to be hurt but still he was not on his pain, rather than he was trying to get someone out from the car.
"There seemed to be an accident ahead Ma'am.", driver said.
"Park the car on side and go if the victims need any help. I'll call 911 in the meantime." Anna said instantly.
"But Anny we'll surely be late if we stop here." Liza said.
"Don't be heartless stupid. The situation seem critical. It would be shame if we ignore it." Anna replied.
"I'll be late as there is some emergency here. Kindly manage." Anna informed her assistant.
In the meantime few more people came to their rescue and they manage to break open the car door.
Liza couldn't handle to be more patient to sit inside the car so, she got outside the car and went over the spot to ensure if anything else was required or not. Anna remained in the car and instructed her secretary on the matters to be handled at the event before her arrival. Keoping the call down she called Liza
"Lisa send the driver here." Anna told her.
As Lisa went to the spot she sent back the driver and moved towards the man who was standing near the car door holding someone's hand. He keeps on whispering to the person inside the car and his weeping knows no bounds.
The car was completely damaged from front as if almost crushed.
"Excuse me, the ambulance is on it's way and will be here in a couple of minutes." Lisa said to the man.
"Thank you so much." The man turned and replied with grateful voice.
The man face was covered with blood and his head was still bleeding but he seemed to be more worried about the person in car. Lisa moved forward and found a pregnant lady on the front seat lying semi-conscious. She was in pain too as her head was badly hurt. Lisa was horrified by the situation and all the blood scattered everywhere.
"She's my wife and we were headed to the hospital when suddenly our car was crashed because I lost control." Man said looking towards his wife.
Lisa listened to him and the voice sounds familiar to her but she couldn't recognize the face.
"Ambulance is on it's way Peter." Said Anna.
"That would be good if it reaches soon because the situation might get worse if time is lapsed more." Peter, the driver replied.
"Are there serious injuries there, or anything worse?" Anna asked Peter while getting out of the car and closing the door behind.
"Yes Ma'am." Peter said while they started moving towards the spot.
"There's a couple there and the lady is pregnant. Both of them are very injured and as the husband told me earlier they were headed towards the hospital, when suddenly the car got out of control and crashed." Peter finished as they reached there.
Lisa was standing there and as she saw Anna there she ran towards her and held her hand. Anna knew she was scared by the scene.
"Anny the baby needs help now." Lisa said with cracking voice.
"It's just a minute baby ambulance will be here." Anna rubbed Liza's hand.
Anna was about to talk to the husband when ambulance came and everyone got aside for doctors to do their work.
The couple was given emergency aid and wife was taken in the ambulance immediately.
The husband turned and thanked Peter and Liza for helping them when he noticed Anna standing there with Liza.
Both Anna and the man was stuck in the moment in order to realize that it was sure they were face to face. The moment stopped as if they both felt numb with their heartbeats echoing in their heads. Neither they were able to believe what happened not they were able to say anything. Now they were figuring out what to say to each other when suddenly the person from the ambulance came " Mr. Marcel we have to get inside the Van as we have to rush to the hospital."
Without saying anything Marcel left for the hospital and she was standing there with her sister and the time was telling it is getting late for the event.
Lisa told Anna to come inside the car as they were getting late for the event, they sat and the driver rode as he knew that he can't be more late as today's event is more important . Anna was sitting silent the whole time, Lisa was quite confused and at the same time worried about that pregnant lady. Liza tried to ask Anna but she wasn't sure as what has happened to her sister. She remembered it has been a long time since she has seen her like this….almost 7 years.
The event started already before they arrived and somehow the manager had managed there late coming. The event was almost 6 hours long but Anna was unable to focus as her entire mind and Soul was stuck in that moment when she was face to face with Marcel. She was always thinking about what would be the condition of his wife and child and most importantly what would be his condition in such situation. Lisa try to talk to her sister but everything goes in vain as Anna was not mentally present there.
"Peter what was the name of the hospital" Anna finally spoke on her way back to their home.
"Which hospital Ma'am?" replied Peter.
"I think you have started short term memory loss you should seek medical help immediately. Can't you figure out I am asking about the hospital where that couple went whom we cane across in the morning." Anna said harshly.
"Sorry Ma'am for not understanding. It was City Hospital." Peter replied.
He was in his thirties and had been driving for Anna from last 5 years but he haven't seen her like this ever. He therefore, thought it might be something serious if she's so angry. In order to amend his mistake he asked, "So shall we turn towards hospital, Ma'am?"
"No, no need to turn to hospital. Take to home straight." Anna replied.
They all sat in the car. It was around 3:40pm and the snowfall has started as it's the peak of winters here in Chicago.
"I'm starving Anna…" Liza finally spoke .
"Yeah, I know. We'll be home in 10 minutes." Anna replied.
In few minutes they were home and Liza kept her stuff on couch and was ready to dig in Dinner.
Dinner was ready and served by their maids as they reached. They both sat and Liza started gulping in but Anna couldn't eat.
"Anna, why aren't you eating?" Liza asked .
She was concerned about her since she was not being herself since morning.
"I am eating….it's just I'm not swallowing food like you." Anna replied in order to lighten Liza's stress.
"You are being weird since morning…why?" she said with a mouthful of noodles.
"No I'm absolutely normal Liza.." Anna said.
"Nope….you are like this since that accident…. Yes you met that man and since than you are lost…." Liza said recalling about that incident.
"What do you mean? There's nothing like this…." Anna replied trying to avoid eye contact with Liza.
"By the way I'm going to bed….I'm exhausted…." She stood up from the table.
She managed to cut the conversation about that accident….about Marcel…..
Moreover she managed to escape her past.
"Ok sissoo….see you in the morning." Liza said with food stuffed in mouth.
Anna went to her room changed in her night dress and sat on her bed.
Bed was warm but she was cold. She can't stop thinking what happened in morning. Will his wife be fine and his child…..How will he be handling all this….
How can this happen to him….. She never expected him to be in such circumstances, in such pain.
He might be the reason to all her pain but she never imagined him to be like this..
It was midnight and she's still awake wondering what might have happened in hospital. And now it was more than she can handle to think and ponder over. So she stood up from her bed, took her overcoat and car keys and left her room closing the door slowly as she doesn't want to awake Liza.
Moving out from the front door she slip in her car and head towards the hospital. It was almost 15 minutes ride to there and all she could think about was how is he going to react. What will she say to him about her being there at this time. And before she could figure it out she was at her destination The City Hospital.