Sera's hands trembled as she ended the call. Her heart pounded in her chest, her mind swirling with a mix of fear and confusion. She barely registered Nicole's concerned voice calling her name as she stood frozen, staring at her phone.
"What happened?" Nicole's voice was calm, but there was an underlying urgency.
Sera swallowed hard, her voice coming out in a whisper. "There's been an accident... my parents."
Nicole's expression shifted, his usual stoic demeanor cracking slightly. "We need to go."
Emma and Ethan were still laughing near the ferris wheel, completely unaware of the turn the day had taken. Sera could barely find the words as she hurried over to them, her breath shallow. "I have to go," she managed, her voice shaking. "It's my parents. There's been an accident."
Emma's face paled. "Oh my god. I'm coming with you."
"No, no, it's okay," Sera said, trying to steady herself. "I—"
Emma was already shaking her head, her expression determined. "I'm your best friend, Sera. I'm not letting you do this alone."
Ethan stepped forward. "I'll drive. We'll get there faster."
Sera nodded numbly, unable to argue. As they quickly gathered their things and piled into the car, the joyful energy of the carnival faded into the background, replaced by the oppressive weight of the unknown.
The ride to Sera's hometown was a blur. Nicole sat beside her in the backseat, his presence a quiet comfort, while Emma held Sera's hand tightly. The silence in the car was thick, broken only by the occasional sound of Emma's anxious breathing and the hum of the tires against the road.
Sera's mind raced with a million questions, but no answers came. All she could do was wait.
---
The small town where Sera had grown up looked the same as it always had, its quiet streets and familiar landmarks untouched by the tragedy that had shaken her world. As they pulled up in front of her parents' house, Sera's heart clenched. There were no emergency vehicles, no flashing lights—just the soft glow of the porch light illuminating the front steps.
Lucy was waiting for them on the porch, her face pale and her eyes red from crying. Sera practically stumbled out of the car, her knees weak, but Emma was there to catch her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they approached.
"What happened?" Sera's voice cracked as she asked the question that had been burning in her mind the entire ride.
Lucy wiped her eyes, her voice trembling. "They're in the hospital. A car accident. It was bad, Sera… really bad. They're in surgery now."
Sera felt the ground sway beneath her. Hospital. Surgery. Her parents were strong, invincible even, but now… now they were fighting for their lives.
Nicole's hand rested gently on her shoulder, grounding her. "We should get to the hospital," he said quietly.
Sera nodded, her movements automatic. The world felt distant, surreal, as they piled back into the car and headed to the hospital.
---
The sterile smell of the hospital hit Sera the moment they walked in, the harsh fluorescent lights doing nothing to ease the tension that hung in the air. They were directed to the waiting room, where her family doctor, Dr. Green, stood waiting.
He greeted her with a gentle nod. "Sera. I'm so sorry about what happened. Your parents were in a serious accident, but the doctors are doing everything they can."
Sera's legs buckled, and she sank into the nearest chair, her mind struggling to process the words. Nicole sat beside her, his hand still resting on her shoulder, a quiet pillar of strength.
"How… how bad is it?" Sera's voice was barely a whisper.
Dr. Green hesitated. "It's too soon to tell. The next few hours are critical."
Tears welled in Sera's eyes, but she blinked them back. She couldn't break down now. Not when her parents needed her to be strong.
Emma knelt in front of her, squeezing her hands. "We're here for you, Sera. No matter what."
Sera nodded, her throat tight with emotion. "I know. Thank you."
Hours passed in agonizing silence, punctuated only by the occasional beeping of hospital equipment and the hushed voices of nurses in the hallway. Sera stared at the clock on the wall, each tick feeling like an eternity.
At one point, Nicole got up and left the room without a word. Sera barely noticed, her mind too consumed by worry to register his absence. But when he returned, he held two cups of coffee in his hands, offering one to her silently.
Sera blinked, surprised by the gesture. She took the cup with shaky hands, the warmth seeping through her fingers. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice cracking.
Nicole didn't respond, but the look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know. He was there for her.
---
It was well past midnight when a nurse finally came into the waiting room. "Miss Williams?"
Sera shot to her feet, her heart in her throat. "Yes? Are they…?"
The nurse offered a tired but kind smile. "They're stable. The surgery went well, but they'll need time to recover. You can see them now, but only for a few minutes."
Relief flooded through Sera's veins, and she let out a shaky breath. "Thank you."
Emma gave her a tight hug, whispering in her ear, "I told you they'd be okay."
Sera managed a small smile before following the nurse down the hallway. Nicole stayed behind, watching her with an unreadable expression.
When Sera stepped into the dimly lit hospital room, she was struck by how fragile her parents looked. Her father's head was bandaged, and her mother's arm was in a cast, but they were breathing. They were alive.
Sera sat between them, holding their hands, the weight of the last few hours finally crashing down on her. Tears streamed down her face as she whispered, "I'm so glad you're okay."
Her father's eyes fluttered open briefly, and he gave her a weak smile. "We're tougher than we look, kiddo," he rasped.
Sera laughed through her tears, squeezing his hand. "Yeah, you are."
---
By the time Sera returned to the waiting room, exhaustion had set in, but the relief in her heart was overwhelming. Emma, Ethan, and Lucy had left to get some rest, but Nicole was still there, sitting in the corner, his phone in his hand.
When he looked up and saw her, he stood, his eyes searching hers for answers.
"They're going to be okay," Sera said, her voice soft but steady. "They're going to need time, but they're going to be okay."
Nicole nodded, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "That's good."
Sera hesitated for a moment, then crossed the room and wrapped her arms around him. It was the first time she had ever initiated physical contact with him, and for a split second, she worried he might pull away.
But he didn't. Instead, his arms came around her, holding her tightly. There was nothing romantic about the embrace, nothing intimate—just two people sharing the weight of the world for a moment.
"Thank you for being here," Sera whispered against his chest.
Nicole's voice was barely audible. "I wouldn't have been anywhere else."
---
The next morning, Sera sat by her parents' bedside, the sun streaming through the hospital windows. Her father was awake now, chatting with the nurse, while her mother dozed peacefully.
Emma arrived with coffee and pastries, her presence a soothing balm. "I brought breakfast," she announced, placing the bag on the table.
Sera smiled gratefully. "You're a lifesaver."
As they ate in companionable silence, Sera felt a sense of peace settle over her. The storm had passed, and though there were still challenges ahead, she knew she wasn't facing them alone.
Her phone buzzed with a text, and she glanced down to see a message from Nicole.
Take your time with your parents. The office can wait.
Sera's heart warmed at the unexpected message. She hadn't even thought about work, but knowing that Nicole was handling things without question was a relief.
Emma nudged her, smirking. "Is that from a certain CEO?"
Sera rolled her eyes, though her cheeks flushed slightly. "Maybe."
Emma grinned. "You know, I've never seen him like this with anyone else. I think he really cares about you."
Sera's heart fluttered at the thought, but she quickly brushed it aside. "It's not like that."
"Uh-huh," Emma said, clearly unconvinced. "Sure."
As the day wore on and Sera's parents continued to recover, she couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed. Not just with Nicole, but with herself. She had faced her worst fear—losing her parents—and come out the other side stronger.
And as she looked out the hospital window at the rising sun, she couldn't help but wonder what the future held. For her, for her parents, and for the man who had been by her side through it all.