Chapter Five
Lenora wiped her eyes as she looked at her son. She didn’t want Keith to see her so upset, but she was beyond grateful to see him alive.
“Mom, I’m okay. I will be out of here soon.” Keith Freeman had caramel skin like his father that was now a blend of blue and purple from the left temple down to his cheek.
She squeezed his hand. “I’m just grateful. It could have been worse.” With no clear reports from the authorities, Lenora had prayed feverishly during the ride over to the hospital. She folded her arms as she questioned Keith. “You still can’t remember what happened?”
Jonathan spoke up from the other side of Keith’s bed. “Lenora, let’s give the boy time to rest. The police will get down to the bottom of who ran into his car last night. Like the police officers said, the other vehicle had considerable damages too.”
Keith shook his head. “Yeah, I can’t believe they just took off. It all happened so fast. Rachel and I . . .” Keith’s eyes grew wide, and he sat up in the hospital bed. He grimaced in pain. “Where is Rachel? Is she all right?”
Jonathan rose from his seat and touched Keith’s shoulder. “Son, Rachel is fine. Both of you were under God’s favor last night.”
Keith tried to move against his father’s strong arms. “Dad, I have to see her.”
Lenora stood. “Your father is right. Keith, you need to rest your body with those broken ribs. I will go check on Rachel and come back with a report for you, okay?”
Her son lay back down on the bed. Lenora’s heart dropped to see the tears brimming in her man-child’s eyes. She knew Keith really loved his girlfriend and was even more grateful that the young couple escaped last night’s crash with their lives.
Lenora walked down the hospital hallway and turned to the right. She knocked on the closed door. On the other side of the door, a female voice said, “Come in.” Lenora opened the door and poked her head in to see Candace and Rachel holding hands.
“Lenora.” Candace walked over to embrace her. She stepped back so Lenora could see Rachel. Rachel’s right arm was in a sling. Similar to Keith, the young woman had bruising around her face. Lenora moved toward the bed. “How are you, Rachel? Keith was asking about you.”
Rachel nodded. “I’m okay. Just have to deal with this broken arm, but I’m glad we walked away. It was pretty scary. How is Keith?”
“He is going to be out of commission for a while too. He has broken ribs.”
Rachel winced. “Ouch! I guess basketball season is officially over.”
“You both will be as good as new.” Lenora addressed Candace, “You mind if I talk to you outside?”
Candace nodded her head. “Sure. Rachel, I will be right outside.”
Both women walked out of the room. Lenora grabbed Candace’s hand. “I’m so sorry about all this.”
Candace shook her head. “Lenora, you can’t do anything about a crazy person causing an accident and leaving the scene.”
Lenora opened her mouth, but then stopped as the words wouldn’t come. What could she say to Candace? That some crazy person sent her a threatening text yesterday? Suppose it was just some prank. Lenora never believed in coincidences.
Candace took a tissue out of her pocket and wiped her eyes. Her voice trembled as she spoke. “I don’t know what I would have done if I lost her.”
Lenora wrapped her arms around Candace. “I know. I’m so sorry.”
Candace asked, “Does Keith know what happened?”
Lenora clasped her hands together. “He said it happened so fast. They were talking, and the music was going. He never saw the car, just felt something ram into the back of the car.”
Candace held her hand to heart. “You know God was watching over our babies. Did you see Keith’s Jeep?”
Lenora nodded. She leaned against the wall. She wished the media hadn’t showed the wreck on television. With Victory Gospel Church as their extended family, she understood that many would have been interested in an update on the young people involved.
She prayed they would find whoever did this soon. Lenora had taken great precaution with her boys when they were younger, and as a parent, she knew she couldn’t protect them from everything. At this moment, her mother radar was in full alert that danger lurked nearby. She just didn’t know why.