Life on Banana Street
It Takes One
The night was a blur. It was all moving too fast for my mind to grasp. One minute Billie got called into the studio for a quick meeting, the next I’m in the emergency room. The doctor said chances are slim he’ll survive, since he’s already stared death in the face. He can’t die…again. He can’t do this to me, he can’t do this to Joey, he can’t do this to Tre or Mike.
Drunk driving, that’s what caused the whole thing. They crashed dead-on into Billie’s car and he went into an immediate coma. No one knows when he’ll wake, if ever.
“Come on Billie, stay with me. Stay with me please.”
Ana, Mike, Stella (their kid), Tre, Lisa, Ramona, Hannah, Joey and I were staring at nothing, worry in our eyes, not even daring to sleep.
Someone touched my shoulder and I looked up, almost crying.
“Jeff, what are you doing here?”
“I came as soon as I heard.”
I rose up and gave him a hug and Kate was behind him…holding his hand. “Kate, when did you start dating Jeff?” When I said that, a twinge of jealousy shot through me and I didn’t know why. “And when did you stop dating Mike?”
“I’m not dating Jeff. I’m just worried…And we broke it off again before the wedding…Again. But we’re good friends.”
“Oh. Well thanks you guys for being here for us.” I picked Joey up and carried him across the street to get his mind off of his father.
“Mommy, what’s wrong with Daddy?” he asked in a semi-tired tone.
“Nothing, Joe. He’s fine. He’s gonna be just fine.” And for the first time in my life I felt like I was lying to my son.
Drunk driving, that’s what caused the whole thing. They crashed dead-on into Billie’s car and he went into an immediate coma. No one knows when he’ll wake, if ever.
“Come on Billie, stay with me. Stay with me please.”
Ana, Mike, Stella (their kid), Tre, Lisa, Ramona, Hannah, Joey and I were staring at nothing, worry in our eyes, not even daring to sleep.
Someone touched my shoulder and I looked up, almost crying.
“Jeff, what are you doing here?”
“I came as soon as I heard.”
I rose up and gave him a hug and Kate was behind him…holding his hand. “Kate, when did you start dating Jeff?” When I said that, a twinge of jealousy shot through me and I didn’t know why. “And when did you stop dating Mike?”
“I’m not dating Jeff. I’m just worried…And we broke it off again before the wedding…Again. But we’re good friends.”
“Oh. Well thanks you guys for being here for us.” I picked Joey up and carried him across the street to get his mind off of his father.
“Mommy, what’s wrong with Daddy?” he asked in a semi-tired tone.
“Nothing, Joe. He’s fine. He’s gonna be just fine.” And for the first time in my life I felt like I was lying to my son.