And We're Nothing Short of Invincible

I wish I had known that Saturday would have been the last day I would see her.

Three hours later, my phone rang, and it was a number that I wasn’t familiar with at all.

“Hello?”

“Yes, is this Ms. Baylee Best?”

“Yes, this is she.”

“Ms. Best, this is Officer Lyman. Um, I’m sorry to give you this news, but your sister Crystal has been in an auto accident, and she didn’t make it.”

I couldn’t breathe.

“Ms. Best?”

I finally found my voice, “Are you sure it’s Crystal?”

“Yes, I’m really sorry, and her other family is here already at the morgue. They asked me to call you because they were too torn up to call. They said they hope you get here soon.”

“Thank you.”

I hung up the phone, and burst into tears. My best friend, my confident, my big sister was gone. What the hell was I supposed to do without her?

I didn’t even realize I had had dialed his number, but when he answered I couldn’t even speak.

“Baylee?” Brian asked confusion in his voice.

“Bri-Brian, something has happened.”

“What happened BB?”

I choked back sobs, “Crystal…she…got into an accident. She’s dead Brian. She’s gone.”

I heard him drop something, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m about to change and go to the morgue.”

“I’ll be out on the first plane I can get. Would you like Zacky to come with me?” He sounded like he was about to cry.

“Yes, please.”

“Okay, I’ll see you soon. Be careful.”

I just ended the call, changed my clothes, and sent a text to Caleb saying to call me as soon as possible. I knew he was in a meeting, but I needed him. My parents were at work, but as soon as they knew, they would be with me.

I barely even remember driving to the local hospital or even going into the building and asking where the morgue was located.

All I saw in front of me were my best friend’s family, broken and crying.

“Oh, Baylee!” Crystal’s mom Lexie exclaimed. She wrapped her arms around me, and we both started bawling.

After a few minutes, we finally calmed down enough to speak.

“What happened to her?” I asked.

Her dad sighed, “She was texting and driving. She swerved to keep from hitting a dog, and the car flipped. She had brain damage because her head hit the window so hard. Um, Baylee, the last text she was trying to send was going to you.”

I shook my head, “I always told her not to do that. The last one was to me?”

“Yeah, they found her phone soon after, and it was only cracked a little bit, but she had the message open, but only had one word type and that was I. So, we’re not sure what she was trying to send.”

“She was on her way to my house…..”

Her family all sat down in the chairs outside of the morgue.

“This is my entire fault!” I sunk down on my knees, and started bawling. I know I wasn’t down there for very long before two familiar arms scooped me up, and sat down on a chair with me in his arms.

Caleb. The one person I will have to lean on other than my family.

“It’s my fault. It’s my entire fault Caleb.”

“Shhh, baby, it’s not your fault. It’s not, and I promise you that. I will help you get through this.”

“How did you even know?”

“I called your parents after I got your text, and they found out for me. I was here as fast as I could be. I love you, and I’m not going to let you guys go through this alone.”
“I love you too baby.”

My parents had shown up a bit later, and they decided we’d get my car later. Caleb drove me back to the house, and now I was curled up in his arms on the couch.

“Baylee, honey, you need to eat something,” Momma called from the kitchen.

I shook my head with tears rolling down my face, “I’m not hungry.”

Caleb wrapped his arms around me tighter, and whispered sweet things in my ear to calm me down.

“Just sleep baby. You need rest.”

I fell asleep a few minutes later, and hoped when I woke up; it’d all be a dream.