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from a vehicular accident. She has multiple skull fractures.” She paused, shaking her head like that didn’t cover it. “Her skull was smashed from two sides, along with her upper body… There just isn’t much we can do. I’m sorry. I came out to tell you we must perform an emergency Caesarean section. We don’t know the extent of the injuries to the fetus, but we might be able to save it.”
    Save it ? She would have never, ever, even in ten lifetimes, thought they’d lose Amanda. Not in this day and age. It just doesn’t happen. An accident? None of it made sense. “But Amanda still has a chance, right?”
    Dr. Rosenberg shook her head. “I’m sorry.”
    Rosette gasped, the air sticking in her throat and turning into a cough-like sob.
     
     
    Trey watched the life seep out of his wife as she sank down in a chair.
    Dr. Rosenberg looked between them. “We need to perform the C-section right now.”
    He nodded.
    “I’ll send news as soon as I can.” The doctor rushed out. 
    He glanced at Rosette and sat down, unsure of what else to do. A few items came to mind. Call his co-workers and piece together the accident. Comfort Rosette. Call someone so they wouldn’t be alone. He didn’t do any of those things.
    “What should I tell Alex?” Rosette asked, her phone sitting in her hand. She was staring off into space, not at Trey. He didn’t think she was actually asking him. Some time passed, he wasn’t sure how long, and he vaguely registered that she’d texted something to Alex. Trey didn’t want to know what she’d said.
    The night stretched out, but it was also a blur. Was it an accident? It was too horrific, too soon after Ricky’s death to feel like it was a random event. He considered Amanda through professional eyes, relying on his training. Had he missed something? Of course she had been distraught, but who wouldn’t have been.
    Trey clenched his fists, keeping himself from voicing his doubts and worries to Rosette. He had to be wrong.
    After an hour, or maybe several, he dug his phone from his pocket and tried several of the EMTs. Finally he stood and told Rosette, “Harry’s outside. I’m going to go see what I can find out about what happened.”
    Harry was waiting, pacing. The shorter and older man turned when the ER doors opened, and he approached Trey, throwing one arm around him in a rare embrace. “Man, I don’t know what to say. Are you holding up okay?”
    Trey shrugged. It wasn’t like he could physically fall apart, exploding into tiny pieces. It only felt that way. “I need to know.”
    It was still dark outside, but the faint touch of light gray indicated dawn wasn’t too far off. The rain had stopped, and it felt surprisingly balmy. The wind normally chapped your face here on the coast, but this felt like a summer breeze. Something about that felt out of place.
    Harry looked out toward the parking lot. “I talked to Officers Jones and Havera. They were both on the scene. It looks as if Amanda suddenly veered hard and flipped the car over the side rail and down an embankment, out on Seven Devils Road.”
    Why would Amanda be out there so late at night? Yes, it was on the peninsula where they lived, but that road was on the opposite side, over by the bay. And Amanda lived all the way up past Coos Bay, in North Bend.
    There wouldn’t be any ice on a warm night like this, warm for Oregon anyway. It had been pouring down rain, but Coos Bay got sixty inches of rain a year, so everyone knew how to drive on wet roads. There were certainly deer, raccoons, and other animals prowling around that caused the occasional accident. But more often than not, the animal got the worse end of the deal, and the driver usually drove off.
    “Was there another car involved?”
    Harry shook his head.
    “Skid marks?”
    Another shake. So Amanda didn’t hit the brakes. She just veered sharply around something and lost control. They stood silently for a minute until Harry said, “She just lost