Howie and Grace strolled along the sidewalk hand in hand. "Dinner was really nice," Grace told him. "That really is a great spot."
Howie smiled at her. "Yeah, I really had a nice time too. I only wish it could be longer . . ."
Grace glanced at her watch, 6:12. "We've only got three minutes to be back," She commented.
Howie crinkled his nose. "Ah! Don't worry about it. It's just an interview, I can afford to be a few minutes late. Let's just enjoy the walk . . ."
Grace smiled. "Do you ever think about what things would have been like if you hadn't gotten involved in what you're doing . . . or if, one small thing set you on the path that you're on?"
Howie glanced at her and waited for her to continue.
Grace gave a half sigh. "Um, Okay . . . What I mean is - well - I attended summer camp as a kid. My older brother told me about the camp and he hated it, but the way he described it, I wanted to go. I was eight at the time and I didn't know anyone else going to this camp, but I did end up going! It was pretty far away too, about 5 hours by bus. I cried from home sickness every night, but I still managed to fall in love with the place. To become a counselor was like, my life long ambition at that point! And, of course, to become a counselor, you needed to become a lifeguard. So, I tried out life saving and I really enjoyed the training. It made me feel good to know that I could help someone . . . And that's how I got on to the path I'm on. If I had never decided to go to my summer camp, I wouldn't be holding hands with you right now as a certified Emergency Medical Care Assistant. There would two people who would not be alive right now . . ."
Howie paused before speaking, to see if she was finished. "That was a really amazing story Grace. I can tell you care deeply about your work. I don't know . . . I suppose if I my older sister had never convinced me to audition for this little part in The Wizard Of Oz, I might not be on the path I'm on . . . but you know, you can say that about any number of things. I'm catholic so I do believe in fate. I believe that God sets out a path for us . . ."
Grace smiled again. "I didn't know you were catholic . . ."
Howie nodded. "Born and raised . . . Ugh - I really should be getting back now." He said glancing at his watch. It read 6:15.
"That's what you get for dragging me into a philosophical conversation!" Grace told him. Howie opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "C'mon, let's jog back!" She suggested.
With that they began jogging back to the hotel. "Beautiful day, eh?" Grace commented.
"Someone's a Canadian - eh? Eh? EH!" Howie laughed.
"At least our Prime Minister knows how to keep his pants on!" Grace retorted.
"Ah! Cheap shot!" Howie complained. He and Grace didn't even pause at the street corner, the light was in their favor. They were now only two blocks away from the hotel.
Grace didn't try to maintain their on-going banter. She was looking at two little girls and their mother, who were approaching the curb. One of the girls looked about five, clad in a flowery, blue print dress. The other girl looked three, in a pretty, pink dress. Their mother was chatting away into her cell phone, while also making idle conversation with an older girl who looked like she was probably just going into university. As Grace and Howie passed them, the little three- year-old hopped forward to hit her sister. The two girls giggled loudly.
Grace stopped. Out of some instinct - maybe lifesaver's, maybe female's, maybe just luck - Grace stopped and turned back.
The light, which had just a moment before blinked with a white walking man, now held up a red stop hand. The mother stopped and turned to her companion. The little three-year-old didn't. A sleek, black Mercedes screeched around the corner - an anxious business man, late for an evening meeting.
From then on, everything went in slow motion. Grace screamed. "No!" The mother turned back to stare at her as Grace sprinted forward, pushing the five-year-old back onto the curb and making a dive for the toddler. A horn sounded. There was a hollow thump of flesh against metal. The breaks squealed. Grace hit the pavement hard as the toddler, who had been badly hit, landed in front of her.
For a moment the street was silent. Grace opened her eyes to see the wounded body of a child in front of her. The child's small, chubby leg was in Grace's hand. Grace had also been hit, and if she hadn't made that dive, the little girl would have been hit worse. Grace could feel blood on her skin, soaking through her clothes. Not even bothering to assess her own injuries, Grace pulled herself up and crawled over to the child.
Carefully, Grace clamped the little girl with both arms and slowly rolled her over. Her face was covered in scratches, her right upper half had been greatly damaged by the impact of the car, but amazingly, she was still breathing. Grace could barely feel her own gnashes as she opened her tote bag and pulled out a small first aid kit. There was almost nothing she could do for the little girl. Hastily, Grace removed her shirt and used the cloth to apply pressure to the little girl's deeper blow to her side. Grace held the make-shift bandage with one hand as she pulled out anything she could from the first-aid kit to use to help stop the bleeding. Grace elevated the girl's legs and repeatedly checked her vitals. Finally she could actually hear the loud commotion in the background.
"Someone call 911!" Grace cried, suddenly realizing that it was possible no one had called. She turned her head to face the corner. "Hey you in the blue shirt! Yeah you! Go call 911! Tell them their is an unconscious infant bleeding victim at the corner of," She glanced at the road signs. "Talbot and Richmond, due to a car accident. Have them send an ambulance as well as a police car! Then report back to me! Got it?" She asked the older, university looking type girl.
The girls nodded vigorously and ran to the closest pay phone.
Howie ran on to the street, finally coming slightly out of his shock. The traffic had completely stopped. There were horns honking everywhere. The business man sat in his car looking stunned. The mother stared bleakly at her wounded daughter.
"Howie!" Grace cried. "Howie help me!"
Howie knelt beside her. "Tell me what to do."
"Please . . ." Grace's voice was beginning to lose some of it's coherency. Her words were becoming slurred as she began to come out of the clear, quick thinking mind state of a rescuer. "Hold her head, don't let her head hurt on the pavement. Hold her head up," Grace began to sob quietly. She looked into Howie's eyes. He saw the fear there. Carefully, he moved to cradle the little girl's head as he helped Grace hold pressure on the wounds. Grace began to sob harder as she hunched over the child. "We need some blankets!" Grace screamed. "Someone get us some blankets . . ." Grace met Howie's eyes again. "She's not going to make it . . ." Grace told him sanely through her tears.
Grace continued to sob, as approaching sirens could be heard in the distance.
Howie's eyes filled up with tears as he stood next to Grace's bed in the hospital. He could feel his friends' eyes on him. He held Grace's hand, moving his thumb over it in small circles.
"And that's what happened . . ." Howie murmured, not even caring if his friends heard him.
It was very late at night now, possibly early morning. Long after the delayed concert and long after the car accident, although the latter was still fresh in his mind. The scenes replayed again and again. Grace sprinting and diving. Her yelling through her tears. He could feel Kevin's hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Howie," His friend comforted.
Howie bit his lip as tears coursed out of his eyes. "You can't imagine what it's like . . . to see someone . . ." He swallowed. "Like that . . ."Howie took a shaky breath. "She had server bleeding, multiple abrasions and contusions, a concussion, dislocated shoulder, hair line skull fracture. It could have been a lot worse - the doctor told me she was just upgraded from critical to serious . . ." He paused again. "And when she wakes up I'm going to have to tell her."
As he spoke, Howie nearly broke down into sobs. Kevin hugged his friend close, and Howie turned into him, never letting go of Grace's hand.
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