Taking Chances by Deanna Frances Page B

asked.
    “We got in a car accident on the way home last night. Some drunk driver was going too fast and ran a stop sign…” He trailed off.
    “Are you okay ?” I asked.
    “I’m fine. This isn’t that bad.” His hand lightly brushed across the stitches on his forehead.
    “Matt?” I asked softly as I saw him still standing behind Spencer. Why couldn’t they get along?
    “Yeah?” He came up behind Spencer and smiled. “How are you feeling?”
    “I feel fine.”
    One of the doctors came in and signaled for Spencer to come to him. He told him something, and as Spencer came back to us he said, “Come on, Matt. He wants to talk to Sydney alone.”
    “Okay,” Matt said, moving past Spencer and the doctor. “See ya, Syd. I hope you feel better.”
    Spencer looked back at me once before he followed Matt out of the room.
    “Well, Miss Baker, I am glad to see you are up and well. We were all a little worried about you.” The doctor said to me.
    “I’m okay,” I told him.
    “Well, we will have to see. Can you sit up please?”
    I sat up on the bed and he shined a small, thin flashlight in my eyes.
    “Your vitals look good,” he noted. “Do you have a headache? Do you feel any pain at all?”
    I shook my head. “I just feel tired.”
    He nodded. “Well, that’s perfectly normal. I think you will be alright.”
    I nodded. “So I can go home?”
    “In a moment. Your mother is out in the waiting room, ready to take you home.”
    “My mom?” I asked. Maddie was there?
    He nodded. “Well, I would like to talk to you for a moment before you leave. While the nurses changed you into the gown, they noticed various marks around your body, especially on your stomach. Now, I want you to be honest with me. If there is something going on in the household that I should know about…if someone is hurting you…I would like to know. No harm will come to you, I promise. I only ask because it is required for me to question it if I see unusual things.”
    I tried to take deep breaths to keep my expression calm. No harm? I thought. You can’t promise that.
    I shook my head. “Nothing’s wrong. I ride dirt bikes with my brother,” I told him. “And I tend to fall off a lot,” I gave him a soft smile of reassurance, and he sighed.
    “Well, Miss Baker. I suggest that you reconsider your extra-curricular activities if they harm you so much.”
    I nodded. “Thanks.”
    He seemed unsure, but said, “Alright. Your clothes are over on that chair.” He pointed to a chair next to the small bathroom. “Your mother is outside waiting for you.” He left the room and Spencer came in after he left.
    “Hey,” I said as I got off of the bed and went over to the chair where I got my clothes. I went into the bathroom and changed. When I came back out, Spencer was still there.
    “I should go,” I told him. “My mom is waiting outside. Thanks for staying with me, though.”
    “Alright.” He said softly. He walked closer to me and I stood up on my toes to kiss him.
    “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.” I told him.
    “Bye,” he said with a smile. “Will you call me tonight?”
    I nodded.
    “Oh, I gave your backpack to your mom. I figured you might need it.”
    “You talked to my mom?” I asked him with wide eyes.
    “Yeah,” he said with a soft smile. “Well, not really. I just gave her your backpack. I don’t think she knows who I am.”
    I nodded and sighed. “Well, I should go.”
    He smiled and led me out of the room.
    When we both got to the waiting room, Spencer led me over to a man who looked a lot like him, but a little thinner.
    “I want you to meet someone,” Spencer told me. We got up to the man and Spencer said, “Uncle Justin, this is Sydney.”
    The man looked down at me and smiled. He held out his hand and I shook it softly.
    “Hello, Sydney. I’m Justin, Spencer’s uncle.”
    I smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”
    “Sydney!” I heard someone call my name from behind and I turned around to