Looking For You All My Life Part 24

of being printed, and she still hadn't reached Mr. Westerly.

Perhaps she would have to simply drive out to see him

during her noon hour; then she could actually hand deliver

an early edition and gently break the news to him herself.

But no sooner did she walk into the door of the Pine Cone

when Abigail rushed toward her with a frantic expression in

her eyes.

"Oh, dear!" she cried. "I've just had a phone call-there's

been an accident-"

"Who?" Maggie's heart began to pound.

"It's Spencer-"

"Spencer? But I just saw him leave the house-just min-

utes ago. Daniel picked him u~

"The sheriff just called. Daniel's car hit a truck, Maggie."

She began to sway, her knees growing weak, and Abigail

gently but firmly eased her into a foyer chair. "Where is

he?" Maggie blurted. "Is he okay? I need to see him right

away-"

"Hush now and let me explain. The boys are on their way

to the hospital even as we speak. The sheriff said there were

no fatalities, but-"

Maggie rose quickly to her feet. "I've got to go-

"Just hold on. I knew you'd need a ride, and I already

called Jed." She peered out the window. "And if that isn't

him right now!"

In the same instant, Maggie burst out of the office and

ran straight for Jed's truck, jerking open the pa.s.senger door

even before he could climb out to a.s.sist her. "Thanks for

coming, Jed," she gasped. "Please, drive fast!"

While he drove to Byron, Jed prayed quietly for Spencer

and Daniel. Maggie glanced nervously at him as he sped

along, pa.s.sing every vehicle ahead of them, but naturally his

eyes were open as he prayed. She attempted to follow his

example and focus her mind on praying too, but no matter

how hard she tried, it seemed impossible to form any actual

sentences-not even in her mind. All she could think was, Looking for You All My Life43

"Please, G.o.d, no!" She silently prayed those same three

words over and over. After what seemed an eternity, Jed

finally pulled up in front of the emergency room door, where

an ambulance was parked nearby, lights still flas.h.i.+ng, engine

still rumbling. Maggie leaped from Jed's truck and ran inside

the foyer, demanding that the receptionist tell her exactly

where Spencer had been taken.

"Goodness, you must've been right behind the ambu-

lance. Here, please fill out these forms-"

"Not yet!" Maggie waved the clipboard in front of the

receptionist. "I will fill out nothing until you tell me where

my son is!"

The receptionist's eyes grew wide. "He's right there in the

ER. You can see him as soon as you-"