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The call had come in late that evening. She lay tangled in the sheets of the bed. Making her way to the ringing phone she answered it sleepily.
“ Hello?” She said not sure who would be calling at this late hour.
“ Mrs. McLean?” She heard a male voice ask.
“ Yes this is Katherine McLean. Is there something I can help you with?” She asked now awake.
“ There has been an accident.” The man said. Katherine was now wide awake and staring at the phone.
“ A..A what?” She stuttered. Katherine looked down into the small crib at her sleeping son and then around the room.
“ There has been an accident. We need you to come to Orlando General Hospital right now. Is there anyone there that can bring you?” She heard the kind voice ask.
“ I can call my husbands best friend.” She said trying to remain standing.
“ How about we send an officer to come and get you.” He said kindly hoping that would keep the young woman calm.
“ No that’s fine my husband left me someone here I will be there shortly.” Katherine said hanging up quickly. She looked down at her son and lifted his small body into her arms and kissed his rosy cheeks.
“ Oh god Alex what has happened.” She cried holding her son close. The baby cooed as he was cuddled closer to his sobbing mother.
“ Mrs. McLean is everything alright?” She heard her son’s nanny ask. She looked up to see Gretchen, the older woman that AJ had hired to help Katherine around the house.
“ Something has happened.” Katherine said looking at Gretchen.
“ What has happened?” She asked seeing Katherine holding the baby close.
“ I don’t know the hospital just called.” Katherine sobbed holding her son close.
“ Kathy calm down. I will call Linda and have her come down and go with you. Do you want to take Brandon with you?” Gretchen asked of the baby.
“ Yes I would I will get him dressed.” Katherine said. Gretchen nodded and headed down the hall to call Katherine’s friend Linda.

Sleepily a voice answered the phone. Gretchen could hear a male voice speak first.
“ Mr. Dorough I hate to wake you sir. This is Gretchen can you wake your wife there has been an accident and Kathy needs someone to go with her to the hospital.” Gretchen said in a rush. Howie sat up with a start and woke his wife.
“ Linda baby you got to wake up there has been an accident we need to take Kathy to the hospital.” Howie said waking his wife. Linda woke with a start and nodded at her husband. Climbing from the bed she hurried to get dressed.
“ Tell Kathy we will be there shortly.” Linda said looking at Howie. She hurried from the room to gather her children and then get to the car.

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“ We have to get him stabilized.” The doctor shouted at the nurses.
“ Yes Doctor. There where two men in that car.” The nurse said looking towards the other room. She could see more doctors and nurses working on a young blond that had been brought in.
“ Has his family been notified?” The doctor asked once they had gotten the young man stabilized.
“ Yes doctor she’s on her way. Doctor what about the other mans family?” She asked as they hurried into the next room to aid the other doctor.
“ They have been notified.” The paramedic said moving away from the bleeding blond.

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Katherine hurried into the hospital holding her young son in her arms. Gretchen had come along and was reaching for the screaming child as Katherine made her way to the nurse’s station.
“ I received a call.”
“ Your name ma’am?” The lady asked looking at Katherine.
“ Katherine McLean.” She said looking at the nurse. The nurse nodded and headed towards the back to get a doctor. Returning a short time later with a doctor.
“ Mrs. McLean?” The doctor said walking up to Katherine.
“ Yes. What has happened? Is my husband alright?” She asked knowing that AJ had to have been in an accident for her to have been called. Howie stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders.
“ He’s been hurt pretty badly, It seems that it was a drunk driver that struck their car.”
“ Their? My husband wasn’t alone?” Katherine said trying to control her tears.
“ He was with a young blond man. They are both in ICU and have both slipped into a coma.” He said looking at her. Katherine dropped to her knees as sobs racked her body.
“ What happened?” Howie asked.
“ It seems that they had stopped for a red light and where about to move as the light changed when a large truck ran the light coming from the other direction causing the large SUV to flip several times before coming to rest against a telephone poll. They had to extracted from the vehicle. We think that Mr. McLean may have broken his back but we aren’t sure. We have to wait for the swelling to come down. Right now he’s in a coma as is Mr. Carter.” The doctor said. The names came out of his mouth and Katherine cried harder against her friend. Linda held her young friend in her arms. She was in shock thinking that both AJ and Nick had been in an accident and where now in ICU.
“ Kathy I will call the others.” Howie said placing his hand on her shoulder. Howie wasn’t even sure if Katherine had heard him as he walked outside of the hospital with his cell phone. Linda walked over and held her friend close as she sobbed.
“ Mrs. Dorough I am going to take the children back to the house.” Gretchen said looking at Linda.
“ That’s fine. Thank you Gretchen. Duane, go with Gretchen and help her with Brandon.”
“ Ok mommy.” Duane said hugging his mom. Duane wasn’t sure what was going on but he went with the older woman to help with his cousin.
“ Come on sweetie let’s go sit in the waiting room and then we can go see Alex.” Linda said leading Katherine towards the private ICU waiting room. Katherine held onto Linda tightly as she sat down in the plush chair. She felt as if her world had come to a crashing halt. She remembered it clearly the day they had met.