Henry stared at the name on the screen, then instinctively nced at Selma. She immediately turned her head to look out the window, giving him privacy.


    His eyes fell on her bleeding temple, the crimson standing out starkly against her pale skin. Some of it had even dripped onto her blouse. She looked so pitiful.


    Taking a deep breath, he reached out and ended the call, his foot never easing up on the elerator.


    In her vi, Vanessa frowned, unable to believe Henry had just hung up on her. It was the first time that had ever happened. *Was he driving?* That was the only exnation she could think of. Otherwise, he would never have ignored her call.


    She decided to send a text instead. "Henry, are you on your way? The movie starts at 3:30!" The gentle words carried a subtle note of urgency.


    By now, Henry''s car had screeched to a halt at the hospital entrance. He threw open the passenger door. "Get out. We need to get that looked at."


    Selma unbuckled and tried to get out, but the blood loss and the blow to her head were too much. A wave of vertigo hit her, and she pitched forward, copsing into Henry''s arms as she fainted.


    He caught her, a surge of panic washing over him. "Selma? Selma, what''s wrong? Don''t scare me."


    mming the car door shut, he lifted her again and ran toward the emergency entrance, shouting, "Nurse! Nurse, someone copsed!"


    A nurse rushed over. "This way, to the trauma room!"


    Henry followed them into a treatment room, where a doctor quickly began examining Selma. After a quick assessment, the doctor turned to him. "Are you family? Please wait outside."


    Henry backed out of the room, his heart clenching as he watched Selma lying pale and still under the bright lights.


    He knew he had to call her parents. He patted his pockets-his phone was still in the car. He sprinted back outside to get it.


    When he returned, breathless, he sat


    down heavily on a waiting room


    chair. He saw Vanessa s text


    message but quickly swiped it away and searched for the Quigleys'' number.


    After making the call, he finally opened Vanessa''s message. He nced at the time: 2:28. He figured. if the Quigleys arrived soon, he could still make the movie.


    "Vanessa, can you have your driver take you to the theater? I''ve run into something here and might not make it in time to pick you up," he texted back.


    "What happened? Is it serious? If it is, we can skip the movie," Vanessa replied, full of concern.


    "It''s not urgent. I can still make it," he wrote. He had promised her he wouldn''t ke.


    "Okay, I''ll head over and wait for you there."


    "See you soon," Henry replied, his eyes fixed on the treatment room door. He prayed Selma would be okay and that her parents would arrive quickly.


    Twenty minutester, the light above the door went out. Selma''s wound had been cleaned and stitched and she was awake, though she looked incredibly fragile.


    "Sir," the doctor said, "just to be safe, you should take your wife for a head CT."


    Henry was taken aback by the assumption but didn''t bother to correct him. "Okay, I''ll take her."