Jamie - The Journey Begins - 15. The day after the long night...

Note: In this chapter we hear from several of Jamie’s family-first hand

 

 

Aiden Spence.

 

I’d just finished giving a speeding driver a ticket when my cell phone rang. “Officer Spence,” I responded while on my way back to the patrol car, not instantly recognizing the number, but it looked familiar.

"Hey, Aiden? It’s Matt from the Austin FD. You got a sec, buddy?”

“Oh, hey Matt. Sure - what’s up?”

“This is going to sound weird, but, can I ask - is your brother’s name, Lucas?”

Instantly my entire focus shifted to the call. "Yes, my little brother. What's wrong, Matt?" My voice was full of concern as I climbed back into the patrol car, signalling to Chris, my partner, to wait a second.

“I’m sorry to have to tell you,” Matt took a deep breath, “but he’s been involved in a serious MVA (Motor Vehicle Accident). He’s been transported to the Texas University ER as we speak.”

“Fuck! Was that the one on 290-East an hour ago?” I replied, pushing my hand through my hair, coming to rest on the crown of my head. “I heard that on the radio.”

“Yes, buddy. I’m sorry.”

I took a steadying breath. "Matt, is he… is he - you know - okay?" I hurriedly waved at Chris, placing my hand half-over the microphone. “Texas University ER. My little brother was in that MVA on 290.”

Chris, looked at me with shock written all over his face. Not waiting a second longer, he pulled the patrol car out and headed towards the ER.

“Yeah, Aiden. He’s in a bad way and the guy traveling with him is to.”

The realization hit me that it was my cousin, Jamie. Well of course! Jamie’s in the country, so those two will be joined at the hip till he leaves. God, I can only imagine the shit they’re getting up to traveling around. "Matt, - the passenger - same surname?"

“Um, I know we're not supposed to give details but, yeah." Matt was clearly concerned about letting the family know asap.

“The other guy is my cousin from Australia. The two of them - Lucas-Jamie - are almost joined at the fucking hip. Fuck! They were on their way to my place for a few days. Fuck it! Fuck it to hell!”

Frustration was kicking in. I shook my head. “Sorry, Matt. Thanks. I’ve gotta go. I need to let my folks and my uncle in Australia know. Thanks for the head’s up, buddy. I owe you."

I hope Matt didn’t think I was being rude. I didn't even wait for Matt to hang up, ending the call by dialing my dads' number over the top of him.

..o0o..

Reid & Ann Maree Spence

 

I’d been out with a few golf buddies, finally catching a round, when my cell started to ring. "Oh, hey Aiden! How are you son?”

“Dad, where are you? Where’s mom?” His voice sounded urgent and direct.

“I’ve just arrived home - I’m in the drive. I guess your mom’s inside somewhere. What’s wrong, son? You sound alarmed!”

"Dad, Lucas and Jamie have been in an MVA just outside of Austin. I’m on my way to the ER now.”

I couldn't believe my ears! Stunned! I stopped and braced myself on the garden fence for a moment, then ran up the drive, in the back door, spotting my wife sitting at the kitchen counter chatting to a neighbour on her cell. "Ann Marie, its Aiden…" I called out as I held out the cell, then putting it on speaker. “MOM! Lucas and Jamie have been in an accident,” Aiden repeated.

“Aiden is on his way over to the ER now, Honey,” I said as I placed my hand on my wife’s arm.

Ann Marie’s face dropped. She looked at the phone in horror. “Aiden, what’s going on with Lucas? Is he okay, Jamie?” She turned, looking up at me, her face racked with horror. “Reid…” she stood and grabbed hold of me. “Oh my god, no!”

..o0o..

 

Kate & Robert Spence.

 

“Oh, Ann-Maire, what a lovely surprise." Kate Spence was genuinely happy to see her sister-in-law's number flash up on her cell phone. “Have you heard from those boys yet?" Kate remarked as she was busily preparing the afternoon tea for the family gathering on the following day. “We’ve got Katie and Jake coming over with little Daisy and Jett to celebrate the little man’s birthday. My gosh, Ann Marie, can you believe Jett’s four years old now?!? Where have the years gone? It feels like yesterday when Lucas and Jamie were that age.”

Kate Spence was able to rattle off a full conversation without pause for breath when the grandkids were involved. “Ann-Marie, are you there?” she asked. There was silence and some muffled sounds on the line. At that moment Robert Spence’s cell phone started to ring.

Kate looked over to see it on the kitchen counter. “ROBERT!” Kate raised her voice a little, shielding the cell phone, as she yelled and tried to locate her husband. “Your cell is ringing. It’s an 0262 number.”

Kate scrunched her face a little. That’s an unusual number. “Sorry, Ann-Marie. It's a madhouse here at the moment.”

Not hearing a reply still, Kate checked that she hadn’t disconnected the call. There was silence still from her sister-in-law stateside. “Ann Marie are you there, honey?”

The earpiece was filled with shaky breathing and muffled sobs. "Oh, Kate…the boys." Her sister-in-law was crying into the phone.

She knew then - this was the call she never wanted to get again. Kate was terrified often about receiving it… more so when Jamie was on shift. Her blood ran cold, involuntarily placing her hand to her lips. Time froze… everything… the world just stopped. Not even the bang of the screen door broke her free of the horrible consuming feeling wrapping around her.

Robert Spence came walking into the kitchen after hearing Kate calling him. “Must be important for Kate to be yelling out,” he was saying to no one in particular, noticing that his cell stopped ringing just as he got to it. “Oh bugger, Kate. Why didn’t you answer it?” he asked, lifting his eyes to his wife who was standing frozen in place at the far end of the counter. Tears were rolling down her face. She looked like she’d seen a ghost.

“Kate! What’s wrong, honey?” He looked down at his cell - it showed the missed caller ID was an 0262 number. “That’s Canberra? Why is someone from Canberra calling me at this hour, hmm… they’ve left a message, too.”

“Kate, someone from Canberra was calling.” Robert moved along the kitchen and was standing close to his wife, his hand resting on her arm. There was clearly something up. “What’s wrong, honey?” Kate just shook her head, unable to speak. Robert quickly dialled his message service, whilst keeping his eyes on his wife. His mind was racing. Years in the fire service taught him that calls from people after ten at night were mostly not good news, and something was clearly going on. Kate was almost catatonic.

"One new Message – Mr. Spence its Alex from the Department of Foreign affairs and trade – DFAT. Please call me back on this number, Sir. It's urgent." I knew something bad had happened. I could feel it. DFAT doesn’t call at 22:30 without good reason, and those reasons weren’t ever good.

..o0o..

Robert Spence - April 16, 2006, 23:13h

 

I’d just come home from a make-up shift. That time stamp will be with me forever. My cell rang - it was OM Susan West wanting to know where I was. I told her that I’d just arrived home. “Evening, ma’am. Is there a problem - do I need to come back in?”

 

Susan West gently delivered the news. “Robert, your youngest son, James, has been involved in a serious car accident, I’m so sorry.” Susan paused for a moment. “There was a fatality at the scene. The driver of the car James was a passenger in, has, unfortunately, died.”

 

I couldn’t believe it. I reached out for something to grab hold of, to steady myself. “Rob… James is alive, but in a serious way. They've airlifted him to the trauma center in a critical condition."

 

I was stunned. “Jamie! He’s only eighteen, just a kid. Who was he in the car with? What happened? Is the SCU there?” My mind was overloaded with questions. I needed to know what was going on. Details! Shit - I need a ‘sit-rep.’

 

“I’m sorry, Robert. I can’t say any more till the family of the driver has been notified. I’m sure, as painful as it is to hear, that you understand our protocols.”

 

Susan did her level best to support me while a car was on the way to our house. She had known me for years - I was a junior officer under her when she was newly promoted. I was so proud of our son, Jamie. I’d just spent the last shift telling everyone that would listen, “Jamie had just applied for and was accepted into the service, he was to start at the college in six months.”

 

As I looked around the empty house, searching room to room, calling out for my wife Kate, with no reply – no one there.

 

“Where the hell is everyone?” I shouted out in frustration. I came back into the kitchen and saw the note on the refrigerator door: ‘Rob-taken the twins to an end of semester party. Back at 11:30 xxx K.”

 

"Ah- Robert," Susan interrupted again. "I'm sending a car over to collect you and Kate and take you to the trauma center. Is someone there with you, Robert?"

 

“Um, no, not that the moment, ma’am. Kate is dropping our other two kids at a uni function. Our oldest daughter is on deployment."

 

I felt like the ground was opening up, drawing me in, just standing in the kitchen holding on to the doorframe with one hand, like my life depended on it. Silent tears were rolling down my face. “Oh my god… no, no-no-no...” was all that I could say. Silent screams of anguish were unleashed in my head. Susan stayed on the line quietly talking, filling the void till the car arrived. And hopefully, Kate would return soon.

 

What seemed like only seconds later, Kate Spence bounced in the back door, all smiles. I’d somehow wandered over to the kitchen counter again and had turned my back to the doorway, standing very still and almost silent when Kate came in.

 

“Oh, you’re home, honey,” Kate offered as she walked over me. “Are you still on shift? There’s a work car out front.” At that moment I turned to face her. All she saw was pain and anguish in my eyes. My face was all red and puffy, with marks where tears had been running down my cheeks.

 

“ROBERT! WHATS WRONG?” Kate almost yelled, grabbing me by the elbows.

 

“Jamie… Kate,” was all I could get out for a second. Kate’s eyes were searching my face.

 

"Jamie has been involved in a car accident. He's being airlifted to the trauma center. He's alive, but critical.”

 

Kate collapsed. She fell forward into my arms, letting out an ungodly scream into my chest. Within seconds she was inconsolable.

 

I hadn’t noticed that one of my long time work buddies, Raine Wilmer, had quietly walked in the side door. He’d been to the Spence house enough times to know to come straight to the side door into the kitchen. Raine was clearly upset in seeing one of his close friends and wife going through something every parent dreads. He quietly guided us, his friends, out to the waiting car and took us to the Trauma Center, where the Spence family would be for the next five weeks, watching Jamie fight for his life.

 

Stephanie was on forward deployment in the Middle East. By the second week, Jamie’s condition had started to slip and there were grave fears for him. We were asked to make some preparations for the worst. Hearing that was heartbreaking. Defense arranged some emergency leave for Steph and she hopped on a twenty-eight-hour string of flights and aircrafts back to Australia, heading into the ICU, literally coming off the aircraft. She was still in her Airforce General Purpose Uniform – GPU.

 

“Mom, Dad,” Steph looked at her little brother – well, he wasn’t small, but in her mind, he was still five years old. Steph broke down grabbing us at Jamie’s bedside. The three of us shared tears and hugged into a closed circle. “Dad, what happened? I didn’t get much detail?” Steph asked while still clinging to Kate and me, not loosening her vice-like grip on us at all.

 

I started off. “Jamie and his close buddy, Sean - you know, Keith and Paula’s son?” Steph nodded her head, signalling for me to keep going. "The boys were coming back from a weekend away at the beach when they were hit by a pair of drunk drivers drag racing down the highway, slamming into them on a blind bend.” Pausing for a moment to take a breath and steady myself, I continued. “The driver of one of the cars was killed instantly, the other is in here - pointing to the beds over towards the other ward - he’s in a critical condition, but Sean died at the scene. The accident investigators said that Sean had tried to steer away somewhat from them, taking the full impact to the driver’s front of the car, saving Jamie. Sean was killed on impact.”

 

Steph’s eyes filled with tears. She started to sob uncontrollably. "Mom, Dad … does Jamie know what happened, that Sean is … you know?” she couldn’t bring herself to use those words.

 

“No, he hasn’t been conscious at all since the accident,” Kate offered, her arm around Steph’s waist, looking at her baby boy all wired up and a ventilator helping him breathe. It just started the tears again. We all stood close and hugged each other while looking at Jamie.

 

After a few days, I walked over to see the parents of the other boy. They knew who I was. Their faces carried their shame and horror. There were many apologies offered. I couldn’t hold it against them: the pain they were going through was equal to us, if not more than ours. They were carrying a large amount of guilt for the actions of their son and his friend. Both boys were local hard working junior farmers. They’d just been celebrating their first big harvest. So many lives turned inside out.

 

Eighteen is such a fraught time. We see so many young boys involved in accidents and over represented in deaths. It’s horrible - more needs to be done - not laws and fines, but education and long term change.

 

..o0o..

 

Stephanie Spence

 

I knew some deeply personal details about Sean and Jamie and wasn’t sure this was the place or time to bring it up. But before he regains consciousness, I had to tell mom and dad. I always knew they’d be okay with it, as we found out later.

 

Jamie had come to my place one night about six months ago. As he often did, he’d always swipe some sweets mom had made for us to share. Often, mom would give Jamie crap about it. He’d reply, ‘But mom, you said never visit people empty-handed, and I’m only a poor university student. I can’t afford store bought goods,” smiling sweetly while delivering that line. Jamie’s always been one with a smart answer, and, what could mom say? She’d drummed that into our heads from day one, but that night he looked both scared and happy at the same time.

 

He often asked his big sister for advice, help, which wasn’t unusual. “Steph, I’m in love - real love - not puppy love that passes over in a few weeks or months, you know, like an infatuation, but truly in love with… Sean.” I could see the fear and joy in his eyes.

 

“I’m so happy for you, Jamie.” I grabbed my not-so-little brother, who was now a few inches taller than me, sweeping him up into my arms and squeezing the life out of him.

 

Jamie pulled back and bit his bottom lip, fear wracking his face.

 

“Jamie, Mom and Dad will be fine with it. You’re not worried, are you?” Jamie nodded and hugged me again. “They will be totally fine with it. We all bitch about our parents, right, but they’ve always got our back.”

 

“Thanks Steph, you’re the best.”

 

..o0o..

Robert Spence April 19, 2006

 

Three days later, Kate, Steph, Mason, Katie and I came together to attend the funeral of Sean. Sean’s parents were heartbroken. On top of the pain we felt for Keith and Paula in losing their son, the Spences were feeling an additional level of loss - the unknown loss for Jamie, the uncertainty of his prognosis, and that fact that he was still in a coma and couldn't be there to bury his boyfriend, or that he didn’t even know what had happened to Sean.

 

Steph had filled us in on the relationship between the boys, as told by Jamie that night. She knew it was a breach of Jamie’s trust in her, but we, his parents, needed to know so that we could handle telling Jamie about Sean's death when he woke up. As his parents, we’re completely okay with him seeing Sean - you want your kids to be happy, find someone that can make them happy. Steph knew we would be. It’s who we are.

 

Kate and I brought the kids up to believe that ‘you love who you love.’ We were happy that Jamie had found love, but were equally crushed that he’d now lost it. Now our thoughts turned to profound worry about how Jamie would take the news when – if - he ever recovers.

 

At the funeral, Paula saw Kate from a distance and made a beeline to her, throwing her arms around Kate and crying onto her shoulder. They’d been friends since the boys were in Prep class together.

 

“I’m so sorry, Paula.” Kate tried to put on a brave face, and was failing. “Kate…” Paula pulled Kate in closer and cried into her friend’s shoulder. After their shared tears had been exhausted, Paula stepped back a little, holding onto Kate and looked her in the eyes.

 

“Did you, do you know, Kate? About the boys?”

 

“Yes,” Kate nodded. Tears were streaming down both moms’ faces again. “It’s just not fair!” Paula whaled. Keith and I stepped forward wrapping our arms around our wives, two grieving mothers, with shared anguish. Paula asked, a short time later as she led Kate over to the seating area, holding her hand, “Kate, does Jamie know?”

 

“No, he’s still in a com. They're not sure when he will come out. Oh Paula! They’ve asked us to make preparations!” Kate, couldn’t hold on, Paula’s shocked look conveyed the horror of what we were all feeling. Kate tipped her head forward, lowering her eyes and silently cried.

 

Both moms sat holding hands at the funeral service, comforting one another. The entire congregation was enveloped in tears listening to all of Sean’s achievements: his known goals, he’d been accepted into university on a full scholarship to study law and environmental sciences, he was, is, a smart boy. When Keith gave a short speech on behalf of them all, he told of his joy when Sean came out- telling them about him and Jamie only a short time before his death. Keith looked into the congregation and challenged them, “How could you not find happiness when your children find love?” It was a very powerful and heart-warming moment. I thought of how we’ve changed as a society, and how much more we need to still.

 

Then, the video montage rolled to Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’ - Sean and Jamie loved her sassy style. Paula had asked that the final image in the video was of Sean and Jamie laying on the beach side by side, leaning back on their elbows and smiling at each other, not a care in the world, looking happy and relaxed. What a fitting final image!

 

The sadness of burying a young nineteen-year-old boy was hit home with that photo - his life and that of them together, lost forever. Even the hardest person couldn’t help but shed a tear. There wasn’t a dry eye within one hundred yards of the chapel. That photo had been taken the day before Sean’s death by one of their close friends amongst the group they were staying with, down on the beach. We never know what’s around the corner, do we?

 

Four days after the funeral, Jamie started to come out of the coma. The swelling to his brain had reduced, he had turned the corner. We have never been so grateful. When he finally woke up, he didn’t speak - he couldn’t. He'd not asked any questions about what had happened, his memory was pretty much shut down. In the early-hours of following day he asked one of the nurses, “Where is Sean? He was in the car with me. Is he ok?” The nurse called Kate, and both Paula and Kate went into the ICU to deliver the sad news. Sitting down next to each other, the moms steadied themselves.

 

..o0o..

Kate Spence & Paula Williams 2006

 

Paula turned to Kate, inclining her head. Kate nodded back.

 

“Jamie, honey, I want you to know…” she paused for a moment grabbing his hand and holding it amongst the tubes and wires, “I know you love Sean. We all do.” She slowed down and took a breath, as Kate placed her hand on Jamie too. "We have something to tell you, honey. Sean called me the day before you guys were coming home."

 

Jamie's eyes widened, looking at his mom and his boyfriend's mom. "Sean told me that you two boys were seeing each other… that you were boyfriends now.” A tear escaped Jamie’s eye, running down his cheek, followed by another shortly behind it. I think Jamie knew what was coming - he can act the joker at times, but he’s a smart boy. “Honey, I’ve never been so happy as when Sean told me. I was a surprised, nonetheless, at first, but I was, am happy, and so was he."

 

Paula took a steadying breath. “Sweetheart…” Pausing, she couldn’t say it. She looked at Kate - the words were escaping her.

 

“Jamie,” Kate took over, “honey, I’m so sorry, sweetheart. There is no easy way to tell you this. I wish to god almighty that this wasn’t it. Oh Sweetheart, Sean didn’t make it. He steered the car and took most of the impact on his side, saving you.” My heart broke right there, to have to tell your child that his boyfriend had died - just horrible, unspeakable pain.

 

Jamie’s eyes fully dilated, tears spilling, bursting from them. The breathing tube had left him without much of a voice. A whispered mournful “No… please God…no!” … that mournful voice echoed throughout the ICU. It continued to echo from Jamie as he closed his eyes and tried to shut the world out. His heart monitor and other equipment started to go into alarm. While the medication kept his physical movements still, inside he was falling apart. He went into shock. The nurses ran over to the sounding of the alarms and hurriedly asked Paula and me to wait over there, pointing to some random place.

The stress of it all had been too much for Jamie. His heart stopped… well, it when into ventricular fibrillation something. He had to be revived. “My God, my baby is getting shocked in front of me!” I cried out. I could hear the high-pitched squeal of the defibrillator, then the doctor saying, ‘Stand clear!’

There were hurried conversations going on. After what seemed hours - but was only ten minutes according to the wall clock - Jamie had stabilized, but was back in an induced coma. I couldn’t leave him, so I sat with him for three days straight, only leaving to freshen up. Robert came and stayed while I was gone. Jamie had to know his momma was here with him. I wasn’t going to let him feel alone again: his poor body, dreams, mind, all broken - it just wasn’t fair. All this pain and anguish, heartbreak, lives either lost or destroyed because of stupid, stupid people playing childish games on the highway - drunk!

I had nightmares reliving Jamie’s pained expression. The hope that I witnessed in his eyes faded, was like a light, his soul being switched off. My nightmares lasted for almost a year - Jamie’s, longer.

My brother-in-law and his family flew out. I thought young Lucas was going to just die - his heart broke when he saw Jamie. He tried to be brave, but the tears just flowed. There is no weakness in showing emotion for someone you love – it’s way worse, in my book, if you don’t. Those two boys have been close since they were infants. In the end, the hospital brought in a recliner chair so Lucas could stay. It calmed Jamie down having Lucas there, plus Lucas would complain constantly until we let him go back to the hospital.

When Jamie begged us to let him do his freshman high school year in the States at the school that Aiden, Joshua and of course Lucas were at - I thought we’d lost him then - but Sean went over and spent some of the summer break with Jamie and the boys at the end of Jamie’s freshman year. We’d enrolled him for his sophomore year in the States just in case, but Jamie decided to come home. Lucas was heartbroken. That started the annual holiday trips back and forth between the boys. Plus, our parents were still alive, so they took my kids back home regularly.

It was Paula, in the end, that helped pull Jamie out of his depression. After the news, he gave up on life. Lucas was on the phone and internet constantly. The doctors were becoming increasingly concerned that Jamie was going to wish his life away. Fortunately, he listened to Paula, telling him he had to live his life, now for both. I don’t think he ever fully recovered from it - how do you, really? I’m still so grateful to the staff in the trauma center for so many ways.

 

..o0o..

Kate and Robert Spence – Today.

“Kate, the boys have been in an MVA just outside of Austin, TX.” The cell went dead. Reid Spence, Robert’s brother, had taken the cell phone from his wife. She was unable to speak coherently.

“Oh, Reid, what’s happening?” Kate was shaking and clutching the cell phone like it was her lifeline.

“The boys were hit by a driver who’s had a medical incident and blacked out behind the wheel. They’re alive but are being transported to the ER.” Reid sounded somewhat distracted as he was giving Kate the little details they had.

“Aiden called me as I got home. He had been told of his brothers’ accident and should be only moments from arriving at the hospital. I’m sure he’ll clue us in once he has more details.”

Kate was fast becoming overwhelmed with what was going on: her memories of Jamie’s last MVA were too strong. Jesus, she’d seen them resuscitate him. He was dead before her eyes for a few seconds. While I’ve had to do advanced life support a few times, it’s just soul destroying for someone to see it happening to your loved ones. We encounter it often - it’s hard, very hard. Kate looked at me, imploring me to take her cell, which I did, placing it to my ear.

“Jesus, this is fucking awful. Our boys don’t deserve this, Rob.”

“No, Reid, they don’t.” There was a hurried conversation between brothers, in the end putting our wives back on the call so they could talk some, sharing the details. In the background I was returning my missed call.

“Hello, Alex? It’s Robert Spence here - you left me a message?”

“Hello, Sir. I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but your son James has been involved in a serious car accident in Texas. He’s currently in the ER on life support. His traveling companion-”

Robert cut in, “He’s with my nephew, Lucas Spence. I’ve got his father, Lucas’ dad, my brother, on the line here. Kate!”

Robert turned towards his wife. “Ask Reid what he knows. DFAT are saying the boys are on life support in an ER, Texas University?”

While Kate was relaying the message, Alex continued. "Yes, well, Mr. Spence – Robert - we would suggest that if you have family in the area, that they make their way to the ER. We're sending you the contact details now via text message."

"Thanks, Alex," Robert responded a little shell-shocked. His cell beeped with ‘message received’ as Alex ended the call. Robert took Kate’s cell phone from her, relaying to this brother the details that DFAT had given him.

“Okay, got it,” Reid answered. “I’ll get Ann Marie and me on a flight to Austin. You’ll do the same, I guess, Rob?”

"Yeah, I'll start now. I'll text you the flight details, once we have them, by Reid." Robert hung up and turned his attention to flights, calling their travel agent - she had given them her cell number in case they needed it. Sharon worked a miracle. Even at 11pm, she was back to them in fifteen minutes.

"Mr. Spence, I've booked you on ‘Qantas' flight 7 to DFW out of Sydney. Your domestic flight to Sydney leaves in fifty minutes, with the international leg a further fifty on from that. I’ve had them ticket you all the way to the connecting flight to Austin. That should put you both on the ground in Austin in just under 20 1/2hrs. The ‘Qantas’ staff are waiting for you at the terminal building. Just ask for their terminal manager - he's going to walk you guys onto the flight. His counterpart in Sydney is going to meet you at the gate and do the same. You'll have to literally grab an overnight bag, passports now - your Uber driver is only five minutes out. I'm so sorry about your situation. Please give my love to Jamie when you see him."

“Thanks, Sharon. Appreciate it."

"Okay, Mr. Spence. You’d better go - it's going to be tight.”

..o0o..

Aiden Spence

I didn’t waste any time in the ER. The nursing staff took me straight through to where my brother was. They were prepping him for emergency surgery. All I saw was Lucas’ body wheeled past at speed, surrounded with staff and machines loaded all over his trolley.

“What’s going on?” he asked one of the ER team leaders. “That’s my brother,” pointing as the trolley as it disappeared around a corner.

The doctor looked up at me and grimaced, walking closer. "Your brother has internal bleeding, a skull fracture, and multiple contusions. He’s sustained a blunt force trauma to the left side of his skull, an object from the other vehicle entered the cabin and struck him just rear of his temple region. Luckily, a little further forward and it would have been fatal. The object continued inside the cabin, striking the passenger in the chest causing some internal damage.”

I just stood there in shock and didn't even notice that I'd pulled out my notepad and had been writing the information down.

“Officer Spence, he’s got a lot of surgeries ahead of him - it’s going to be a tough fight. But he’s young and healthy. All things on his side. I’m sorry, Officer.” The doctor looked at Aiden with compassion.

I shook his head for a moment, taking it all in. “Doctor, James Spence, he was the passenger. Where is he - he's my cousin," I asked, involuntarily stuttering for a second, "Our dads are brothers. He's more like a second annoying little brother, really. Where is he? What's his condition… please?"

“Let me check,” the doctor smiled for a moment. “Another team was working on him.” The doctor walked over to the nursing station and was speaking to the staff there. A few looked up at me, then a young female doctor came over.

“Hi. I’m Ashley. You’re James’ family?” She looked with some concern on her features.

“Yeah, Aiden, Aiden Spence,” he replied as he stuck out his hand shaking the doctor’s. “I’m James’-Jamie’s - cousin. He was in the accident with my brother.”

“Okay, Aiden. Jamie-right?”

I nodded. “We only call him James when he’s in trouble,” I said, laughing a little.

“Okay, well, Jamie is over here in the Cath lab area. Although the range of injuries he sustained weren’t as severe as your brothers, he did go into cardiac arrest a number of times. There was an internal bleed into the sac surrounding his heart - Cardiac Tamponade - causing pressure to build to the point where he arrested a few times till they could get him clear of the vehicle and insert a needle into the sac, draining off the excess fluid. Luckily, the EMT guys on that bus had recently completed some training on the procedure, else we most likely would have lost him enroute. He’s got a fight on his hands. Time will tell. He’s stable and that’s a good thing.”

Aiden swept his face with his hands. “Jesus, he was lucky, by the sounds of it, that these guys were on.”

“Yes, Officer Spence, he was.”

“Please call me Aiden.”

“Okay Aiden, Jamie also has a few cracked ribs and a small tear in his lung from the impact that caused the sac bleed. We've been able to stabilize the bleed. He’s still critical but in stable condition now.”

Aiden’s experience had taught him that these boys were in for the fight of their lives.

“We’ve placed him in an induced coma to allow the pressure on his brain to reduce also from the force of the impact - hopefully only for few days. Then he’ll be over the worst of it.”

I could feel my face go pale, “Oh god! His mom!” the color drained from my face. “She almost lost him once to an MVA years ago. She’s going to be devastated.”

“Oh, we found his Australian driver’s license on him. We’ve called the Australian Consulate in Houston. They’re contacting his parents now.”

“Thanks, doctor. Can I see him for a moment, please… before I call his folks?”

“Sure. Follow me.”

..o0o..

Robert Spence

Walking in the entry foyer of the hospital and making a beeline for the front desk, I urgently got their attention. “Hello, I’m Robert Spence. Our son, James, is in the ICU.”

“We’ve just gotten off a twenty-hour flight to be here. Could you direct us to the ICU please?” I’m sure we looked like we’d run all the way from Australia: it hadn’t been an easy flight for us. Sharon had excelled and the staff at ‘Qantas’ had been amazing, but the worry and inability to do anything, just wait for the plane to land, just kills you. They’d even bumped us up front so we had some privacy.

"Sure, Mr. Spence the ICU is expecting you. One second and I'll get someone to help you." The receptionist called for a staff member over. “Sir, Ma’am, if you would go with Jacob here, he can take you straight to your son.”

“Thank you,” we answered in unison and followed Jacob. After having our identity checked before getting into the ICU, we quickly found Jamie and were taken aback at what greeted us, Kate in particular.

"Robert, look at our boy! Oh God!" Kate was struggling to take it all in. "He's all covered in bruises, tubes and wires. Oh god, there are drain tubes everywhere!" Tears fell as she gently touched her son's face. "And still on a ventilator, being monitored." The shock was almost too much for Kate. It reminded her of the last time she saw Jamie in an ICU. “Oh Robert, it’s an image I never wanted to see again. The pain of it never leaves you.” Kate started to cry, shaking, turning into my arms. She was beyond comforting for a long while.

We eventually composed ourselves enough, sitting silently, looking at our son, I waited until a nurse was floating past. "Excuse me Ma'am, my nephew is in here too. I tried to call my brother and sister-in-law as we arrived, but it went to message."

“Oh, you’re Mr. Spence, right, from Australia?” the nurse answered, looking like she knew us.

“Um, yes. Robert and my wife Kate,” he pointed between us. Kate offered a polite smile.

“I’ll let your brother know you’re here. We’ve been expecting you. You just flew in?”

“Yes, a long twenty hours, but…” I turned back to Jamie, placing my hand on his leg.

“I’ll be right back, sir. Let me just go and get them.”

Moments later, I saw my brother and sister-in-law walking up to us. "Kate," I nodded towards them, standing up, both crossing ground quickly and sweeping each other up in a hugs and tears.

The nurse unit manager came over and directed us all into a family room where we could talk, laugh and cry in privacy. It wasn’t long before Aiden and Amanda arrived with little Olivia in tow.

“Aiden,” I asked, “what do we know about the accident? What happened?”

“Uncle Rob, from what the early reports are, the driver of the other car experienced a medical blackout, possibly from poorly managed blood sugar levels. He drove straight out of the sideroad, through a stop sign and slammed straight into the boys. They had no warning. It's lucky they were driving that truck - the added height deflected some of the force somewhat under them, plus the side airbags and stuff. It helped them a lot."

Kate and I sat there stunned.

“The driver,” Aiden continued, “was a contractor. The guy left a 25lb demo hammer on the roof of his truck. When he hit Jamie’s truck, it slammed straight through the side window, part of it hitting Lucas in the side of the head, then following through to Jamie, smashing into his chest. That is what almost killed him. They're both lucky they weren't killed instantly."

The next hour was spent catching up on the boys’ progress. Ann Marie had been in a meeting earlier with the doctors and Occupational Rehab therapists. "They're planning on moving the boys closer tomorrow, in beds opposite, so that when they wake up, they can see the other."

..o0o..

Kate Spence

“Jamie, honey, it’s mom,” Kate gently spoke to her son. They’d taken him off the sedation and were trying to bring him out of the coma. The doctors said they were going to do the same for Lucas in a few days. They were still concerned about the pressure in his skull for now.

“Mom…” a whispered voice called.

Kate spun around and looked at her son, squeezing his hand a little tighter. “Jamie, I’m here honey. So is dad.”

“Mom-dad,” Jamie’s voice sounding thin and raw. “What happened?”

“You and Lucas were in a car accident.” Jamie’s eyes flew wide open. “It’s okay, honey. He’s here, Lucas is here with us.” Jamie’s eyes were filled full of terror, his heart rate was starting to soar. The monitor started to beep a warning, two nurses came over quickly to investigate.

"He woke up but is distressed. I think he doesn't understand that Lucas is here," Kate explained. Her eyes were filling with tears. She was worried that Jamie would go into shock or something.

Retelling an abridged version of what had happened to Sean, so the nurses could understand Jamie’s reaction, they nodded to one another and turned to a co-worker. “Let’s reposition the beds so they can see each other a little easier,” the nurse smiled at Kate. “We might have half a chance in keeping them both settled over the next few days. You’d swear that they are twins almost to look at… lovely boys.” The nurse leaned over Jamie, telling him that everything was okay. They were going to move him so he could see Lucas, only if he promised to stay calm. Jamie nodded, a few tears silently slipped down his face.

Kate laughed. “They tell plenty of people that they are twins, special twins, whatever that means,”

Kate smiled at Jamie and the now relocated Lucas. “Jamie, the nurses are going to adjust your bed so you can see Lucas, okay? Just try and relax a little honey.”

..o0o..

Robert Spence

One day had drifted into another. The Spence family had set up in a serviced apartment complex not far from the hospital, so that the parents could come and go with ease, also having somewhere to wind down and support each other. The bonds of family are never stronger than when someone was in trouble, and there was a steady stream of cousins, aunts and uncles rolling into Austin now.

One of the younger kids made a google calendar for everyone to nominate a time to visit so they didn't overload the staff, and ensured the boys had company 24/7, plus there was a skype link set up so the friends in Australia and across the States could check in and see how they were going. Sam, Gavin, Dave, and Josh were all frequent visitors online. Even the guys at Jamie's station had dialed in a few times.

It had been hard on Kate, Ann Marie, Reid, and me. The added support of family had made something so horrible somewhat bearable. For the first time in almost a week, Kate and Ann Marie waited until around 10am to head to the hospital. Reid and I were going to the impound yard to collect the boys’ belongings from the wreckage.

"Good morning, Mrs. Spence," Natalie, today's nurse manager, greeted the moms. "We've brought some treats for y’all - just a small thanks," Kate replied.

"That wasn't necessary ma’am, but it's appreciated," she replied, as Natalie looked over the hamper basket full of goodies. "Those two boys are keeping us entertained. It must have been interesting when they were growing up!" Natalie laughed.

“When they were together, anything could, would, and did happen,” Ann Marie replied, smiling widely.

“Oh, Jamie’s visitor just left, Ma’am. Natalie was looking over in the area where the boys were. Let me see if I can find him, if he’s still here. He’s been calling past every day since they came in. He was one of the paramedics that helped them.”

Both women looked at each other, “If you could, please, Natalie. Both Ann Marie and I would like to thank him.”

As the nurse disappeared, the moms chatted away. “Kate, didn’t they say yesterday that they were moving the boys to a ward today?”

“Yes, and hopefully Jamie can come home to bed rest by the end of the week. I don’t think Lucas is going to like that much, being stuck in here without Jamie for a few extra days.” Ann Marie grimaced at the thought of that argument with her son.

“Sorry,” Natalie came back. “I looked around for him, but he’d gone. I’ll keep an eye out while you’re here. If I see him, I’ll call out okay.”

"Thanks, Natalie. Let's see what those boys have been up to overnight." Kate smiled and they moved off to see their sons.

..o0o..

Jamie Spence

“Oh my god Jamie, you’ve got the hots for him. I can see it its written all over your face, plus you’ve got a chub going.” Lucas was grinning like an idiot.

“What? I do not!” Jamie looked down at his cock, “and I don’t have a chub going - it’s just naturally big.” He offered with a smug reply.

“Bullshit there, buddy. They’re same, remember? We …” Lucas opened his mouth to continue, suddenly thought better of it. “Moms at ten-o’clock.” And both boys went quiet.