Part II
Trixie couldn’t believe what was happening! It was like everything that was happening happened in slow motion.
"Dan!" she screamed.
"Oh, dear God, please let him be okay." She kept repeating that as she made her way over to the edge of the cliff.
It was too dark to see the bottom as she looked over the cliff where he had fallen.
"Dan! Where are you? Are you alright?"
She barely heard a whisper as he called her name.
"Oh, Dan! I’ll be right back with help. Don’t move!"
Less than thirty minutes later, Dan was being transported to Sleepyside General. Trixie was nauseous and couldn’t help but think it was all her fault.
Everything is always my fault! Why do I have to do stupid things? I always act before I think and now Dan is hurt really bad. Please God, let him be okay.
They arrived at Sleepyside General and rushed him into the emergency room.
Trixie started to make her way back with him but a nurse stopped her.
"I’m sorry, miss, but you’ll have to wait here. We will let you know his condition as soon as we find out more."
Trixie sank into the chair in the waiting room and buried her head in her hands.
Don’t fall apart now Trix, keep calm and THINK! I do know that I can’t sit her by myself. I have to call Regan and let him know.
She made her way to the payphone and, with shaking hands, dialed the phone.
After a few rings, Regan picked up sounding as if he had been asleep.
"Regan! This is Trixie. Hurry over to Sleepyside General. I’ll explain when you get here. It’s about Dan."
"Say no more, Trixie, I’m on my way."
She sat back down and waited. It seemed as if hours had passed when Regan finally made it.
"Oh, Regan!" she said as she threw her arms around him and burst into tears. "It’s all my fault! It’s always my fault! If I hadn’t been acting childish and running from the truth, Dan would never be lying there in the ER right now. "
"Calm down, Trix, and tell me what happened."
Trixie briefly explained what had taken place and how Dan had slipped in the mud causing him to fall over the cliff.
"Um, Trixie, there’s something I need to tell you," Regan said in a soft voice.
"Not now, Regan! I’m too upset about Dan. I really must work on my haphazard behavior! Because of me Dan is seriously injured!"
Trixie rambled on and on while Regan tried to get her attention. She just wouldn’t listen. She was close to hysterics.
"Trixie!" Regan yelled a little harsher than he should have. "I really need to tell you something! Get yourself together!"
"Oh, Regan! I am so sorry. It’s just that tonight I realized something that I guess I truly knew all along. I am head over heels in love with that man and I always have been! Why does it always take something terrible to happen before you realize what’s been in your heart all along?"
Just then, a slender girl with shoulder length dark hair came rushing in toward Regan.
She had obviously been crying and was very distraught.
"They still don’t know anything yet, Regan. I wish I knew what happened!" she said as she nervously wrung her hands back and forth.
Regan spoke up. "Um, Nora, I’d like you to meet a dear old friend of Dan’s. This is Trixie Belden."
"Nice to meet you, Trixie," Nora said as she extended her hand. "Can you please tell me what happened tonight?" Nora asked Trixie with desperation in her eyes.
Regan took Nora’s hand and pulled her to the side. "Trixie is still really upset over what has happened and I’d rather not bother her right now with explaining the details."
"I totally understand, Regan, but I think I deserve to know how Dan got hurt."
A nurse interrupted them. She had a concerned look on her face as she motioned for them to sit down.
"I’m afraid Mr. Mangan is in serious condition. He has several broken ribs, and a concussion among other things. We need to keep him calm right now and I can only allow immediate family in to see him tonight."
"Oh, Regan, can I go with you?" Trixie begged.
Regan looked at Trixie and then looked at the floor. "I’m afraid you can’t, Trix, it’s for immediate family only. You’ll have to wait here. Why don’t you call Honey and the rest of the gang and have them come and sit with you."
"That’s okay," Trixie said with tears in her eyes. "I can sit out here with Nora and we can keep each other company."
"Um, Trix?" Regan said with a sigh. "Nora is going in with me."
"Well, that’s not possible," Trixie said with a puzzled look in her eyes.
"I’m afraid it is," Regan said.
As Trixie watched the nurse grab Nora by the arm, she heard her say, "Right this way, Mrs. Mangan. I’ll take you to your husband's room now."
Trixie felt her knees go weak and she grabbed the chair to catch herself.
"Oh, my God! It can’t be true!" she said as she sank to the floor crying.
To be continued