Tommy grinned. “Yes, ma’am. Is it that bad?”

Ruby rolled her eyes. “Just make an appointment and get yourself into the shop so one of us can fix that mess.”

He laughed out loud. “Yes, ma’am. I sure will.”

“Good. Now let’s get Melissa into this chair so I can take her home. Are there pain meds to go home with her?”

“Yes, ma’am. They were called in to Phillips Pharmacy,” Tommy said.

“Good enough,” Ruby said.

A few minutes later, Ruby and Melissa were on their way to the pharmacy. Although the burned-out cars had been towed away and debris cleaned up from the streets, the black marks from the fire were still visible on the pavement.

“I still can’t believe all this happened,” Melissa said.

“Girl, I know just what you mean. It doesn’t take but a heartbeat for your world to change. Are you okay, or do you need to lie back? The seat reclines.”

“I’m okay,” Melissa said. “It’s not far to the pharmacy, and it’s not far to get home.”

A couple of minutes later, Ruby reached the pharmacy and parked.

“You just sit tight, sugar,” Ruby said. “I won’t be long.” She was out of the car and inside the pharmacy in seconds.

Melissa leaned against the headrest and closed her eyes. Now that she was out of the hospital, she could almost convince herself that all of this was a bad dream, except she hurt all over—and Niles was dead, and Johnny Raines had just saved her life. It was going to take a bit to get used to thinking of him as Sully, but she was so sorry about Niles. He was one of the town leaders and president of the country club. Only a few months earlier, he had been elected to the town council, and now he was gone.

She was still blinking back tears as Ruby returned with the meds and a bottle of water.

Ruby opened the water and then handed the prescription to Melissa. “Take two pills now,” she said. When Melissa shook them out in her hand, Ruby handed her the water and watched her swallow them.

“It says not to take them on an empty stomach. Do you have food at your house?” Ruby asked.

Melissa started to cry.

“What’s wrong, honey?” Ruby asked.

“I debated with myself as to whether I would go home for lunch, or go to Granny’s. If I’d just gone home, none of this would have happened.”

“Or…if Niles hadn’t run through a stop sign and hit you, it wouldn’t have happened,” Ruby said.

Melissa sighed. “You’re right. I guess there’s no way to make sense of an accident, and yes, there’s food.”

“Okay, then. We’re off,” Ruby said, and backed away from the curb.

Melissa was quiet all the way home and still couldn’t quit shaking.

Ruby frowned. “As soon as I get some food in you, you need to rest.”

When they pulled up in the drive at Melissa’s house, she breathed a quiet sigh of relief. The sight of home had never been so welcome.