The Disaster that turned into a Decision

I’m zooming down the freeway, in the middle of a snowstorm, already late for my sister’s New Year’s Eve party. We are ten miles away when I hit an ice patch, with my left tire while realizing I'm drifting to the left in the first place. We slide off the road, flipping into a small ditch. When the car is steady, I look over to Maya in the passenger seat in panic. Questions and outright statements go through my mind. Are you hurt? Can you call the police? Is your phone charged? I’m scared.

Panting, Maya is looking at me in terror while she says, “My ph-ph-one is almost d-d-dead.” No, no, no, I just wanted to go see my friends, and sister for New Year’s Eve, and now this.

I try to reach for my phone but with the car’s current position it is not within reach. I look at my watch and read 11:00 p.m. and mumble out the words, “Can you call the police? Are you hurt?” 

While dialing the phone Maya comments, “I’m fine, and calling the police. How are you feeling?” Relief washes over me and the panic starts to die down.

“I don’t think I’m hurt, and can you put the phone on speaker,” Maya does as I say, and after a few rings the phone is picked up.

“911 what’s your emergency?”

“Hi this is Maya Smith I’m calling from my car which has just flipped. The driver and I seem to be fine, just uncomfortable.”

“Hello Maya, do you know where you are exactly?”

We tell the lady on the phone and she says that the closest officer is an hour away.

“An hour?” I say under my breath when she tells us the news. “It can’t be.”

“Due to the storm and the lack of officers in the area, the time range is from 45-60 minutes,” the lady over the phone states calmly as if trying to soothe my rising fear.

Maya, stepping back into the conversation says, “Thank you for your help,” and hangs up after we have gathered all the information needed.

An hour, what are we going to do with an hour on our hands; hopefully this officer hurries his butt up and gets us out of this car and out of the cold. The cold air from outside starts to seep in.

I look over to Maya with her hair in beautiful twists making her look like a queen in and of itself but her gold tight dress and lengthy sweater seals the deal and I start to giggle to myself. She glances at me with her questioning face and cries out, “Are we gonna talk or are you just gonna look at me with that face for the next hour?” we both laugh at that and finally start to talk about work and food, we can’t seem to drop the idea of our huger. 

“Can we drop the fake talk? I think Tyler is going to propose soon and I don’t think I have ever been more sure in my life. I love him beyond words, but we’re young and I still have so many things to do in life. Is now the right time?” Maya blurts out.

“Okay Maya, you love him, and I know there is still so much to do but the only thing that the ring will change is that he’ll be there beside you, no matter what. Marriage isn’t gonna hold you back but let you have all your great discoveries and memories together. Girl, I can see it in your eyes that you want him, you’re scared of the future, and you don’t know what you want. You do what your heart tells you to do. Besides if your life is too busy, you can always say yes, but have a later wedding, in like 2 years or something.”

Silence rang through the car I knew Maya was just processing my killer speech.

After what could’ve been ten minutes, “Yes” Maya whispers

“What?” I ask.

“Yes!” now she says it louder. “Yess, yes, yes, yes,” now she’s screaming, “I’M GETTING MARRIED,” she’s shaking me now and we are both screaming so loud. “Well at least if I’m asked I know my answer!” 

“This deserves a celebration, you’re not married but just in case someone asks you anytime soon,” I scream in her face

“Wait, can’t we play music on my phone until it dies?” Maya answers just as loud as my proposition. 

Soon after it’s settled and blast music on her phone for a solid 10 minutes, until we see flashing lights stop behind us. 

The officer helps both of us out of the car and checks for broken bones that we would have surely noticed by now; trying to understand our situation.

We warm up in the car and I charge my newly found but dead phone.

Once things are sorted and we are on our way to my sister’s, my phone has regained charge and oh my, I have 150 messages and 20 missed calls. Something must have been important; I’m not that popular.

I call my sister.

With in a few rings the familiar voice of my sister answers “Oh. My. Gosh. Where are you? This was so important it better be good. I was worried and Tyler is freaking out.”

I interrupt her with, “I’m fine. Maya and I slid on an ice patch and the car flipped. We had to wait for the police, and now we are in the car heading to your house.”

Screams come from her side of the phone ad says, “Okay, okay I have to go and celebrate New Year’s call you back I promise. Turn on the radio and don’t tell Maya that Tyler was gonna propose, I can’t believe you didn’t know. I’m glad you two are OK!”

My breath hitches and I’m stunned into silence as my sister hangs up the phone and a signal word escapes me, “No.” 

After Maya is not staring at me, trying to crack me so I spill the importance of the night, I ask the officer to turn on the radio. He is totally cool and everyone in the car is counting down the last 10 seconds of 2019.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.