Sarah has an accident.

We’d made a couple of laps around the rink when Sarah started getting more confident.

“I think I’m actually getting the hang of this,” she said, smiling.

“See? I told you.”

She pushed off again, skating a little faster.

Then her skate caught the ice.

Sarah’s foot shot out from underneath her.

“Whoa—!”

She went down hard, instinctively throwing her arm out to catch herself.

I immediately skated toward her.

“Sarah!”

She was sitting on the ice, holding her arm against her chest.

“Ow.”

I crouched beside her. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.”

She tried moving her arm and immediately winced.

“Don’t move it,” I said. “Just stay still.”

A rink employee came over, and after asking Sarah a few questions, they recommended getting her checked out at the hospital.

Sarah looked at me, clearly shaken.

“I think I really hurt it.”

“Okay. We’re going.”

I helped her carefully off the ice and got her shoes back on. She kept her injured arm close to her body while I stayed beside her.

Once we got outside, I helped her into the car.

“I’ve got you,” I told her.

She nodded.

I drove straight to the hospital.

The entire way there, Sarah held her arm carefully and tried to stay calm.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

“Why are you sorry?”

“I guess our perfect day is over.”

I glanced at her.

“Forget the day. Let’s just make sure you’re okay.”

She gave me a small smile.

“Okay.”

I kept driving toward the hospital, focused on getting her there safely.