A car accident wasn’t quite a battle, but brain injuries usually didn’t end well. “Thanks for the ride.” Rourk slammed the door shut.
The man waved and pulled out. Rourk took a deep breath and walked to the entrance.
“Rourk.” The woman’s urgent voice came from his right. He whirled to find Emerald striding towards him. “Do they have him?”
“Yeah. The ambulance left us behind, so they got here pretty quick.”
She nodded. Her hair wasn’t brushed; her short ginger locks were sticking up as if she’d just rolled from bed. Rourk figured she had—Thaddeus had likely woken her up and told her what was happening. Emerald probably took just long enough to get dressed before she teleported.
“I won’t be able to get to him,” she murmured, watching as an older couple shuffled by on their way into the building. She turned her bright blue eyes back to Rourk. “I’ll have to find a quiet place. Go. Go in and check on him.”
Rourk turned and she followed behind. The doors opened, admitting them into the cool interior. The smell of hospitals always bothered him a little. There was just something unnatural about it.
He stood impatiently in line to ask where they had sent Tommy. He stood rigid as he heard the people in front of them ask ridiculous questions: Where was the bathroom? How much longer do they have to wait? Can they make an appointment to come back later? Rourk tried to calm himself. Finally it was his turn. “My brother was hit by a vehicle and has been admitted. Can you tell me where he is?”
The woman behind the counter looked tired. Her mousey-brown hair was pulled into a bun that was falling apart, and there was a large coffee stain on her blue scrub shirt. She glanced at Rourk with non-sympathetic eyes. “Last name?”
“Sanders.”
She tapped on her keyboard, the computer screen reflecting off her glasses. “He’s in surgery.”
Rourk’s heart thudded. “Already?”
“Yes.”
“Can you tell me what’s wrong with him?”
She shook her head. “Confidential.”
Rourk wanted to scream. Instead, he shoved his hand through his hair and took a calming breath. “What floor is he on?”
“Ninth floor.”
“Thank you.” Rourk and Emerald headed for the elevator. He wished Keegan was with him. He felt like he was about to unravel. He’d check on Tommy’s status and then give her a call.
“I’m going to the restroom so I won’t be disturbed. I’ll find you when I’m done.”
Rourk nodded and walked to the front desk. The nurse behind the counter smiled as he walked up. He leaned on his elbows atop the desk and said, “Can I have an update on my brother? Tommy Sanders?”
The woman stared at him for a moment. “That’s funny. Your name-tag says Kavanagh.”
Without missing a beat, Rourk said, “He’s my stepbrother.”
She nodded and pecked away at the keyboard. “He’ll probably be in surgery a couple of hours. You’re welcome to wait in the waiting area.” She pointed to a small glass room to the left.
“Thanks. Can you let me know when they bring him out?”
“Yes, I’ll have the doctor give you an update when they are done. Have you informed your parents?”
“Not yet. I was hoping to have some news before I freaked them out.”
“Standard procedure. If he has them in his file, they will be notified.”
Rourk nodded and moved to the waiting room. It was small and dimly lit. There was an old lady knitting in one corner as she watched the news; a stressed-looking young woman and a baby in another corner; and a middle-aged man who looked in serious need of sleep. Rourk couldn’t help but notice how far they’d each sat away from each other, as if they were worried the other’s bad luck would rub off.
Rourk slouched in a seat, dropped his head in his hands, and closed his eyes. He visualized Keegan. She was sitting in a classroom, her pen writing furiously on a notebook as she bit her tongue in concentration. He didn’t want to bother her
The man waved and pulled out. Rourk took a deep breath and walked to the entrance.
“Rourk.” The woman’s urgent voice came from his right. He whirled to find Emerald striding towards him. “Do they have him?”
“Yeah. The ambulance left us behind, so they got here pretty quick.”
She nodded. Her hair wasn’t brushed; her short ginger locks were sticking up as if she’d just rolled from bed. Rourk figured she had—Thaddeus had likely woken her up and told her what was happening. Emerald probably took just long enough to get dressed before she teleported.
“I won’t be able to get to him,” she murmured, watching as an older couple shuffled by on their way into the building. She turned her bright blue eyes back to Rourk. “I’ll have to find a quiet place. Go. Go in and check on him.”
Rourk turned and she followed behind. The doors opened, admitting them into the cool interior. The smell of hospitals always bothered him a little. There was just something unnatural about it.
He stood impatiently in line to ask where they had sent Tommy. He stood rigid as he heard the people in front of them ask ridiculous questions: Where was the bathroom? How much longer do they have to wait? Can they make an appointment to come back later? Rourk tried to calm himself. Finally it was his turn. “My brother was hit by a vehicle and has been admitted. Can you tell me where he is?”
The woman behind the counter looked tired. Her mousey-brown hair was pulled into a bun that was falling apart, and there was a large coffee stain on her blue scrub shirt. She glanced at Rourk with non-sympathetic eyes. “Last name?”
“Sanders.”
She tapped on her keyboard, the computer screen reflecting off her glasses. “He’s in surgery.”
Rourk’s heart thudded. “Already?”
“Yes.”
“Can you tell me what’s wrong with him?”
She shook her head. “Confidential.”
Rourk wanted to scream. Instead, he shoved his hand through his hair and took a calming breath. “What floor is he on?”
“Ninth floor.”
“Thank you.” Rourk and Emerald headed for the elevator. He wished Keegan was with him. He felt like he was about to unravel. He’d check on Tommy’s status and then give her a call.
“I’m going to the restroom so I won’t be disturbed. I’ll find you when I’m done.”
Rourk nodded and walked to the front desk. The nurse behind the counter smiled as he walked up. He leaned on his elbows atop the desk and said, “Can I have an update on my brother? Tommy Sanders?”
The woman stared at him for a moment. “That’s funny. Your name-tag says Kavanagh.”
Without missing a beat, Rourk said, “He’s my stepbrother.”
She nodded and pecked away at the keyboard. “He’ll probably be in surgery a couple of hours. You’re welcome to wait in the waiting area.” She pointed to a small glass room to the left.
“Thanks. Can you let me know when they bring him out?”
“Yes, I’ll have the doctor give you an update when they are done. Have you informed your parents?”
“Not yet. I was hoping to have some news before I freaked them out.”
“Standard procedure. If he has them in his file, they will be notified.”
Rourk nodded and moved to the waiting room. It was small and dimly lit. There was an old lady knitting in one corner as she watched the news; a stressed-looking young woman and a baby in another corner; and a middle-aged man who looked in serious need of sleep. Rourk couldn’t help but notice how far they’d each sat away from each other, as if they were worried the other’s bad luck would rub off.
Rourk slouched in a seat, dropped his head in his hands, and closed his eyes. He visualized Keegan. She was sitting in a classroom, her pen writing furiously on a notebook as she bit her tongue in concentration. He didn’t want to bother her
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