When You Least Expect It

Part 19

"I should never have left her," Brianna mumbled, not for the first time since arriving at the hospital. It had been hours since they had gathered in the waiting room, anxiously awaiting a doctor to fill them in on Jensen and Y/N. Bri couldn't stop thinking if she had only stayed... Robbie kept consoling her, and telling her it wouldn't have made a difference. If she had stayed, good chance she would also be a patient, instead of just waiting for news.

Bri didn't believe him. She felt that if she HAD stayed in the med tent, Nathan would never have had the guts to walk in and do what he did. No one had a true account of what had happened though, by the time Robbie and Bri had made it back to the tent, Security had held them back along with everyone else that had heard the gunshots. Standing there, dumbfounded with armloads of food and lemonade, neither of them knew until Jared came running over.

Robbie spotted the blood on Jared's shirt, first. He did what he could to shield Brianna from seeing it, but it was too late. She dropped everything in her arms and pointed to the red blotches on his bright yellow shirt.

"What happened?!"

Jared's face was still locked in a confused state. "I–I don't know. I was heading towards the tent, saw Jay walking in and went in after him. Heard the shots right after... I got to the entrance and they both fell out, covered in blood. All I know now is that Jensen and Y/N are being taken to the hospital."

That had all happened within minutes of the shooting, and now hours later, they all paced the waiting room outside of the ICU. Bri saw Jared was still in his bright yellow shirt but now with the blood dried leaving dark, ominous red blotches.

Bri was about to speak up, ask him to change, when Gen came into the waiting room, arms outstretched to Jared. They embraced and Jared whispered something to her; probably an update. Not that there had been any news in the last couple of hours, but the doctors told them that was possible. Bri watched as Gen handed Jared a bag with a change of clothes, and she felt relieved. She just couldn't stand to look at that bright shirt with the dark blood.

Robbie had taken a seat next to her while Jared slipped into the bathroom to change and Gen went to the coffee station, lining up white styrofoam cups and filling them with the watered-down brew.

"Hey you. Hanging in there?" Robbie asked, giving Bri's hand a squeeze.

"Barely," she said without taking her gaze off Gen. "I bet that coffee tastes like sludge."

"Probably," Robbie replied, wanting to laugh, but couldn't find it inside himself. "Y/N would have something to say about that."

"Oh God, yeah," Bri chuckled, but it lasted only a second. "I just don't get how this happened. How did he get through security, HOW?!" She was trying to be strong and hold back any tears, but the minute Rob put his arm around her shoulders, the dam broke and the water fell.

Everyone's head turned around when that last word pierced the silence of the waiting room. Mama June, who had been sitting in the corner by herself, stood up and made her way to the seat beside Bri.

"Miss Bri, lemme tell ya something about that piece of shit, Nathan. He's like a cockroach. He will find the tiniest opening and somehow squeeze through. He's been doing it all their lives."

"Well, I hope he gets what's coming to him in prison..." Bri trailed off, letting her mind wander to the possibilities that could befall him. She was pulled out of the fantasy by the feeling of Mama's hand on her knee.

"Oh, sugar... he already did. I heard one of the police officers say he turned the gun on himself right after. Nothing left of that boy's head, apparently."