Theo And Reed's School Blues

Chapter Twelve

Over the past several years Theo had seen more than his share of hospital waiting rooms but if anyone had ever told him he would be in one waiting for news about Charles LeClair he would have called them a damn liar. At least he was not alone.

Winnie and Dennis were at his house awaiting Benji and Baylee to come home from school. They had said they would bring Livvie to Theo and Reed's house too since Matt was at the hospital with Theo. Matt wasn't a fan of Charles and vice versa but he was there for Theo who loved the snobby bastard. Winnie promised to keep the kids away from tv so they didn't hear about Uncle Charles. Charles claimed he wasn't fond of babies and children but he tended to spoil Theo and Reed's children. And the children adored him. Winnie had bought his fat grey cat Sunshine with them to distract the kids as well.

So Theo was at the hospital with Matt , Saint ( looking tense since the media kept trying to link the shooting to the carjacking rates ),  Reed ( who had left work as soon as Theo called him) and Lane. Lane looked like he had lost his best friend. He sat in a chair with his head in his shaking hands.

The waiting was horrible enough but the tv in the waiting room kept repeating coverage of the shooting. Over and over again. After looking at the anguish on both Theo and Lane's faces as they watched the news report Reed got up and switched the tv to PBS. An old man with shaky jowls and overwhelming body odor snapped ," Hey , I was watching that. Some fag got killed. Good riddance. "

Reed narrowed his green eyes at the man. " Turn it back on if you want but if you do I will rip it off the wall and toss it out the window. And you'll follow it. Good riddance. "

The old man pursed his lips at the big Black man and ignored them all as he flipped through a two month old copy of People magazine.

After a too long wait the doctor came out with news. Good. And bad.

Charles was still alive and had come out of emergency surgery.

Charles was in a coma.

Lane heard those words and jumped up from his chair. His eyes glittered with cold rage. " She did this. I know it. She did this. I will kill this bitch. "

They all stared at him wordlessly including the doctor and the old man pretending to read the old magazine.

Theo said ," Calm down, Lane. "

" Calm down! Come on, Theodore! It's obvious. Whoever sent me that picture and that text is the one that shot my ...... .my....... Charles. We know who that is. Senator Callista Hamilton. She tried to kill him because of me. " Lane pounded his fist against the wall. " She tried to kill the man I love. She's not getting away with it! "

Before any of them could stop him the enraged teacher raced out of the waiting room.