Shattered

Chapter 7 Mark

"Nothing is impossible. The word itself says "I'm possible". Audrey Hepburn

Mark walked barefoot into the first floor waiting room. Phil and Tommy sat along the wall across from Katy and Julia. Phil's arms were propped on his elbows against his knees, holding his solemn face in his hands. His eyes were droopy, sad and tired. Tommy's head was against the wall, his eyes closed, hands folded neatly over his stomach. Julia was holding Katy, while she cried softly. Mark sank into the seat next to Phil and put a reassuring hand on his friend's back. Phil was motionless.

"Is she okay?" Phil asked. Katy blinked her tears away and straightened her posture.

"Bradley's gonna be fine."

"What about Kristin?" Julia asked.

Mark nodded. "I saw her in the hallway on my way down. She's in a wheelchair, but I think she's okay, too."

"Emma?" Tommy's eyes were now open and he was on the edge of his seat.

Mark shrugged his shoulders, "I haven't heard anything suggesting she's not okay."

"Well, what the hell happened tonight?" Katy looked at all of the boys. "Someone needs to talk to Emma."

"Kristin should have pressed charges against me," Phil admitted. "But then again, she should be in jail for attempted murder."

"We don't know that," shouted Katy. "It was Emma! She's the one that set this whole thing up!"

"Phil," Mark whispered. "Stop saying you hurt Kristin. You never touched her. You tried to help her, end of story. We'll talk about it later."

Phil looked at his best friend curiously. "But..."

"They said it was Ketamine," Tommy interrupted. "Brody's dad has a whole bunch of ketamine at the clinic."

"What are you saying?" asked Julia.

"Everyone is trying to figure out if this was Emma or Kristin, but I guarantee you that neither of them set foot in the clinic," suggested Tommy. "I don't even know where the ketamine came from but I think that we might need to think of the possibility that neither Emma nor Kristin is responsible for what happened."

Mark placed his hands on the back of his head and stared up at the ceiling. His headache was getting worse with every passing minute. Talking wasn't going to solve the mystery, not without Bradley, Emma and Kristin sitting in the same room. He wanted to forget about who did what, who said what, and who blamed who. All he needed was to hold Bradley and stay by her side. It was impossible with her parents in her room.

"Mark?" Caroline Whitfield was standing in front of him.

"Yes, ma'am," he answered suddenly on his feet. Her eyes were sky blue, same as Bradley's. But she didn't have the same sparkle. She was sad, her eyes a touch of pink and swollen from crying.

"Mrs. Whitfield, how's Kristin?" Katy's arms were suddenly around the petite long blond haired woman.

Caroline nodded. "Thank God, she's alright."

"Bradley? She's still well?" Mark asked suddenly wondering what she was doing in the waiting room.

"She's asking to see you, Mark," answered Caroline. "And, I was hoping to speak to you for a few minutes, as well."

He nodded nervously. "Of course."

"Wait," Julia stopped him. "I forgot to give your phone back." She quickly retrieved his iPhone from her bag.

"There's a waiting room, on the seventh floor," Caroline suggested. "It's smaller and I think you'd all be more comfortable there. Not that you have to stay, I mean you shouldn't. Everyone's fine. You can leave."