Perception

Part 77

Kota POV

The text came in with no other information aside from it being a medical emergency. It was Mr. Blackbourne's phone, so I'm assuming Doc is busy with whomever is injured. I try to figure out by process of elimination which brother is injured; however, with everyone texting or otherwise accounted for, I'm baffled. The only person that didn't say anything is Doc. That would mean that the hurt person is either well enough to text, and pretending confusion, or Doc is hurt. Since Luke is here with me, it can't be him joking with us; that leaves Doc. How, though?

"Kota, we need to get to the hospital. Who's hurt anyway?" Sang asks with a wobble in her voice. She's holding it together and not panicking, but she is starting to show signs of anxiety.

"I don't even know what hospital to go to yet, sweetie," I tell her gently, and pull her in for a hug. Luke walks over and makes it a group hug with Sang getting sandwiched in the middle.

"Well, let's start heading toward the school, and hopefully we'll know by the time we're close enough which direction to take," she speaks through the fish lips that Luke's and my combined chests create.

"Good idea, Cupcake. Go make sure all the windows are closed and locked down here. I'll take care of the upstairs," Luke says as he pulls away. I grab the overnight bags for each of us, adding some nonperishable snacks and bottled waters to each, before leading us out to my car.

As we are near the turnoff for downtown, I receive a timely text stating that Dr. Green has been brought to the Academy hospital. I'm able to safely take the off-ramp, and can't help but feel relieved we didn't have to circle back around. Traffic is a bear. 3,587. 3,588. 3,589 seconds from the group text and we pull up to the hospital.

Finding a decent parking spot is easier than anticipated, and I wait while Luke helps Sang from her seat before locking the doors. Walking in the sliding glass doors, we are forced to wait at reception for information. The receptionist ends her phone call, and finishes inputting data into her computer, then turns to us with a kindly smile. I ask politely for Dr. Sean Green, and she pales.

"Doctor Green is not on shift at the moment," she explains slowly. I huff out an exaggerated breath and nod.

"I understand that. We're not his patients, but his family. Please direct us to the correct waiting area. If others haven't arrived yet, you should expect five more young men to make the same inquiry," I tell her and raise my eyebrows at her, impatiently waiting for her to give us the information we need. 

Her eyes widen, and her mouth compresses a little while her eyes convey her sympathy. She then directs us down a few hallways until we find a private waiting room. Mr. Blackbourne is sitting rigidly on a firm couch, his hip completely against the arm of it. 

"Oh, no. Oh my goodness," Sang murmurs mournfully from my side, and I look to where her eyes are trained. The knees of Mr. Blackbourne's gray slacks are the burnt reddish-brown color of spilt blood. Mr. Blackbourne doesn't appear to notice our arrival, his face is expressionless, only his eyes, staring unseeingly into the room, show the torture he is going through.

I take a step closer to try to offer support and find out what has happened, but I'm cut off by the tiny blonde girl that has proven her observational skills surpass my own at times. She gently plants herself hip-to-hip with Mr. B.; her shorter legs leaving her feet off the floor. Luke and I watch mutely as Sang threads her hand into Mr. Blackbourne's, and lays her head on his shoulder. He doesn't say anything, but he obviously knows she's there on some level as he reaches out and places his other hand over their joined ones. I clear my throat quietly and walk to the adjacent chair to sit down. Luke plants himself hip-to-hip on the other side of Sang.