For The Love Of The Game

LACEY'S POV

Lacey sat in the small, uncomfortable chair in the waiting room of the hospital. Looking around, she did not like the feel of her surroundings. The florescent lights above were much too bright. The waiting room was small, made even smaller by the too many blood red chairs that were packed in for people like her wait in. The t.v. in the far right corner of the room was stuck on some news station with the subtitles running. Looking down at her lap she saw just how out of place she was. Still wearing her homecoming dress, Lacey was an out of place fixture in the bright, cramped room. The only thing that gave her any strength at all was the hand she was holding, and that hand belonged to Aaron.

He had been with her the entire time. From the moment that she had learned that her father was in the hospital at the dance, to the time that they were told to wait for the doctor, Aaron hadn't left her side. And she was beyond grateful. Lacey didn't know much. She knew that her dad had been at home, with her brothers, when he had called 911 himself. Just then the waiting room door opening made Lacey look up. It wasn't the doctor like she hoped, instead it was her friends. Tara walked in first, still in her dance wear, putting her phone in her purse. Stopping in front of Lacey she said, "Don't worry. Tristin, Ryan, and Hannah went to go watch your brothers for you." Lacey only nodded. 

Korey was the next to speak saying, "Here's some snacks from the vending machines. I didn't know what everyone would want so I just grabbed some of everything." And he wasn't exaggerating. It looked like he had emptied an entire veding machine. But Lacey wasn't hungry. Behind Korey came Nicole and DJ. They were both carrying cups of coffee. DJ walked up and handed a steaming cup to Lacey. She took it giving DJ a small smile and "Thanks." Lacey wasn't a coffee drinker, but there was something about the atmosphere of the hospital that made her think that she should probably take the cup anyway.

"I went ahead and called the rest of your family for you," Nicole said, taking the seat on the other side of Lacey.

Looking up Lacey saw her friends. She was so relieved that they were all here with her. She had no idea what was going on or what would happen, but she was glad to know that when the doctor came in, with whatever news he had to deliver, she wouldn't have to hear it alone. Seeing DJ and Korey Lacey thought about how short she had known them. If it wasn't for Aaron, she would never have come to think of them the way she did. But even in such a short amount of time, they had become incredibly close. Lacey thought of them as big brothers.

"Thanks guys," Lacey said quietly. "I really do appreciate all this."

"Hey, no sweat." said DJ.

"Ya, we all know you'd be there for us in a heartbeat," said Tara.

Aaron stroked the back of Lacey's hand with his thumb. Lacey couldn't remember him letting go of her hand once since she had been here, but she wasn't complaining. Lacey began wondering what was taking the doctors so long. Glancing up on the clock on the wall she saw that it was almost 2 in the morning. She knew that it couldn't be good. Just then the door opened and in walked a doctor in a long, white, cotton jacket. He was an averaged sized man, just a little taller than Aaron. His sliver framed glasses sat perched on the bridge of his nose and were covering his stone gray eyes. His hair, which was badly thinning was a deep brown. Stopping in front of Lacey he asked, "Family of Mr. Kingsley?"

Lacey stood, sitting her cup of coffee on the ground and grasping Aaron's hand even tighter. She felt him squeeze back and hold firm. Taking a deep breath, Lacey prepared herself to hear the worst. Finally the doctor said, "Your father is stable, at the moment."

"What happened?" Lacey asked.

"Your father seems to of had a heart attack," the doctor said quietly.