Love in the Spotlight

Chapter 12: An Old Friend

The doors of the hospital slid open and I quickly rushed inside. My eyes darted about. Looking every which way. I practically ran to the front desk. Speaking out of breath.

"I'm looking for the room of Cary Anthony" the woman began to type on the computer.

"Emma!" I snapped my head at the sound of my name and saw Troy coming down the hall.

"Never mind" I told the woman and hurried over to him. I brought him in for a hug and he instantly started crying.

I could only imagine the pain he is feeling and just how shaken he was.

"It happened so fast" he cried into my shoulder.

We stood there, in the middle of the hallway, for a good minuet before breaking apart.

"What happened?" I asked him. Once I saw that he was calm.

"A group of guys jumped us as we were leaving the bar" he shook his head. Trying to erase the horrid images. "It was like they were waiting for us"

I shuttered at the thought of this being a planned attack.

I examined Troy as he spoke to me. He had faint bruises along his jaw line. A cut just above his right brow and a busted lip.

"How badly are you hurt?" I asked him. Knowing the damage was done underneath the surface.

"They knocked me out first. The doctor says I have a few bruised ribs, but that's the worse of it" I still held onto his hand. I tried to picture it in my mind, but that only made it worse.

"How badly is Cary hurt?" I could see the pain light up in his eyes like Christmas lights. He looked down at his shoes.

"He's bad Emma. He got it worse than I did" a tear trickled down his cheek before he brushed it away.

"Where is he?"

"He just got back form X-Rays. He's in room 213. Down the hall and to the left" I hugged Troy once more before heading off to Cary. The entire way there I tried to mentally prepare myself for what he might look like, but nothing could have prepared me.

I froze at the door. The sight of him held up in a hospital bed broke me. I walked in slowly.

A beeping monitor kept track of his heart rate while another machine helped him breathe.

"Oh Cary" I sobbed. Pulling the chair over to the side of his bed. He was wrapped in bandages. Around his chest, left leg, and both forearms.

The skin under his fingernails were black and blue. Dry blood clotted on his brow and his skin shown pale.

I reached for his hand. Unable to focus back tears. I couldn't believe this had happened. Cary has never done a single thing to anyone. At least nothing that would provoke someone to go to these measures.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you" I said softly. I knew he was well drugged and fast asleep. Resting my forehead on the edge of his bed, I began to sing to him.

***

"Emma?" A raspy voice spoke up. I lifted my head in urgency. I must have dozed off.

"Cary!" I exclaimed. Rubbing his bruised knuckles with my fingers.

"Hey" he said with a weak smile. He removed his oxygen mask so he could speak to me. I sniffled.

"Are you alright?" I wasn't sure why I asked. I could easily see that he wasn't.