Always | ✓

33. Hospital

I barely registered the journey to the hospital.

I don't remember the roads, the turns, or anything. My eyes were focused on the dashboard of Liam's car, the way the streetlights would occasionally cast a glow onto the surface, before disappearing.

It was weird, but I just kept counting how many times that occurred. I need something to focus on, other than what I knew my mind would drift to if I didn't do that.

Liam didn't say anything. He didn't offer me that fake comfort, that he knew I wouldn't want. I wanted real answers. I just wanted to see my Dad.

As soon as I felt the car stop, I looked up and saw the hospital had come into view. I immediately undid my seatbelt and jumped out the car, not even waiting for Liam.

I sprinted towards the entrance as fast as my legs could take me. I didn't slow down when a parked car was about to pull away or even when I heard Liam yell my name.

When the entrance doors slid opened, I quickly ran into the hospital and went straight towards the reception desk. I could see other uniformed policemen in the hospital but I ignored that and went to the desk.

Before the receptionist could even look up to see my face, I began talking.

"Excuse me. M-my name's Rena. Serena Hastings. My father, Mark Hastings, was brought here. H-he's a cop, he was sh-shot." I managed to get out with my shaky voice.

My eyes were fixed on the receptionist, who was now just looking at me with a blank expression.

"Rena," I heard Liam say my name and a hand on my shoulder, giving me a gentle squeeze.

"Please," I looked at the receptionist, who still wouldn't give me an answer. "Which room is h-he in?"

Before I could go ballistically mad, because she wasn't telling me anything, I heard a familiar voice call out my name.

"Rena?"

Instantly, I turned around and saw a familiar face.

"Joseph," I said and then ran towards him, instantly wrapping my arms around him and his pulled me into a hug, gently holding me as I clung onto him.

Joseph Adams, is my father's partner. He's was practically like my Dad's brother, since they always had each other's back on the job. To me, Joseph was like an Uncle, who'd spoil me rotten any chance he'd get. Despite his giant-like stature, I always found him adorable.

As soon as he hugged me and kissed the top of my head, I felt a heavy weight on my heard, I missed my Dad's hugs. They always felt like home and I really needed one right now.

"Come this way, love," Joseph said and tugged my arm. "Your father's still in surgery, but your mother is in the waiting room," he told me.

Joseph kept an arm around me securely as we began walking, however, my mind was elsewhere.

The word 'surgery' made the panic settle in once more. I didn't want to believe that it was a bad injury, but that word kept sending my mind down a bottomless pit of anxiety.

Before I could lose myself, Joesph's voice pulled me back out.

"Don't worry love, he'll be fine," he tried to assure me.

He'll be fine. I kept repeating those words in my head, like a chant. I needed to believe it, there was just no other alternative for me.

We walked into a waiting room and immediately I could see my mother.

I saw her sitting down on one of the chairs, her elbows resting on her knees and her head buried into her hands. I just couldn't bare to see her like that. She never seemed to broken before, but now, it was like she was just a gentle touch away from shattering.