Reunited (Secrets of the Soul, Book One)

Chapter Two

Stephanie sat in a hard chair in the hospital's waiting room, worry twisting her stomach in a knot. So far, she'd been there for over an hour without a single word. What was going on? As far as she could see, no family came in to inquire about the man. If they had, she was sure they'd come looking for her to find out what happened.

A couple of people sat on the far end of the room, talking quietly while the child with them played on their phone. Another man sat across from her, reading one of the magazines. An occasional message over the PA system blended with the news playing on the television. They'd all been sitting there already when she arrived, and from the slight grumbling coming from the couple, she figured they'd been there a while. She sighed, shifting in her seat, as she ran a hand through her long curls.

She'd always hated these places, particularly the smell. They carried too many memories for her and left her frustrated. All she could do was sit and wait. It made her feel useless. To occupy herself, she pulled out her phone and checked for any messages. She smiled as she noticed one from Roxanne.

You good?

Stephanie let her know she was still waiting for word, which was met with an almost immediate reply.

Want me to sit with you?

Discomfort settled in her stomach as she wrote back, Is that a good idea? How would you get here?

A few seconds later, a reply came back: Don't worry. I called for a ride. Your car's still sitting at the club. So? Should I come?

She smiled, typing a one-word reply: Please.

For probably the hundredth time in her life, she thanked her lucky stars to have a friend like Roxanne. In the years since they'd met in tenth grade history class, she'd never failed to be there if Stephanie needed her. They were more like sisters and had bailed each other out many times since that first day. Hopefully, poor Roxanne wouldn't be stuck sitting there with her for hours. She could be even more impatient than Stephanie when it came to waiting, although Roxanne didn't share her aversion to these places.

Stephanie put away her phone and reached for one of the magazines sitting on the table. She flipped through the pages, one eye partly on the clock on the wall. She smirked when she realized what she was doing. Her mother always told her not to stare at clocks, because it would just make the time feel like it's moving slower. She shook her head, then turned her attention back to the magazine and its celebrity drama. One actor couple were supposedly on their way to divorce for the tenth time in as many months. She wondered how much the writers got paid to make this stuff up, and if they got bonuses, should they happen to be right for once.

She only got a couple of pages in when a man in scrubs approached her. "Are you the one who came in with the young male about an hour ago?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir. Is he okay?"

"What's your relationship to the patient?"

Stephanie stood and said, "No relation. I was at the same club and saw him go down. My friend was the one who called the ambulance, and I gave the CPR."

"Well, I can tell you he's stable, but I can't give out any additional information without his permission."

"I understand," she said. "Is it possible to see him?"

He gave her an apologetic look. "He's resting right now, but I can ask if he'd like to see you in a little while. No promises."

She nodded, taking her seat again. "Thanks. I'll wait around a bit, then. My friend's on her way, anyway."