You Are On My Mind

What's Going On?

She sat him down and held him close before telling him the terrible news. Her breath was shaky as she barely whispered the terrible news. He felt his heart stop.
************
Linda hurried her six and nine year old through the hospital doors. She found an old nurse friend of hers. "What's going on?"
"We don't know. It looks pretty bad, though. Come on."
She followed the nurse, holding tightly to her babies' hands. She chewed her lip as she was led to the private waiting room.
"Linda." Erin stood and hugged her sister in law, who immediately hugged her back.
"What's wrong? What's happening?"
She pulled back, "They didn't tell you?"
"No, not really. They said that I had to get down here as soon as possible, then the line went dead." She scanned through area. Erin, Frank, Henry, and Nicky were there. She knew Jamie was safe in Boston, but where were the other two Reagans? Her face quickly lost color as her confused kids took a seat. "It's.... it's not— oh. No, it-"
"No, no." Henry put a hand on her shoulder, "no, Danny's still working. We've been trying to reach him, but we haven't gotten through. According to his Sargent, he's out with a witness."
Linda sighed as she put a hand over her heart. "Thank goodness. But wait..... that means...."
"Yeah...."
"How?"
"He-"
"Mommy?" Six year old Sean looked up from the chair he occupied with his brother.
Linda walked the few steps to him and crouched to be at his level. "What's wrong, Sean?"
"I wan' Daddy. Where's Daddy?"
"Oh." She quietly breathed as she pulled her youngest into a hug. "I want Daddy , too. But Daddy's working. He's coming as soon as he can."
"I wan' Daddy. Wanna hug him."
She smiled softly, tears shining in her eyes. "Daddy hugs are the best, huh?"
Sean nodded, almost sadly.
"What's happening, Mama?" Jack asked. He had been to a hospital before. In first grade, on a field trip. It was his Mom who gave all the demonstrations and told them all the cool medical things. He knew everyone was sad, but his nine year old brain couldn't quite comprehend why.
"Well..." she put her hand on his knee, "Uncle Joe's hurt, but he's gonna be okay. He's in good hands. I used to work with the doctor. Remember Doc Mark?"
Jack nodded, and so did Sean, after he thought about it for a minute.
"He's the one helping Uncle Joe." Linda looked to Frank, wanting verification. He nodded somberly.
"Are you sure he's gonna be okay?" Nicky looked up to her Mom.
Erin looked to Linda, Jack, and Sean. She knew Nicky would understand, but she wasn't sure about the boys. Jack would have a blanket understanding, but Sean? "Yeah." It came out as a whisper.
"Mommy?" Sean's small voice sounded worried, and it broke Linda's heart. They hadn't been with the family when Mary died. They were at school- Sean on a field trip, and Jack in a big test he had been studying really hard for.
"Why don't you, Jack, and your old grandpa find some snacks?" Henry offered, standing behind Linda. "I'm sure you two are hungry. After all, you're missing lunch, right?"
Linda stood as the boys nodded. They jumped from the chair and grabbed onto Henry's hand.
The blonde mother mouthed a thank you to Henry who only nodded.
***********
She sat him down and held him close before telling him the terrible news. She sighed, clinging to him, trying to get up the nerve.
"Linda, what's wrong? What happened?"
She pulled back and looked to her hands. She couldn't look him in the eye; she just couldn't. "It's..... he's.... they did everything they could, Danny. But Joe- he....." her breath was shaky as she barely whispered the awful news. "He was shot, and he.... he didn't make it."
Danny blinked, feeling the life go from him. "Joe.... Joe's dead?"
"I'm so sorry, baby."
"But..... how?"
"He was doing an undercover assignment. And something went screwy? I- I don't know. He- he..... died... on-on the operating table."
Danny closed his eyes, not wanting to believe it. He felt Linda's arms encircle him, and, instinctively, he hugged her back. He rested his cheek on her temple, and let the tears flow. His brother... was dead.