HOLD UP! (AIO Fic)

-Part Two-

 Whit was pacing a spot in the Odyssey Memorial Hospital's waiting room. Eugene had been hurried off for emergency surgery—as he'd still been bleeding the whole ambulance ride—and Connie had been taken to be looked at by a doctor. For the moment, Whit had been asked to wait before seeing either of his young friends, to which he obliged. Afterall, he'd called June Kendall from the shop and said that she should come to the hospital. He'd have to wait for her anyways, knowing she'd probably arrive in a frantic state.

Feeling a headache coming on, courtesy of the stress from the evening's frenzy, Whit took off his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. While also rubbing at his tired eyes, he was approached by someone. "Whit?!" Looking at the woman, Whit put his glasses back on and saw an—as predicted—frantic looking June. "Where's my baby?! Where's Connie?! Is she okay?!"
"June, hold on, just take a second!" He held his hands up in a gesture for the worried mother to calm down. Reluctantly, June took a moment to catch her breath. "What happened? Can I see her?" She then asked, her tone lowered but still sounding scared. Keeping his own tone low to avoid any eavesdroppers, Whit stepped closer to June. "The shop was robbed by a man with a gun." Her eyes widened in horror. "Connie wasn't shot, but Eugene and the responding officer were."

"Oh goodness...!" June brought a hand up to her mouth, trying to process this information. "A-And, Connie was there?" Whit nodded. "She wasn't... shot?" He shook his head 'no'. "But she was in an awful state of shock when we found her. The doctor is with her now." He explained. Holding back her tears, June then asked, "Okay... Well, what about Eugene? And the officer?"
"They're both alive, but I'm afraid... that Eugene isn't doing as well as the officer." Whit told her, he himself looking and sounding equally as worried as June. "He's still in surgery right now." June slowly and shakily shook her head. "That's terrible..." Whit hummed. Before either could continue the conversation, a nurse approached them. "Mr. Whittaker?"

"Yes?" The nurse then noticed June standing with him. "Oh, you must be Connie's mother." She nodded. "Come with me, I'll take you both to see her." The nurse said, gesturing for them to follow her—to which they did.

﹝•••﹞

Still sitting on the edge of the examination table, Connie had her hands clasped together tightly, and resting between her knees. Her chin was to her chest, and she was still a bit shaky. Dr. Morton was standing just nearby, noting something down in a chart. Her patient didn't notice the brief glance of pity she gave her, before continuing to write away.

In her mind's eye, Connie was replaying what had happened that evening. The gunshots, the police cars, the ambulance sirens. On the ride to the hospital, Candace had deemed it was best she keep her attention directed outside—to not look through the small window between them that showed into the back of the ambulance. Connie wasn't sure if Candace had noticed her looking briefly anyways via the center view mirror. She'd looked just long enough to see the alarming state her friend was in.

Both Lisa and her partner were continuously working to keep Eugene stable, but Connie had noticed how sickeningly pale he looked. It was somehow even more frightening to see than when the robber had initially fired at him. But what was even more frightening, was the fact that Eugene wasn't even a Christian. So, if he didn't make it tonight...

Shuddering, Connie looked up—trying to distract herself with the various posters and potted plants about the room. Anything to take her mind off the worry, and the slowly growing guilt. She somehow felt responsible for what had happened. There was a specific phrase in place—told her by Whit—for Connie to tell the officer to discreetly inform him that something was wrong, without anyone getting hurt, and without the armed man being tipped off. But then, why hadn't she said the line? Why did she clam up? People got hurt because she'd said the wrong thing!