Wishing for Sunshine [the sequel]

Chapter 3

Danny POV

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The minutes between Emily getting shot and the ambulance arriving was to many to count. The ride to hospital was too much, I was able to ride with her and Collin came too. I couldn't bare to look at him, I only focused on Emily.

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When we arrived at the hospital I didn't want to lose sight of her. I wanted to keep following the stretcher that she was on. I was afraid that if I wasn't there I would never see her again. I screamed and begged them to let me back there. I just couldn't let them take her without me.

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"Please! Let me back there!" I begged the nurse.

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"Sorry sir, but you'll have to wait in the waiting room."

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"That's my wife damnit! I demand to be back there!" I started shouting at the nurse as my anger, frustration, and fear took over. "Ma'am I'm a Rhiner and I demand that you let me be by my wife's side." I said to her as is stood tall and confident. I wasn't going to let her win. I had to be back there with Emily, with my sunshine.

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"Sir! I don't care who you are, you need to go and wait. These are the rules and if you can't follow them then we'll have you escorted out of the hospital." The nurse said to me

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I ran my hand through my hair then bit down on my fist trying to hold back all my emotions.

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"Please." I said as all my strength was fading away. I'm terrified and my fears of losing her are becoming more of a reality.

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The nurse shook her head at me. She grabbed my hand and walked me away from the emergency doors. I followed her lead but my eyes didn't leave those doors that lead to Emily.

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We reach an area that was far from the doors and close to the waiting room but yet was still private to have a conversation.

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"Mr. Rhiner, I'm sorry but you can not go back there." She calmly said to me. "Mr. Rhiner, your wife is in critical condition and needs to be operated on as soon as possible and as quickly as possible." She said and I felt my lip quiver and my eyes tear up. "Mr. Rhiner, please understand that I wish you could be there with her, that you could encourage her to stay and fight and make it, and I wish that you never had to come here in the first place. But you are here and it's time to let the doctors do their job and work to save her."

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I couldn't take it I started crying as my back hit the wall and I slid down until I was on the floor.

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I felt a body come down near mine.

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"Please leave me alone." I said as I cried harder.

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"Mr. Rhiner, don't worry they will do all that's possible for her and it's okay to cry. It's better to cry then bottle it up. Also, your little brother that you came in with may need you as much as you need him." She said before patting me on the back and leaving me alone to cry by myself.

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After a few moments by myself I decided that it was time to stop being a baby in public. I am a Rhiner. We are strong, brave, and never give up. I will go and console Collin then when Emily is out and better we will share all emotions but sadness together from here on out.

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Collin was in the hallway crying and it broke my heart to hear him. I went up to him. I stretched my hand out for him to
grab and he slapped my hand away. I gave it back to him and finally he took it and once I pulled him up I hugged him so hard, but he quickly pushed me away.

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"Collin, she'll be okay." I said to him and also reassuring myself too.

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He turned and looked me. "For your sake she better be." He said to me and the hate was dripping off every single letter in that statement. He turned and walked away from me and went sat down in the waiting room.

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When I finally calmed down and could form a coherent sentence I called Ava. I had to, she's Emily's sister in a way.

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That call was heartbreaking and I couldn't say much before I broke down even more. The image of the event was coming back and all I could was watch it in my mind over and over again.

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In the waiting room there was my family on one side of the room and on the other was Collin, Ava, Jacob and their baby.

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The room was divided and I wasn't welcomed on either side. I made my decision when I walked out and ran after Emily towards my family. And because of what happened Collin has turned against me therefore Ava and them also are against me.

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I saw a little spot all by itself and went sat down. I just wanted to be alone, I could care less at how this may look to spectators.

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I sat there and put my head in the palms of my hands. I couldn't stop crying, it may be silent but it's very real. Just then a tapping on my shoulder was felt.

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"Go away." I say as I try to ignore whoever it is.

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The tapping doesn't stop.

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"Go away I said!" As I growl out the last of that statement while looking up to see who it was.

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"Oh um I'm sorry Mr. Rhiner." The little nurse said to me and I instantly felt bad for being so mean to her. "I just well we have some extra clothes here for you if you wanted to you know change." She said to me as she handed me a pile of folded clothes.

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I remember calling Ava telling her to come and grab Collin some extra clothes. When he came to see Emily he got some blood on his clothes. I never asked or mentioned any for me. Heck, I didn't even notice all the blood I had on me.

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I looked at the nurse and then at the clothes. She handed them to me and I took them from her. I inspected them making sure that they were mine, and they were, these are my clothes.

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I turned and looked at the crowd and there was my mom giving me a small wave. She brought me clothes, she still loves me even though I chose Emily over her and the rest of them.

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"There's a bathroom down the hall you can change and wash up in. Oh and here's a bag to put your other clothes in." She told me while pointing out where the bathroom was for me.

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"Thanks." Was all I said before leaving and heading to the bathroom.

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Changing was nothing but seeing the clothes all bloody brought tears again to my eyes. The image of her in my arms after being shot was not going away.

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I couldn't take it anymore. I threw the bag of clothes against the wall and just made my hand into a fist and punched the wall.

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"Shit! Damnit! That fucking hurt!" I started saying as in cradled my hand. I flexed my hand and it wasn't broken, thankfully.

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"I just can't forgive myself for putting her in harm's way and not being able to save her. I just can't go and face the world knowing that she's gone." I start saying as I slide down to the ground crying again.

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I'm a mess and I can't handle life right now.
But I have to be brave for my sunshine and for Collin. I'm now Collin's guardian no matter what happens to Emily. I need to step up and take responsibility.

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"She will be okay and she will live. She is a Rhiner now and we don't go down without a fight." I think to myself as I get off the floor.

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I clean up and walk out of the bathroom and back to waiting room. I look to still see the room divided. I can't go and sit with my family, I can't. I walk over to go and see Collin. I need to make sure he is okay, this is his sister and last family member that he has and may lose.

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