I heard my phone ringing, but there was no one that I wanted to talk to in that moment, other than Abigail, and she was lying on the sofa next to me. We’d had a long conversation when we got back to my place, and she explained that Brendan was more of a hook-up, than a boyfriend. He was honest with her from the beginning, and although she’d agreed, she said she hadn’t realized how much she actually liked him, until she saw him hooking up with someone else.
I felt like an idiot. I’d totally overreacted and hadn’t give Brendan, or Abigail, a chance to explain, I’d just went off half-cocked. I knew it was because of the alcohol, and I’d already vowed never to touch tequila again.
I knew I’d have to apologize to Brendan. We’d actually been getting along, and I just hoped I hadn’t messed things up by calling him a hussy.
I couldn’t believe that I’d done that.
Brock was another story. On one hand, I understood where he was coming from. He was defending his brother, just like I was defending my sister. On the other … What he said really hurt. The way he’d looked at me, his tone, and the words he used had physically hurt me. That’s why, at two o’clock in the morning, I was wide awake, staring at my ceiling, and listening to my sister snore loudly.
When my phone starting ringing again, followed by Abigail’s doing the same, my heart began to pound and a sense of foreboding took over me. I swung my legs over Abigail’s, trying to get out as I reached blindly for my phone. It sounded like it was coming from underneath the couch.
I finally grabbed it, checking the screen and seeing an unknown number.
“Hello?” I answered, my voice anxious.
“Victoria?” a male voice asked.
“Yes?”
“This is Brendan … There’s been an accident. It’s Brock.” His voice cracked, making me think he was crying, which, paired with his words, made my blood run cold.
“Where are you?” I asked, fighting back the tears that were building in my throat.
“St. John’s. Hurry. Brady’s freaking out. We don’t know what’s going on, just that they’re working on him.”
“We’re on the way,” I assured him, shaking Abigail to wake her up.
Brendan hung up and I shouted at Abigail as I searched frantically for a pair of shoes.
“Abigail, get up. We have to go to the hospital. Brock’s been in an accident.”
Abigail sprung to action, moving faster than I’d ever seen, grabbing her purse and sandals, then shoving a pair of flip-flops at me. “Here, let’s go.”
She sped off toward the hospital, breaking numerous laws as she drove, yet it seemed to take us forever to get there. When she pulled into the parking lot, she’d barely stopped the vehicle when I threw open the door and barreled out. I scarcely registered the breeze hitting my bare legs as I ran across the lot in my pajamas and flip flops.
“Brock O’Malley?” I asked urgently when I got close enough to yell at the lady behind the admittance desk.
“You can join the others in the third floor waiting area,” the woman said kindly.
I waited impatiently for Abigail, then we rode the elevator up to the third floor.
“Don’t freak out until you know what we’re dealing with,” Abigail said quietly.
I didn’t respond. I just waited for the elevator to ding, and the doors to open.
Finally, I rushed out, looking left, then right, glancing at the sign on the wall and following the directions to the waiting room.
When we rounded the corner, I stopped and took in the scene before me. Scott, Gaby, TJ, Sasha, Cal, and Shelly were strewn about the room. Shelly’s head was in Cal’s lap as she stretched across the chairs, her eyes closed. Scott was holding Gaby as she cried softly against his shoulder. And Sasha and TJ were holding hands tightly as they looked up, unseeing, and the television in the corner. Brendan and Brady were sitting in the opposite corner on the floor, backs against the wall. Brendan was speaking to Brady quietly, whose expression of utter fear made my stomach drop to my toes.
Brendan got to his feet when he saw us enter, crossing the room slowly, his eyes full of sadness.
He held his hands out to me and said, “We don’t know anything yet, but the nurse said the doctor should be out soon.” Then he pulled me to him and hugged me tightly. I brought my arms around him, giving comfort as I took it. He was still dressed in his clothes from the bar, and I suddenly became aware of my silky shorts and camisole.
I pulled back, looking down at myself, shocked that I’d left the house in such a hurry, that I hadn’t given one thought to my attire. I was crossing my arms over my chest when Scott approached, catching my attention.
“Here, Victoria, the staff was nice enough to give us some blankets. Why don’t you take this one.”