Chapter 5 [Roosevelt Hospital]
Gwen rushed out of the elevator. Worry ate at her. She surveyed the almost empty waiting room. "Flash?"
Coffee stirred Flash back to the waking world. Despite Betty's and Ned's decision to head home, he stuck it out. He'd endured the police's repetitive questions concerning Peter's whereabouts. His eyes kept going toward the patient rooms. Wish MJ and Harry could be here. He sighed. If only his Dad wasn't sick. Hell of a time for Mr. Osborn to need help too.
She glanced back at Murdock and Robbie. "Where is everyone?"
Robbie checked his watch. "It is 12:30 in the morning, Gwen. Everyone's got to go to work tomorrow. Speaking of which, are you sure I can't give you a ride home? We'll check on Peter's aunt. Then you could stand some sleep."
Denial stiffened her back and elicited a stern shaking of her head. "How can I sleep? I have no idea where my guy is. His aunt could be dying. I don't know!"
"It'll be all right, Mrs. Parker." Murdock tapped a path forward with his cane. Radar Sense of course had already mapped out the entire waiting area and Nurses' Station.
"Gwen?" Flash jumped to his feet. "Hey! Glad to see you! Has there been any word?"
"We haven't heard a word from Peter, Flash." Robbie noted Exhaustion clearly engraved across Flash's face. "You need some sleep, Son. Perhaps you should head home for a few hours at least?"
"Someone needs to stay with Gwen. I can't sleep with everything that's going on. Thanks anyway, Mr. Robertson." Flash stretched. "The coffee's not the best but it keeps me going."
"I need some of that go-go juice myself. What a night at that studio!" She fixed herself a coffee. "Would you like some, Mr. Murdock?"
"No thank you, Mrs. Parker. I'm fine." Murdock turned to Flash. "I'm sorry. I'm Matt Murdock, an attorney."
"Flash Thompson." Flash shook Murdock's hand. "You're like the best attorney in New York! Wow." Awe numbed his mind. "You know Pete?"
"We have a mutual friend. Besides Mr. Jameson has a few charges of his own to answer for." Murdock kept his head down. Despite the fact he'd made out Flash's profile very well, he acted otherwise. "Were you at the wedding as well?"
"Flash was the best man, Mr. Murdock. He saw the whole thing along with the rest of us." She looked at the nurses' station. "There's nobody on the desk?"
"Nurse is doing her rounds. She'll be back in a couple of minutes." Flash took another gulp of coffee. "Gwen, Dr. Bromwell was talking about getting Mrs. Parker away from the situation. Guess she can't take the stress with Pete being…you know?"
She nodded. "Aunt May's frail. She also still looks at Peter almost like a child. That's why she and I argued and she left." She frowned.
"She's going to have to deal with it if Peter and she are to have a relationship after this." Robbie pondered the deeper issues. "Did the doctor say anything else?"
"He wanted her to rest. He'll be back in the morning, Mr. Robertson. And…." Flash saw a man heading for the nurses' station. Recognition widened his eyes. "Gwen, I need to check on something. I'll be right back."
"Flash, what?" She shook her head trying to get his meaning.
"It's probably nothing. I'll be back." Flash hustled past the nurses' station and down the hall toward the patient rooms.
"If Flash and Mr. Murdock are here, I'll head home as well." Robbie glanced toward the hall where Flash had just gone down. There's only one way in and out of here. Flash would have had to see anyone coming in. "I have to fill my wife in." He shook Murdock's hand. "Thank you."
"My pleasure, Mr. Robertson. We'll be all right. I'll stay with them. We can have our initial consultation. As I said, Peter and I have a mutual friend. He wants to know how he's making out." Murdock guided her over to the chairs on the waiting room's other side.
Robbie nodded. "Good evening then." He headed for the elevator. Even though he'd resigned, he knew Betty or someone from the Bugle would be calling.
Some tasks were never done….