Chapter Two: Waiting

The hospital had been too quiet for the Ducks when they sat in one of its halls waiting for news. They hated it and were almost glad when Guy's mother told them that it would be best if they all went home and got some sleep. It had escaped their minds that there was school the next day. None of them wanted to go to school, they wanted to stay there and see Guy, but by the look Guy's mother had given them they knew that it might be a while before they got to see him.

Reluctantly, they left, went home, and tried to sleep. Connie had the hardest time. She was shocked by what had happened. Even though she and Guy were no longer together did not mean that she no longer had any feelings for him. Guy had been her first love and there was nothing that could take that away. Besides, she still cared for him.

School wasn't the same without Guy there. In each period when the teachers called roll, whatever Duck was there would say that Guy was absent, though they would leave out why. They walked the halls in silence, speaking to no one except each other in the halls, to ask if anyone had any new news.

Practice was even cancelled. Guy's mother had called Orion the night before and he knew that none of the Ducks would be up to playing. Even if they had, he wouldn't have made them. It was during their scheduled practice that Charlie called Bombay. After all, Bombay had been Guy's first coach and Charlie felt tat he needed to know.

A woman answered the phone, which Charlie recognized as the former Ms. McKay. She had been married to Bombay for a few years now. Calmly, she listened to Charlie as he told her what had happened.

"Gordon left for Minnesota late last night," she said. "I believe Orion called him to let us know."

"I didn't know," Charlie replied.

"It's all right. He should be arriving soon."

It just so happened that Bombay was walking into the school's skating arena as Charlie hung up the phone. The Ducks gathered around their old coach who tried to give them comforting words. Sadly, he couldn't think of any.

"I know this must be hard on all of you," he began, "but you all need to be strong, for Guy. He's going to need all of you."

"Have you heard anything?" Adam asked.

"We've been waiting and waiting, but no one seems to know anything," Connie added. "I tried calling his mother during lunch, but she didn't answer her cell."

"I'm afraid that I know as much as all of you," came Bombay's reply. "We are all going to have to wait just a little bit longer."