It would be a long pair of surgeries, and a long day...
Chapter 24
Karen, Peyton, Brooke, and Haley had by now become familiar fixtures in the waiting room. Whereas they had previously been accompanied by Nathan, he had now assumed a more active role in Lucas's recovery. In his stead was his mother, Deb. She and Karen flipped absently through the magazines on the table, glancing at the clock often. Peyton was doodling in a sketch pad, trying to make sense of what was happening, and Brooke was pacing—making everyone else even more nervous. Haley sat staring at the floor, her head in her hands. They all stood to lose much, but none more than Haley—at that moment, her best friend and her soul mate were under anesthesia. Despite the medical staff's promises that the operations were as safe as possible, the risks seemed amplified now that both boys were undergoing procedures.
Every time someone walked by the waiting room, five pairs of eyes immediately turned in that direction. A few times, people even entered the waiting room, but they were invariably looking for someone else.
A nurse entered the room, several hours after the operations had begun. "I'm looking for the family of Nathan Scott?" she said.
At last, it was time.