Author's note, sorry this chapter is so short! The next one will be longer! Promise!

I hated all waiting rooms.

This one belonged in its own special part of hell. I was seated in a chair that felt like some medieval torture device.

Granted there were two other seats.

A chair in the corner of the room, next to the rack of magazines that held titles such as "Pregnancy", "Highlights", and my personal favorite a 1982 issue of "People" and those were the good magazines. The chair had a spring in the center , which violated me.

The other seat, was on a couch, beside a woman who had a boob job that made Pamela Anderson look modest. This person had a sequined leopard stretchy jogging suit, heels, platinum hair, fire engine red lips, and an Adams apple.

So I remained seated in the chair that realigned my spine.

But that was not the worst part, oh no.

No, no, no.

The TV was on some Spanish soap, which I didn't mind, from my limited Spanish I got that Juan was seeing Anita while sleeping with her cousin Benny, scandalous!

There was a small couch full of teenage girls, apparently their slumber party had gotten a little crazy. Some girl named Kimberly was in the E.R. with a concussion. I didn't even want to know. The pack of them giggled amongst themselves and pointed at me. I really wished I had worn a shirt, they were annoying.

Then there was a honeymooning couple. The best part of the waiting room. The bride had given her husband whip wounds. From what I overheard of their conversation she had surprised him with her kinky habits.

When the waiting room door opened and Sanderson came in I was beyond relieved! Humera followed him with a bag of pretzels in one hand and a Gatorade in the other. She plopped right down beside the person dressed in animal skin.

Sanderson came over to me and I stood up, he looked at me with all the concern a friend would have, "Are you all right? What happened?"

I just told him, "McKnight…we think he had'a heart thing. Dunno. Diana is in there with'im."

Sanderson didn't hug me other anything cheesy like that, he patted my shoulder and asked, "Anything I can do?"

I shook my head, "Nah. He dun went up in surgery, Diana is up there with'im. It's just a wait an see thing now."

My friend nodded then checked his watch, "Look Hoot, you've been here three hours. This could take a while. Why don't you go back to your house, shower, change, get some clothes for Diana and pick up some breakfast? I'll stay here and if anything happens I'll give you a call?"

I hesitated.

But he was right, there was no telling how long then surgery would take, or how long I would have to wait before I was allowed to see him. So I nodded, "A'ight. You want somethin?"

Sanderson thought about it, then jerked his head toward his wife, who was eating a handful of pretzels. "Take Humera with you. She didn't get a chance to eat breakfast of get something to do."

I nodded but told him, "If something happens just make sure Diana ain't alone. A'ight?"

"Yeah, don't worry," Sanderson assured me.

Right.

I gave my friend a smack on the arm in thanks and then headed towards the door, "Humera, you hungry?"

The pregnant woman quickly rose and waved to Sanderson who was looking round the waiting room at the seating situation.