BRIAN'S POV
As I left, I closed the door behind me—only to find I wasn't alone! It seemed I'd gained an entourage—for Michael, Daphne, Debbie, and Jennifer had come!
"How—how is he?" Michael asked. He recalled another time when he'd had to sit with me—when Justin had been bashed after the prom. "Do—do you need us to stay with you?"
I tried to answer, but no words came. Instead, the lump in my throat led to bitter sobs, Hands touched me—soft, gentle hands that just wiped my tears away.
"Is someone determined to take my Sunshine from me?" I was able to get out. "This makes two bombings he's been involved in—besides what happened after the prom!"
"I honestly don't know, Brian," Debbie said. Holding out her arms, she brought me close to her—as tears rolled down my cheek. "We love him—but we love you, too."
"Oh, Brian," Jennifer said, as she took a turn holding me, "I—I knew this must be affecting you, too. If you weren't already partners, I'd say you two were as close as brothers."
"It was her idea to come," Daphne reassured me, "not just to be near Justin, but to be near you, too."
We found a hotel near the hospital, and for the next few days, between visits, all we could do was huddle near the telephone for any news.