It felt like an eternity since they'd taken Dally back to the examination room. Soda looked around the small waiting area he and the rest of the gang had been left behind in, and he could see the worry etched on the faces of his friends and brothers. He had the same worry etched inside him and it was taking it's toll. A few minutes ago when they'd burst through those emergency room doors there were all kinds of medical staff crawling all over them ... people dressed in white asking questions and grabbing Dally from them so they could stick him on a gurney and wheel him away. There was no one in a medical uniform to be seen here now. Just a mother sitting with her sniffling child, an old man with his wife, and the gang. Waiting for word on Dally's condition was excruciating.
They had all stood there expectantly as Darry argued with the doctor. He was pushing Darry away from Dally's gurney as it was rolled down the hall.
"I promised him I'd stay with him, I'm coming back there with you!" Darry had been firm.
"Sorry, son ... only authorized personnel past these doors." the doctor had replied. "I understand your concern, but your friend is in good hands now. We'll have him sedated in a minute or two. He won't even notice you're not with him." And with that the doctor and Dally were gone.
They felt helpless now, with nothing to do but imagine the worst. Soda tried to preoccupy himself by looking around, but he felt himself shudder as he took in the sights, sounds, and smells of the waiting room. Hospitals. They're the worst. Terrible memories washed over him. Memories of Pony being sick with pneumonia, memories of Johnny all cut up and bruised and broken after the socs jumped him, memories of that awful night after the accident when he'd come with Darry to identify his parents. After some of the things they'd endured, the gang had all but lost their optimism. And who could blame them?
Soda's deep thoughts were interrupted as a voice broke through the stillness of the room.
"Excuse me gentlemen, I've got an update on your friend."
(Thanks for reading! I promise I won't leave you hanging too long ... next chapter is nearly done. Please review! Thanks so much for all the lovely encouragement so far - tulsagirl7:)