Bad Boys Never Change

Aftermath

September 2018

I'm at work on my lunch break when Leo calls me from college.

"Mom have you heard what's happened at West Valley High, it's all over the internet?"

"No what's happened?" I say concerned.

"There was a huge fight, I've sent the video to your phone now. It's all uncle Johnny's students mom it looks really bad I wouldnt be surprised if any of the kids arent heading your way."

I thank him for sending it to me and I hang up so I can watch the video. Fuck me, the video looks vicious, so glad Leo wasnt still at school there.

As I'm about to finish off my pasta salad I get paged to head down to the admissions ward, I guess this is the kids coming in.

I'm told there is a boy being brought in with a spinal injury and then a few kids with cut and scrapes needing stitches etc.

I head into one side room and I'm shocked to see Amanda and Daniel in there with their daughter looking pretty badly beaten up.

"Hi Daniel, Amanda." I say walking in.

"Vanessa hey," they both look really upset and stressed.

I go to their daughter Samantha and check her over she has some nasty scrapes. But the cut on her bicep was the nastiness.

"Right Samantha, I'm Dr Dutch but you can call me Vanessa I've known your dad since we were 17 so think we can drop the formalities." I smile at her.

She smiles back but I can see true sadness in her young eyes. "Right let's get you patched up and give you a full check over." Her rattled breath worries me and the way she winced when she breathed in makes me think she may have a cracked rib.

"Right guys, I'm going to have to take Samantha down for an x ray, dont worry I think she might have a cracked rib so I just want to get her checked out to be on the safe side."

Daniel thanks me and they both look so rattled. I dont know what led to this but it's not good and I have a feeling Johnny might know more about this than he should.

As I wheel Samantha down, "Vanessa, do you know how Miguel is? Is he going to be ok?"

"Oh no, is Miguel the boy with the spinal injury."

She starts to sob, which makes her hold her side in pain. "I will find out honey and let you know ok, dont get upset. When we get back from your xray I'll go check on him for you."

"This is all my fault, this whole fight was my fault." 

"Oh honey you arent responsible for others actions, You just need to concentrate on yourself right now "

I wait as we get her xray and her results are all clear so I wheel her back up to her bedroom and as promised i went to check on Miguel.

As I go through i walk in on Miguel's mom shouting at Johnny. Johnny looks like a broken man and walks off and leaves them alone as he was asked to do he never even noticed that I was there.

I speak to the nurse in charge and I'm told that it doesn't look good, Miguel is in a coma and every hour now is crucial to his recovery.

How can I go back and tell Samantha that, the poor girl is going to be crushed and I must get in touch with Johnny he looks like he needs support too.

Where is Dutch when I need him, this is the type of day where I'd love to go home to my husband and bend his ear about my troublesome day.

I keep trying to call Johnny all night and it just keeps going to voicemail and now I'm really worried and concerned for his health and safety. We have just lost Tommy and now this he is so going to spiral again.