LOTF: Before and After

Phase 3: Chapter 57

There seemed to be no science behind Ralph's ability to stay standing on his own two feet as he hurried through the emergency room doors at Anna Shaw Children's Institute in Dalton. His entire lower body was shaking erratically with worry and agony, but there wasn't a force in the world that could've knocked him down before he got to Jack.

"For Jack Merridew please" Ralph tapped his hand impatiently against the reception counter. His parents both came up behind him shortly after.

"Are you family?" the receptionist asked after she looked up the boy's file to confirm his admission.

Before Laurie or Jeffery could answer, Ralph said "yes" without missing a beat. Jeffery locked eyes with his wife as he struggled to wrap his head around Ralph's undeniable pattern of lying for Jack without even hesitating.

"He's in with the doctor right now, but they're just monitoring his post-surgical condition. You should be able to see him shortly, but only one at a time given that he got out of surgery just last night" the receptionist flatly informed them.

Laurie was put off by how desensitized the hospital staff seemed to be to such heart-wrenching situations. Naturally, they'd have to adjust to seeing these things everyday. But Laurie couldn't imagine she ever would get used to seeing kids with broken bones, terminal illnesses, or covered in blood after a near-fatal car accident.

"Ralph!" Paige's distressed but alert voice echoed loudly through the waiting room. Laurie watched her son turn abruptly in the direction of the girl's comfortingly familiar voice. A spilt second hadn't passed before Ralph was halfway to the other side of the room, throwing himself into her arms.

Both the boy's parents sighed as they watched the two kids embrace, bonded by the horrific shared heartache that came with loving someone as unlucky and unfortunate as Jack Merridew.

"I'm so sorry, Ralph" Paige whispered, her face pressed softly against the top of his head.

"It's not your fault" Ralph squeezed her tightly as he quietly spoke, allowing the tears to flow freely down his face again.

Paige let go of him, stepping back a little to get a look at his traumatized little face. She smiled weakly but warmly down at him, tussling his hair with a sisterly-like affection she'd grown to feel for him.

"Is Jack okay? Where's your dad?" Ralph finally composed himself to ask, his eyes locked desperately with hers.

"Jack's gonna be fine" Paige assured him, more confidently this time than last. "He's a little banged up, but nothing he won't spring back from... Hi Laurie, Jeffery, thanks for coming" she looked over Ralph's head to greet his parents.

"Of course" Laurie smiled warmly at the girl as Ralph turned to look at them too. Paige, Laurie thought, looked like she hadn't slept at all since Jack was admitted.

"Can I see 'im?" Ralph turned back to the Merridew girl, a hopeful light in his worried eyes.

"I think so" Paige nodded, "just wait until the doctor comes out and okay's it. He's in there with Jack now. My dad went to pick up some food from the restaurant across the street."

Laurie and Jeffery sat in a couple empty chairs in the waiting room, settling down with the prospect of being here awhile. Paige sat down beside them, leaving Ralph on his feet by himself in front of the three adults. The boy was too antsy to sit. He spent the following sixteen minutes waiting for the doctor to come out and give him the all clear to see Jack.

"Miss Merridew" the man in the long white lab-like coat said as he approached them. Paige stood from her chair to greet him. "You're clear to go back in with your brother if you'd like. I've recommended he be cleared for discharge, so it should be approved in the next hour or so. I've provided him with detailed steps on how to care for his injuries so regardless of what happens with Child Intervention Services, at least he knows what he needs to do in order to ensure his recovery is a smooth and quick one. I wrote it all out for him too, just in case."