Takashi and Toryn met each other when they were five.
Became best friends at ten.
Were inseparable by time they were fifteen.
Built an indestructible bond at twenty.
And now at the age of twenty five, after twenty years of friendship, due to the...
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NEW YORK METHODIST HOSPITAL had average traffic. It was around five in the morning and traveling from Atlantic city back into New York had taken some time. But Takashi sped the whole way, managing to show up an hour and forty minutes after Toryn delivered the news on the phone.
The whole ride there had been Braelyn assuring Takashi and giving him words of support, love and encouragement. Toryn informed him that she and his grandparents from his mother's side were in Methodist hospital, which gave him some hope. It confused him because all he remembered was Toryn telling him his mother was dead.
"Excuse me," Takashi said out of breath, speaking to the odd looking receptionist. She had facial features that could make her pass for a young or old person however you looked at her. "I'm here for Laura Maxwell. I was informed she came in earlier this evening."
A deadpan expression sat on the overweight white woman's face. She'd been working here for over twenty years and saw the same thing over and over again. She had become desensitized to the things she saw and witnessed in her work environment. She typed a few things into the chunky outdated looking desktop, then looked at him with a nod.
"You're gonna go up to the ninth floor and take a left. You're gonna see a sign that says Head Trauma, follow that and it should take you to the waiting room."
Takashi and Braelyn were at the elevators before the lady could even finish the last few words. Takashi rapidly slammed the elevator button with his index finger, his jaws clenched severely. Braelyn felt so bad, she was also confused and scared. Not to mention really upset at Toryn. Because her irresponsible way of blurting out that kind of news over the phone, it caused Takashi to drive so dangerously he almost killed them twice. His mind was so scattered that he had drove down the wrong side of the intersection at one point, then through a red light nearly killing a man who looked like he was with his three kids.
The elevator finally opened up and they got on. Following directions took the duo right to the waiting room. It had a few other people but Takashi spotted Toryn and Laura's parents, Naydean and Charles. Lance was out of town as usual so it would be impossible for him to get here on time. He would be in by tomorrow morning the latest. Laura's mother was crying uncontrollably, while being consoled by her husband. Toryn was sitting across from them, a tissue up to her eyes as her foot bounced up and down repeatedly. She was so scared and didn't know what to do.
When she spotted Takashi she jumped up and ran into his arms. Braelyn stood next to him clutching his other arm, looking around. She wanted answers from someone but it didn't look like anyone was able to talk right now. Takashi pulled away, the strain in his voice visible but he was trying to stay strong.
"What happened? Where is she?" He had to whisper, it was the only way to keep himself from breaking down.
