His grandmother leaned forward. "Would you please use the computer and tell me where they were placed?"
His grandmother smiled at the woman, but it really didn't seem like a smile, more like a throw down. He'd seen fights at school. His stomach felt the same way now, like it was upset, and he was waiting for something bad to happen. The way his grandmother was looking at the nurse, he could tell she really didn't like the woman, but she was being really nice to her anyway. His eyes bounced to the other woman.
"I'm sorry, I think it's broken."
"Do you?" His grandmother asked. "Without even wiggling the mouse, you believe your computer is broken.
"Yep." The woman smiled at his grandmother. "Maybe you should go back down to the emergency room and ask again."
"Oh. I see." She leaned toward the counter a bit. "Emma is it?"
The woman smiled at his grandma. Kinda.
"Well, Emma. My husband, Chauncey King, is the Commissioner of Hope City's Police Department. Our grandson's mother and father, a police detective and a DEA agent, were brought to this hospital almost two hours ago. Now, I can have my husband, as busy as he is, contact the Executive Director of the Hope City Hospital System and ask the exact same question I'm asking you. I'm sure he can take time out of his evening with his family to find out where they are. Of course, I'd be sure to explain the exceptional help we've received here today. I’ll be sure to mention you by name." His grandmother smiled at the woman again.
The woman's eyes narrowed, and she sat down at the computer. She hit the keys hard. "What are the names again?" the woman snapped.
"Brody King and Amber Swanson."
"Mr. King is on the fourth floor. Room 412.There is no record of a Swanson being admitted."
"What does that mean, Grandma?"
She put her hand on his shoulder. "I don't know. Let's go see your dad and maybe he'll know where she is."
He swallowed hard and asked, "She's okay, right?"
"I'm sure she is, Gage. Your grandfather would have told me if there was a serious injury. Now, let's pop up and see your father." She headed away from where Aunt Dawn was waiting.
"Don't you want to tell Aunt Dawn where we're going?"
She opened a door which led to a flight of stairs. "We'll come back down and tell her as soon as we know where your mom and dad are. Up you go." She motioned to the stairs and they started walking.
"Why was she so..."
"Unpleasant?"
Gage made a choking sound. "Yeah, that." He'd call her a bitch. But not around his mom or any other adults. Around the guys, though, yeah. That's what he'd call her.
"Maybe she was having a bad night." His grandmother couldn't hide her smile.
"Maybe she's always like that," Gage countered.
"Probably." She laughed as she agreed. "Most people are nice if you're nice to them."
"Most. Some are real jerks."
"And that's a life lesson, young man. Fortunately, the majority of people you deal with will be nice."
Gage opened the door for his grandmother like he'd seen his grandfather do, and she smiled at him. "Thank you." She stopped inside the door and looked at the numbers on the wall. "All the way to the end I think."
They approached the counter and the nurse behind the desk looked up. "Oh! Mrs. King?"
His grandmother stopped and smiled. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't recall your name?"
"I'm Candice. I was Brock's nurse while he was with us last winter."
"Oh, yes. Candice, so nice to see you again. My son Brody was admitted?"
"Yes, ma'am. Right this way. I thought you'd be here sooner." The woman stepped away from the desk.
"We had a slight problem and were routed to the third floor. We've been waiting for almost two hours. I finally had to talk to the nurse on duty at the station."
"The third floor? That's for same day surgeries and by this time of night there's only an aide on duty because the floor should be vacant." Candice stopped. "She let you sit there for two hours?"
His grandmother nodded.
"I'll talk to my supervisor and see what we can do."
"Thank you so much. Could you also call down and ask the young lady, Emma, I think her name is, to be so kind as to tell his aunt and any of our family who have gathered to come upstairs?"
"Absolutely. Your son is this way." They started to walk again.