Chapter 11

Justin’s aunt, Jan Scott, quickly made her way through the ER department of Mercy General Hospital in search of Dr. Shannon. She happened to catch a glimpse of his back as he was entering one of the many cubicles in the area.

“May I help you ma’am?” asked a young nurse who happened to cross paths with Jan.

“Yes. I need to speak with Dr. Shannon. He’s treating my nephews. My name is Jan Scott.”

At that moment, Dr. Shannon happened to be exiting the cubicle and heard Jan’s voice.

“Jan…it’s great to see that you made it okay,” said Dr. Shannon as he quickly walked up to the young woman and gave her a strong hug.

“Thanks Cindy for helping Jan,” said Dr. Shannon to the nurse, who smiled then walked away from the pair.

“Thanks for the hug Dr. Shannon…I really needed that. How are my boys?”

Dr. Shannon released his hold on Jan and looked down at her. She looked tired, but that was to be expected after hearing the news of Justin’s collapse and JC’s near drowning, not to mention a long plane ride so late at night.

“They’re resting comfortably. Justin is beginning to recover from shock. When he first arrived at the ER/Trauma Center he had a full blown panic attack when he woke up and saw JC lying in the next bed.”

Jan took in a sharp breath at the news.  

”Justin must have been so afraid to see JC. Chris briefly told me what had happened to him during the accident and how he had fainted in one of the paramedic’s arms...” Jan became quiet…lost in her jumbled thoughts for a moment. Dr. Shannon understood how she felt…he had been there almost 10 hours ago himself when the paramedics told him from the accident scene who would be coming in for treatment. It was almost as if he were being told one of his own family members was being brought in. He inwardly shuddered at the memory then shook it off.

”Justin is going to get over this Jan. It’s just going to take time.”

Jan nodded her head then asked about JC’s condition. She had been upset to hear about Justin from Chris, but when he told her that JC had come so close to being lost, Jan could have died herself.

“JC is suffering from a mild concussion, but his lungs are clear and his breathing is normal. I did have to order sedation for him. He became quite upset when he heard what had happened to him.”

Jan’s eyes began brimming with tears upon the news, but she quickly swiped them away with a very determined look.

“I’m sorry…I was determined that the last tears that I shed where on the plane for the time being. I want to be there for the boys right now…I need to stay together in front of them.”

“I want you to know that I’m very thankful that you were able to come Jan. The boys…all 5 of them really need you right now,” said Dr. Shannon as he again gave Jan a brief hug. 

Jan nodded her understanding then asked about the rest of the boys.

“How are the rest of them holding up?”

“Joey and Chris are acting as I would expect anyone to act in these circumstances. They have both been emotional to the point of breaking down in tears on several occasions. It’s Lance that concerns me most though.”

“Why…what’s wrong with him?” Jan’s mind raced with questions about the shy young man that she had affectionately nicknamed Missy.

“He has not shown any emotions at all Jan and that has me concerned about what will happen when he finally does.” Dr. Shannon ran a hand through his hair and then placed it on Jan’s shoulder.

“Can I see them?” Jan asked. She was anxious to not only see each of the young men, but to also touch them…to hold them in her arms. She knew that if she could just see them and touch them, things would be much easier for her to handle.

“Sure…let’s go.” Dr. Shannon took Jan gently by the arm and led her through the ER waiting area toward the elevators.

“I have them on the top floor,” he said as they entered one of the elevator cars.

“I’ll need to give you a special key for access and you’ll need to wear a special pass each time you visit the boys,” he explained as the car slowly began to rise to the top floor of the hospital.

Once the elevator doors opened, Dr. Shannon led Jan to a receptionist’s desk and retrieved a pass for her to wear. After clipping the pass to her blouse, Jan followed Dr. Shannon down the long corridor to the special suite that held the boys.

“I put them in our largest suite. It has enough beds and sofa beds for everyone, including you, to rest.”

“How long will they need to stay here?” asked Jan as they finally approached the closed door.

“I want to keep them at least 24 to 48 hours, but with you here, we may be able to release them both by tonight,” said Dr. Shannon as he looked at his watch, seeing that it was indeed after midnight, “if everything is going well for them.”

“I’ll trust your judgment on that…I know you won’t release them too soon,” said Jan.

“I think that if they are home, their recovery may be much easier for them...for all them.”

Jan gave a small smile and Dr. Shannon explained that he had to return to the ER but he would be up later on to check in on the boys.

“Thank you Dr. Shannon,” said Jan as she slowly opened the door and walked inside the quiet room.

Twelve