The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 174
The sterile, fluorescent-lit waiting room was suffocating, and the atmosphere was
thick with tension. I couldn't sit still; my foot tapped a restless rhythm on the worn
linoleum floor. Timothy was still beside me, his jaw clenched so tightly that I could
practically hear his molars grinding together.
Olive clung to my leg, her little fingers digging into the fabric of my jeans. She
was too young to understand the gravity of the situation, but she could sense the
unease that permeated the room. I tried to keep her distracted with a small
coloring book I'd found in the corner of the room, but her eyes kept drifting to the
swinging double doors that led to the trauma bay.
Every time those doors swung open, our hearts leaped into our throats, hoping
for news, dreading what we might hear.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the nurse emerged from behind those
doors. Her face was grim, and she looked worn out, like she'd been through a
battle of her own. Olive immediately perked up, her wide eyes fixed on the nurse
as if she held the answers to all her questions.
1 knelt down to Olive’s level, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Why
don't you color a bit more, sweetie? We need to talk to the nurse for a
moment.”
Olive nodded and went back to her coloring, her little face scrunched up in
concentration.
I turned my attention to the nurse, who had approached Timothy and me.
“Please, tell us how she’s doing,” I implored, my voice trembling with fear. and
anger.
The nurse sighed, her eyes filled with empathy. “We've stabilized Scarlett,” she
began, and I felt a surge of relief wash over me. The bullets didn't cause
Emergency calls only.
Chapter 174
as much damage as we initially feared.”
Timothy's hand found mine, and we held on to each other as if our lives
depended on it. In a way, they did.
“But,” the nurse continued, and my heart sank, “we’ll need to transfer her to the
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for further care and observation.”
“How long will she be in the ICU?" I asked, my voice quivering.
22% #13:30
The nurse hesitated for a moment before responding, “It's hard to say for sure,
but it may take a week or more before she’s ready to be discharged. We want to
make sure she’s stable and on the road to recovery before we release her.”
A week or more. The words echoed in my mind, and I felt a heavy weight settle in
my chest. A week of waiting, of not knowing, of fearing the worst. It was going to
be excruciating.
Timothy's grip on my hand tighterfed, and I could feel his frustration and
helplessness emanating from him. He opened his mouth to speak but was
interrupted by Olive, who had abandoned her coloring and was tugging at my
sleeve.
“Is Mommy going to be okay?” she asked, her innocent eyes searching for
answers.
I knelt down again to her level, trying to smile through my own fear. “We're going
to do everything we can to make sure she gets better, Olive. She's a fighter, just
like you.”
Olive nodded solemnly, and I couldn't help but admire her resilience. She was
only six years old, but she was already enduring more than any child.
should.
Emergency calls only
Chapter 1741
The nurse, sensing the tension in the room, stepped closer to Timothy. “Do you
two have any family we should notify?”
Timothy hesitated for a moment, his brow furrowing. “She was...she is my ex—
fiancé's sister.”
*022%
* D22% 13:30
I couldn't help but take note of his choice of words- “ex—fiance*. The wounds from
his broken engagement still ran deep, and Scarlett’s condition only added more
layers of complexity to an already twisted situation.
The nurse nodded understandingly and handed Timothy a clipboard with
paperwork. “I'll make you an immediate contact so you can stay updated on
Scarlett's condition. Please fill out these forms in the meantime.”
As Timothy began filling out the paperwork, I couldn't shake the feeling of anger
that had been building inside me ever since Scarlett had been. wheeled into that
trauma bay, Anger at the shooter, at the senselessness of it all, and at the
unfairness of life. Scarlett didn’t deserve this, especially if she’d been caught in
the crossfire of Bruce and I's feud.
I paced around the waiting room, trying to channel my anger into something
productive. Olive looked up at me, her innocent eyes filled with worry, and I
forced a reassuring smile. But inside, I seethed with rage.
“Why would someone do this?” I muttered under my breath, more to myself than
anyone else.
Timothy, still engrossed in the paperwork, didn’t respond. He was lost in his own
thoughts, his face a mask of conflicting emotions.
I watched as Timothy handed the completed paperwork back to the nurse and
then joined me by the window. Olive had gone back to her coloring, her tiny
fingers clutching crayons as if they were lifelines.
Emergency calls only Chapter 174
022% # 13:30
With every passing minute, the sterile hospital waiting room grew colder, and my
anxiety soared higher. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, the minutes stretching
into hours. I watched the clock on the wall, its ticking sound echoing in the
silence.
Timothy broke the oppressive silence. “Evie, it's late. We should get Olive home.
Heck, it looks like you both need rest.”
His words pierced through my spiraling thoughts, and I felt a sudden wave of
panic wash over me. I hadn't even considered what to do next, and the reality of
the situation was starting to suffocate me. Scarlett was in the ICU, fighting for her
life, and I felt utterly helpless.
I blinked back tears, struggling to hold myself together, but the dam of emotions
was about to break. “I don’t know what to do, Timothy,” I admitted, my voice
cracking with despair. “I feel so lost.
Timothy moved closer to me, his strong arms enveloping me in a comforting hug.
“Evie, it's going to be okay, he whispered, his voice soothing. “Let's get Olive
situated, and then we'll figure out the next steps.
I clung to him, my tears soaking into his shoulder. The weight of the situation was
unbearable, but in that moment, his support was everything I needed.
After a few minutes, I managed to pull myself together. With Timothy's reassuring
words still echoing in my mind, I nodded and gently disengaged from his
embrace, “You're right. I'll take her back to my apartment for now.”
Timothy gave me a reassuring smile and gently squeezed my hand. “I'll stay here
with Scarlett for a little longer, see if I hear anything else.”
His calm demeanor and unwavering support steadied me, and I felt a renewed
sense of purpose. I couldn't change the circumstances, but I could take care of
Olive, and that was a small comfort in the midst of the chaos.
Emergency calls only Chapter 174
*022%I 113.30
Olive, who had been engrossed in a picture book, looked up at us with wide,
curious eyes as we approached her. Her innocent gaze was a stark contrast to
the anger and despair that had filled the hospital room.
“Hey, sweetheart, I said, crouching down to her level. “We're going to take you
home for a bit, okay? Aunt Scarlett is going to be okay, but she needs
some rest.
Olive nodded, her little face filled with understanding beyond her years.
Timothy picked her up, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, her small
fingers clutching at his shirt. He kissed the top of her head lovingly, even though
that day was probably the first time he'd formally met her.
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We left the hospital, the automatic
sliding doors closing behind us with a
soft whoosh. The ightair @48 Ebb
7 53
apdridp )staik contrast to the
antiseptic smell of the hospital. I held
siy
Olive's hand as we made our way to
the parking lot. The content is on
Novelxo.org! Read the latest
chapter there!
As Timothy strapped Olive into her seat, she looked up
at me with a furrowed brow. “Evie, where are we going?”
I smiled down at her, trying to push away the fear that threatened to consume
me. “We're going to your Mommy's house, sweetie, to pack your things. You'll be
staying at my apartment for a little while, okay?”
Olive nodded, her trust in me unwavering. I wished I could protect her from the
harsh realities of life, shield her from the pain and uncertainty that had become
our new normal.
Timothy shut her door and turned to me, giving my arm a gentle squeeze. “You're
sure you're alright?” he asked once more..
Emergency calls only.
Chapter 174
I nodded, feeling slightly more stable. “I'm fine. Keep me posted on Scarlett.”
He waved as I sat in the passenger seat and buckled myself in. “Will do.”
Xuzz
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. ,
We arrived at Scarlett's house, a
quaint little bungalow tucked away in
a quiet Ea lianas
op carlett, her
absence a gaping hole in the familiar
surroundings. Olive handed me the
key to the entrance, her small fingers
trembling slightly. The content is on
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chapter there!
1 knelt down in front of her, taking her hands in mine. “You're going to be okay,
Olive. It'll be liking having a slumber party at my house!”
Olive nodded, her lower lip trembling.
We entered the house, and I helped Olive pack a small suitcase with her clothes
and some toys. After everything was donw. I did a quick suitcase check. making
sure she had everything.
“All set,” I told her, giving her a light pat on the head. “Let's go.
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As we left the house, the night had
grown darker, and a sense of
foreboding settled sare The dive
~
lis : .
beckitolthé hospital was filled with
silence, broken only by the
: SW
occasional sound of Olive’s soft
breathing in the back seat. The
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the latest chapter there!