Page 115 of These Pucking Boys: Part Two

“The stitching in the corner with your name inside a heart. The camera got a pretty good shot of that.”

Turning my attention to the ice, I rub my face. I have all these conflicting emotions swirling in my chest that I need to sort out.

“I’m sorry to dump this on you when you’re already going through so much. I know she might be a crazy lady. If you want, I can talk to her first and figure out if she’s full of shit or not.”

I look at the intern, but I’m too stunned to give her an answer.

“Lachy!” Ryan calls my name.

He looks as white as death.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s June,” he says, sounding choked. “She’s been shot.”

RYAN

After the last time I had to drive to the emergency room because I poisoned Lachy with quinoa, I wasn’t keen on repeating the experience. Jake takes the wheel and gets us to the hospital as fast as he can. We rush into the ER still wearing our hockey gear save for the skates, causing a ruckus.

“We’re looking for June Summers. We were told she was brought here,” Jake tells the nurse behind the reception desk.

“Uh, please give me a moment.”

“We don’t have a moment! Where the hell is she?” I yell.

A man wearing scrubs and holding a tablet approaches us. “Sir, you need to calm down.”

“Don’t tell us to calm down.” Lachy takes a menacing step toward the man. “She was shot!”

He widens his eyes. “Oh shit. You’re Lachlan Stewart. I’m a huge fan.”

“Brilliant. Now tell me what where June Summers is.”

“Right.” He quickly starts to swipe the screen on his tablet. “She was brought in about an hour ago, and she’s in surgery now.”

I pull my hair back, yanking at the strands.We can’t lose her, we can’t lose her.

“How serious is her condition?” Jake asks.

The man blanches. “Uh... I-I can only give that information to a family member or a spouse.”

Lachy grabs the man by his shirt and pulls him closer. “We’re family. Now answer the question.”

“Ernest, should I call security?” the nurse asks.

“No-no, it’s fine. The wound wasn’t fatal, but only the surgeon can give you an update.”

Lachy steps back, releasing the guy. “Now, was that so hard?”

“There’s a waiting room upstairs.” He points at the hallway behind him. “If you follow the signs, you’ll find the elevators. I’ll tell the surgeon to come find you when he’s done.”

I take the lead, striding down the corridor with purpose. The people I pass turn their heads. I’m sure we wouldn’t be drawing so much attention if we were wearing regular clothes.

We find Katrina in the waiting room. She’s with her husband, Beau, and they both jump to their feet when they see us.

Katrina hugs me first, and I ask, “How did this happen?”

“I don’t know the details.” She steps back, then dabs her eyes with a tissue. “It all happened so fast. We were told there was an armed man in front of the school, and we were immediately put on lockdown. I didn’t know June had been shot until Principal Prescott told me.”

---