Page 71 of The Callahan Effect

"And remember, sweetheart, you're family now. We'll take care of you as well when we arrive," Mrs. Brooks assured.

I swallowed hard before ending the call. I remained where I was, Mason's phone resting loosely in my hands.

There was another call I needed to make.

Corey.

I hesitated only briefly before pressing the call button and he answered almost immediately.

He must have seen something in my face because his scowl morphed to concern.

"Jack?"

Did you watch Mason's game?

"No. Did something happen?"

Mason was hurt during tonight's game. He's in surgery.

The color drained from Corey's face.

"Is it bad?"

He took a hard hit. The surgeons are repairing a bad injury to his side. He also has a head injury but won't know anything more until he wakes up.

Corey's voice shook when he spoke.

"This is my fault. I'm coming."

Corey, what happened is NOT your fault.

"I should've called him."

There was nothing I could say to ease that regret.

I'll tell him we spoke and you're worried.

"Tell him..." He stopped, drew a steady breath, and tried again but his voice remained shaky. "Tell him his idiot best friend finally got his head out of his ass."

Despite everything, the corner of my mouth lifted.

I will.

"Keep me informed, Jack. I'll be busy so leave a message if I don't answer."

The call ended after assuring him I would.

On the way back to the waiting room, Amy stopped me.

"The entire hockey team is here." She fanned her face. "Goodness, those boys are too handsome for their own good."

I didn't point out she was old enough to be their mother. I wisely kept that observation to myself.

"They're in the Gardner Room so no one else is disturbed."

After thanking her with a nod, I changed direction to the Gardner room which was even closer to the surgery doors. Every player on the team, along with staff and my Dad stopped talking and turned to me expectantly.

I don't know much but Dr. Juneau, the surgeon, who's very good, said the injury to his side has likely damaged tendons and blood vessels and her team needed to take him into surgery to assess the damage. He didn't wake up on the way here so we don't know how bad the head injury is yet.