Ethan's POV
I paced around the hospital's waiting room, walking back and forth over and over again as I waited for Joyce to come out of Rachel's room.
My heart couldn't just stop beating loudly as numerous thoughts passed through my mind.
" Dude can't you relax? You've been walking up and down for almost an hour". Marina said with a groan and I glared at her.
" Relax? Rachel is in the hospital, badly beaten up and you want me to relax? How are you even relaxed? She is your best friend! "
Marina nodded admitting it. " Yes she is, that's why I'm so calm. You already promised that I'll be the one to deal with the officer who put her in here, I need to practice being calm now so I can go berserk on her later ".
Her tone may sound sweet, but I could read the hidden threat in her words.
I glanced at her from her head down to her feet.
" You just said you're calm yet your legs have been tapping none stop ". I said gesturing to her feet which she was tapping constantly on the floor.
" I said I was practicing being calm". She said rolling her eyes.
Although she was trying to act nonchalant, I could see she was really worried about Rachel.
Yesterday after returning back home, Marina and Mark cancelled the meeting because apparently Marina had a slight fracture on her head and had to be treated in a hospital.
Because of that Mark stayed with her the entire day, so I wasn't even able to talk to him, so to take my mind of Rachel's case I just buried my head inside a lot of work.
It was late at night when I remembered that I was yet to call the commissioner as I wanted to do earlier, so he could make sure Rachel was treated well here.
Of all the stations she could get arrested, it and to be some mediocre town prison.
I wanted her transferred as soon as possible, but knowing Rachel she might choose not to go if she found out the help was coming from me.
Nevertheless I called the commissioner and he assured me he would take care of it.
Wow then imagine my surprise when I woke up early this morning from a call from the chief of the station that Rachel had been in some mishap.
Apparently she was in a fight with an officer who brought her out in the middle of the night and beat her up.
He reassured me that Rachel had been brought to a hospital and was being taken care of but I didn't believe it.
The man on the phone was anxious, which meant that Rachel's state was critical, and since it was critical they would have rushed to the nearest hospital to the station, which I could bet would not be good since tbe entire town looked nasty, so I called up Joyce who had just returned back to the country few days ago to check up on her.
When I got to the hospital, I called up Mark to come over and surprisingly or not so surprisingly he came with Marina, because according to him she was with him when he received my call.
Now Joyce had been in that room for almost an hour now but yet I hadn't any news.
Marina only asked one thing of me as soon as she got to the hospital and that was to be the one to take care of the officer who beat up Rachel.
I had wanted to teach the bitch a lesson, but I decided to just let Marina do it since she has this dangerous vibe around her.
"Ethan, Marina is right. You need to calm down, Joyce is with her "Mark said as he walked towards us with two cups of coffee in his hands. He gave the first to me and the other to Marina who muttered a thank you as she collected it.
" By the way didn't you say this doctor was your friend? Don't you trust her?" Marina asked.
" Of course I trust her ".
I couldn't not trust her at this point.
Before she went into Rachel's room I had briefed her of everything that happened between me and Rachel so she would prepared in case Rachel turned her out, but thankfully she didn't.
" Then calm down... " She was just completing the sentence when the door to Rachel's ward opened and Joyce came out.
Marina immediately stood up and ran towards her. " How is she? "
"And yet she tells me to be calm". I muttered under my breath with a scoff.
Seeing Joyce walk out Rachel's room without any scratches, it meant Rachel was fine with her being there and also seeing that she wasn't panicking, it also meant Rachel was fine.
I sighed in relief as I walked pass them about to open the door.
"And where do you think you're going Mr?" Joyce called me back before gently removing my hands from the door.
My brows knitted in confusion. " I want to see Rachel".
Joyce shook her head defiantly. " I'm sorry but you can't right now or do you want to infuriate her?"
"But she's fine with you..."
" Yeah, me. And that's because she knows I'm neutral".
Neutral?
" I'm not on anyone side Ethan. If you want to win her trust, I can only cheer from the sidelines. " She explained after I gave her a look.
I was hurt by her words, but they somehow gave me some new found hope.
My lips hooked up in a grateful smile. " Thanks for coming over ".
She shook her head again. "I didn't come because of you, I came because it's Rachel".
"Really?" I asked with a scoff and she have me a 'duh' look.
"Do you think I would have showed up if it was another woman? Even my aunt likes her too, Rachel is a gem. "
"I know ". I muttered.
She really was a gem, and I couldn't let her slip off my hands, escape not because of a misunderstanding.
Marina waved at Joyce and she redrew her gaze on me and towards her. "Hi, I'm Marina her best friend, and seeing the way you guys talk to each other, I'm just curious... Em... How do you know each other? " Marina asked.
Joyce scoffed as if reading what I could read inside Marina's head.
" I know his sister ". Joyce answered and Marina nodded.
" Okay, uh... That makes sense, but who is your aunt then? " She asked again, and this time I rolled my eyes.
" She's just looking out for her friend bro". Mark whisper in my ears ams I sighed knowing fully well he was right.
" You were the lady who stayed with Rachel in the hospital right?"
Marina nodded stiffly.
"My aunt is Lenora Nielson ".
Marina's hands flew to her lips. " Holy shit!" She exclaimed. " That means you're Raine's cousin". She said and Joyce nodded.
" Now that we are done with all the introductions, where is the food I told you guys to bring for Rachel?"
I glanced at Mark who nodded, leaving us only to come back a few minutes later with a bag which had the Jens logo on it.
" Here ". He said giving it Joyce who smiled before winking at him.
" I had a feeling you'll be the one to bring it since I know Ethan is not that responsible". She said before walking back into the restaurant.
Responsible?
What did she mean by I'm not responsible? So Mark was the responsible one? I was the one who sent him for fuck sake!
I glared at Mark who blinked and looked at Marina who was also glaring at him.
"What did I do?"