Ryan Phillips, a speech and language pathologist in the physical rehabilitation unit of a major university hospital, has recently been wounded by the ending of a relationship. He is called in to treat a patient suffering from a traumatic brain injury. In the course of his treatments, he begins to have feelings for the man.<br><br>But is he ready to be healed, and will the patient heal enough to be able to return the love growing between them? Can he find the words to express it?

Finding the Words

The man looked at him and smiled warmly. He raised his good hand and Ryan grasped it. André squeezed Ryan’s hand tightly. Then pulled him toward him and gave him a clumsy one-armed hug around the neck.


“I’ll see you this afternoon,” Ryan said grasping André’s arm and squeezing it. He felt a rush of warmth pass through his body, and center itself in his groin. 


“Yes, yes, yes,” André said enthusiastically, which brought a soft ‘humph’ from Mrs. Thompson, the meaning of which escaped Ryan. 


Ryan stepped back from the bed and excused himself. Walking out of the room, he pondered Mrs. Thompson’s response to the exchange between him and André, and chided himself for allowing his attraction to his patient to manifest itself. 


“Thank you for taking the time to talk with me,” Ryan said, addressing Mrs. Thompson as she sat across the desk from him in his office. 


“Yes, now what is it you need to know?” she said impatiently. 


Chapter 7