Chapter 47

“Follow me,” he said.

We walked past the triage desk, through the double doors to the treatment area. It was even more chaotic back there. Dr. Berk stopped a few nurses and orderlies and then led the way to two adjoining, curtained,-off treatment areas.

Alan turned to me, put his hands on my shoulders and asked. “David, are you ready?”

I swallowed hard. “Yes.”

He pulled back the curtain. We walked in.

The calm and control I had functioned with since the phone call vanished. On one gurney was my life, my love, his head completely bandaged, tubes sticking in and out of his body everywhere. On the other was my boy, legs and arms in splints, two black eyes and yards of tape obscuring his magnificent chest. My legs gave way. Dr. Berk steadied me.

One of the attending physicians turned and walked over to us. He did not look pleased that I had been brought here and seemed even less pleased when my relationship to Andy was explained, but he was polite nonetheless.