Chapter 30

Finally, after what seemed like days, the nurse returned to the waiting room and told him he could visit Chris in the ICU.

“Where’s that?”

She directed him to the ICU ward and he thanked her before making his way there. He walked quietly into the ward, which held four beds, all of them occupied. At last he found Chris in the bed on the left next to the window, and stood for a minute looking down at the man he’d loved for so long.

“How are you doing, buddy?” Mickey said.

Chris opened his eyes and sort of croaked, “Okay.”

“What’s the matter with your voice?”

“He was intubated during the surgery,” a vaguely familiar voice said from behind him.

Mickey turned and saw Dr. Cobb.

“They stuck a tube down his throat to help him breathe,” Dr. Cobb said. “The hoarseness will go away in a day or so. Right now, he could probably use a sip or two of water.”

Dr. Cobb began to check Chris for whatever doctors check surgical patients for, pronounced himself satisfied, and left the room.