Chapter 33

“Yeah, except that.”

Brody’s cell phone rang, and he looked at the display. “I don’t recognize the number, but it’s local.”

“Go ahead and answer it,” his father said.

Brody pushed a button on the phone. “Hello. … This is he. … Thanks, we’re in the hospital now, and we’ll be right up.”

“Was that the hospital?” his father said.’

“Yeah. They’re moving Pop to the ICU.”

“Is that a good sign?”

“Not really. It just means that nothing has changed, and they can do as good a job in the ICU as they can in Recovery. It also means he can have two visitors at a time.”

“What are we waiting for?” his father said.

They made their way to the appropriate floor and found the designated ICU ward. Mr. Murphy was in the bed nearest to the door, and Brody and his father walked up to it.

As he’d done the previous day, Brody leaned over and kissed his grandfather’s forehead, then he took hold of his hand and squeezed it.