After the death of their mother, Chris Bottoms adopted his little brother Ted, and Chris and his partner Mickey settle down to raise him. Through paperwork left by his mother, Chris learns his brother has a deeply troubled past.<br><br>During a Thanksgiving visit with Chris and Ted’s maternal grandparents, they find out Chris’s grandfather allowed his friends to abuse Ted, so Chris severs all ties with that side of his family.<br><br>Through his job at a hospital, Chris hears of a surgeon at the Mayo Clinic who has developed an ileostomy reversal technique that has proven successful in cases like his. When Chris enters the clinic for preliminary testing, he learns he is a good candidate for the procedure and schedules the first of two surgeries for the beginning of January. A visit from estranged relatives while he’s in the hospital leaves him wondering how many secrets one family can have.

Bottoms Out

MICKEY FLEW TO Atlanta with Chris and Ted on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and went with them to keep Ted’s weekly appointment with Lydia Brannon.


“You’ll need to know how to get to her office in January,” Chris said. “Assuming Dr. Banzhof takes me on.”


When they entered her office, Lydia said, “This must be Ted’s Uncle Mickey. I’m so glad to meet you at last, Ted talks about you a lot.”


“Oh, yes. He talks about both of you.”


“We’re on our way to Arkansas for Thanksgiving,” Chris said. “I promised my grandmother that we’d bring Ted to see her as vacation schedules permitted.”


“Very good,” she said. “Now, if you gentlemen will return to the waiting area, I’ll begin my session with this young man.”


In the waiting room, Chris said, “Well, what did you think of her?”


“I can certainly see why kids take to her,” Mickey said. “There’s something about her that makes you feel comfortable.”


Chapter 49