Chapter 1
1
Jacksonville, FLCHRIS BOTTOMS HAD been in the hospital at the Mayo Clinic for several days, after having the first of two surgeries that would ultimately reverse his ileostomy. When he was discharged from the hospital, his partner Mickey O’Donovan took a long lunch hour and used it to bring Chris home.
“You had a hard time climbing those stairs, babe, I could tell,” Mickey said when they were in the master bedroom of their house.
“What’s your point?”
“My point is this: you are not to come downstairs for anything.”
“What if the house is on fire?”
“Sarcasm noted. If the house is on fire, you can come downstairs. Otherwise, you wait until your brother Ted gets home from school and ask him to get whatever you need that’s downstairs. I’ve put several cans of Coke and Sprite in the little wine cooler in the den, and there’s a couple of extra water glasses in the bathroom.”
“Aren’t you getting a little carried away?”
“I haven’t said anything to you that I didn’t hear you say to our friend Joe when he was using our spare bedroom while he recuperated from similar surgery.”
“It wasn’t similar surgery. He had an ileostomy, not step one of the reversal process.”
“Don’t be disingenuous, babe. Joe had serious abdominal surgery then, and you had equally serious abdominal surgery just a few days ago.”
“All right, already. I’ll be good.”
“Damn straight you will. And don’t get clever and slip downstairs to cook dinner—I’ll bring something home with me.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
“I meant that, Chris.”
“Okay, point made and taken. I’m going to do my Kegel exercises before I grab some shut-eye.”
“Kegel exercises?”
“I told you about them. Exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor. They become crucial after my second surgery. I’ve been doing them for weeks and weeks.”
“Oh yeah. Now I remember—wait a minute! Should you be doing them so soon after surgery?”
“Why not?”
“Chris, as I understand it, when you do those exercises, you’re using muscles that are awfully close to the site of your latest surgery.”
“Yeah. Maybe I’ll wait a couple of weeks before I start doing them again.”
“Good.”
“Now kiss me and get out of here so I can take a nap.” Mickey did so, and headed back to work.
Chris awoke from his nap disoriented until he realized he was home in his own bed, or to be more precise, his and Mickey’s bed. That’s nice, he thought, as he drifted off again. He was eventually awakened by pressure in his bladder, so he left his comfortable bed and made his way carefully into the master bathroom to take care of his needs. From there he went to the den, retrieved a can of Sprite from the little wine cooler, and settled down at his desk to catch up on his e-mail.
After that he went out onto the upstairs porch, but found it was a bit too chilly to sit in the swing in comfort. Early January can be so unpredictable in north Florida,he thought. Warm one day, cool the next. That thought reminded him of a conversation he’d had with Mickey, so he returned to the den and called the contractor they’d used to renovate the house. Satisfied that he’d done all he needed to do, he returned to his bed, carrying his Nook Tablet with him.
He dozed off with the Nook Tablet resting on his chest, only to be awakened by his little brother, Ted, whom he’d adopted after the death of their mother.
“You’re home, you’re home,” Ted said.
Chris shook off his grogginess and finally said, “You bet I am. How about a hug?”
Ted hugged him, and began to chatter about his day until Chris stopped him. “Have you taken care of the puppy?”
“Yes, Sir. He’s in his run.”
“When was the last time you inspected the fence?”
“Yesterday.”
“That’s good.”
“How do you feel, Papa?” Ted said.
“Not too bad, but I’m really tired, for some reason.”
“Maybe you need to go back to sleep.”
“I don’t think so. I’ve been napping on and off since Mickey brought me home.”
“Why don’t you come downstairs?” Ted said.
“I promised Mickey that I’d stay up here until I’m a bit stronger. Listen, Ted, there’s something you can do for me.”
“What?”
“When the doorbell rings, answer it. If it’s someone from the contractor, show him up to the den. I’ll be there, in my recliner.”
“Okay. What if the doorbell rings and it’s somebody else?”
“Tell them I can’t come to the door, and ask them to call back later.”
“What if it’s somebody I know, like Robbie’s dads?”
“In that case, you can show them upstairs.”
“Okay.”
“Good boy.”
Chris went to the bathroom to wash the sleep from his eyes, took one of the milder pain pills he’d been given when he’d been discharged from the hospital, and retired to the den with his Nook Tablet. A little before five, he heard the doorbell ring, and Ted yelled, “I’ll get it.” A few minutes later, Ted appeared in the den followed by the contractor.