Chapter 40

Moments later, Bernie poked her head in his open door. She made a face. “Yikes. Did you wrestle with a giant strawberry?”

Rain looked down at his splotchy arms. His face wasn’t too bad though. He had some spots around his lips and was still swollen, but he could breathe right. “Come in,” he said, motioning for Bernie to enter. “Is Pip with you?”

“Of course he is. But do you want him to—”

“Yes, I want to see him.” Rain leaned in and stared at the door.

Pip came walking in. The moment he saw Rain, he burst into tears and rushed to the bed, pushing his head into Rain’s chest. Rain was still hooked up to a heart monitor and some other devices, so he tried to hold Pip without ripping anything out. Pip sobbed and Rain knew his sensitive son wasn’t only crying over seeing him in a hospital bed. No, it was everything all at once. He chose not to say anything. No comforting words. No promises of a better tomorrow. He held Pip tight and let him cry.