Involved in separate accidents. Russel and Finn end up sharing a cubicle in the ER on a busy night. As the hours pass, separately and together, they face issues of life and death, human nature, addiction, perceived shortcomings, love, romance, and sexual arousal.<br><br>Both men are feeling flirty and friendly at first, until they end up in a heated argument about what feature in a man is more important, his face or his body. After some time alone to think, Russel is eager to apologize for losing his temper and to explain where he was coming from. Unfortunately, Finn never returns from surgery, leaving Russel both sorry and worried.<br><br>Is Russel’s chance to make amends really gone? What will happen if the two ever do come face to face again? Can Russel win Finn over or will the need to prove his point screw everything up again?

An Arm and a Leg

Three more episodes of the same sitcom followed. Like a veteran TV watcher way beyond his experience, Finn would turn the channel whenever the show broke for a commercial, timing his return just right, as not to miss a single line of dialogue. Dude was a fast learner, and as long as he was flipping, dancing, or chuckling, I knew he was following rules.


At the end of the third Laverne and Shirley, Finn didn’t flip to another channel, though. I leaned over, to try to see him, his eyes, to make sure they were open. The way we were angled, my neck constricted, I couldn’t tell. “Hey.”


“You don’t sound awake.” He turned so I could see him, and we smiled at one another. Then I rolled to my back again, to stare at the ceiling and get my leg more comfortable. “Just wanted to make sure,” I said.


Not always behaving as maturely as I wished I could, I shrugged. “We’re a team…for tonight.”


Chapter 16