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

It was kind of weird seeing him in so many clothes. Any clothes. Hat, glove—just the one—jeans, a coat, and a couple of layers under that, most probably, considering how cold it was. His injured arm was inside the coat, causing a protrusion on that side. People look so different in and out of clothes. Maybe I did, too. Maybe that was why Finn hadn’t spotted me.


Another group boarded before we took off, a large group, an onslaught, and then a few stragglers, to fill almost every seat. I considered calling out, hollering over the chatter of sixty people, but it would have done no good. Like the hippie orderly at Mercy, Finn had earbuds in.


The seatbacks were high. He’d never spot me now, unless I kept my good knee up like it was, so I could keep peering over. Doing it hurt like hell, but I could. Maybe I could.


“Get yourself situated, boo. Time to roll.”


Chapter 19