Chapter Twenty-Four

Brian crouched against the wall outside of Greg's hospital room. Two nurses and a doctor were in there. They kept the door shut. At one point, they'd wheeled Greg out of the room without a word. Brian watched them head to the elevators. When they wheeled him back, he wasn't conscious.

Brian wasn't very good at feeling helpless, but there wasn't much he could do other than sit and stare at the closed door. If he could've taken away Greg's pain, he'd have done it in a heartbeat.

He buried his face in his knees.

His parents were never big on going to church every Sunday. He remembered going at Christmas and Easter, but that had been it. Brian hadn't been since he was a teenager. In high school his parents had allowed him to make his own choice, and what kid wanted to get up early every Sunday to sit in an uncomfortable pew to listen to some guy drone on about how much of a sinning idiot all humans were. In college, Brian had begun doubting God's existence. So much about the whole thing didn't make sense. As an adult, none of it mattered to his everyday life. He would start thinking about God again if it meant making Greg well.

Someone touched his shoulder. He turned and saw Kyler's face level with his. His shoulder bumped gently into Brian's. That was all the conversation either of them had. Both understood that the man behind the closed door meant everything and in that they found common ground. It was enough.

When the door opened, and the doctor came out, Brian and Kyler both stood. "Which one of you is Brian?"

Brian cleared his throat and grabbed Kyler's hand, holding on to it. "That's me, ma'am. Is he okay?"

"He will be. The muscle in his leg tore due to his injury. It's not life-threatening but it is adding to his pain level. When we were running tests, he panicked. He's probably a little claustrophobic. Lots of people are."

"He was stuck under a four-wheeler for hours." It didn't matter if Brian pointed that out, as they'd already traumatized Greg with whatever tight space they'd put him in, but Brian still thought he should say it.

"Right. Well, we had to sedate him. Because of his allergic reaction, we're taking precautions. He's awake now and stabilized. We'll continue to keep a closer eye on him until the sedative works out of his system." The doctor pushed her glasses up.

"Thank you. Can I see him?"

"He's been asking for you." The doctor smiled and turned toward the nurse's station.

Brian couldn't get in to see Greg fast enough.

Greg had deep shadows under his eyes. Pain had etched itself onto his face. He closed his eyes, but Brian could tell by his breathing that he was awake.

Brian went around the bed and took his hand, kissing him gently on his cheek.

"Hi, honey. Sorry, I scared you." Pain laced through Greg's voice in a way it hadn't before.

Brian kissed him again and ran his fingers through Greg's hair. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

He turned and grabbed one of the chairs in the corner of the room, pulling it next to Greg's bedside. He held Greg's hand and let Kyler have his moment.

Kyler stood at the foot of his bed, his hands in the pockets of his baggy jeans. He wouldn't look at Greg. It was as if he was the cause of the pain.

"Stop it," Greg said, his voice sounded much clearer. "You didn't give me bad karma or whatever crap your aunt always said. Come here."

Kyler came around to the other side of the bed and leaned down, placing his cheek against Greg's chest. He whispered something that Brian couldn't hear.

"Yeah, if he's around."

"He's in the waiting room." Kyler straightened and left the room, probably getting Leonard.

Brian shrugged and fussed with Greg's blanket. Greg patted the bed. "Absolutely not. I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't. "

"Yes. I will." Brian would not bend, and Greg eventually figured that out.

"Where's Molly, honey?"

"She's staying with Beverly right now. She's fine." Brian had to smile at the sudden change of topic.

Greg's gonna live.

He ran the thought through his mind on repeat until it settled into his bones. Brian took a deep breath through his mouth and let it out through his nose when the tightness in his chest loosened.