50. Chapter 50
Chapter fifty
Alex
The harsh fluorescent lights stung Alex’s eyes as he tried to open them. He looked around the room, not recognizing his surroundings. Despite his throbbing headache, he could determine he was in a hospital room. Where was he, and––more importantly––where was Danyal? Alex looked down at the man sleeping peacefully, leaning over the side of his hospital bed. He gently placed his hand on the back of Galen’s head to wake him.
Galen turned his head with marks from the blanket on his face from where he had been sleeping.
“Yu’re awake! Let me get Veronica.”
“No,” said Alex. “First, tell me where I am and what has happened to Danyal.”
“Relax, Danyal is here unharmed. Let me get Veronica.”
“No,” said Alex. “Where am I?”
Galen took a deep breath before responding, “Promise yu’re not going to overreact.”
“Galen, you need to tell me now.”
Galen sat back down by the side of the bed and said Alex was in one of the medical treatment rooms at PGC.
“How long have I been out?” said Alex.
“You’ve been unconscious for seventy-two hours.”
“Seventy-two hours? That’s three days!”
Galen said Bruno warned him about channeling pure vortex energy. “Ya overheated and needed time to cool down. Ya survived the ordeal, but yur body needed time to recover. Ya missed a bumpy ride back because we had to wait for the storm to clear, since no one could part the storm for us.”
“Danyal?”
“Let me text Veronica to give you an update,” said Galen as he pulled out his phone.
“Alex!” said Veronica as she entered the door on the other side of the room from Alex’s hospital bed. She leaned in to kiss Alex on the top of his head. “Welcome back.”
“Please, how is Danyal?”
“All in good time,” said Veronica. “We need to address your situation first. You came here with the worst case of exhaustion I’ve ever seen, and we couldn’t give you IV fluids until Galen had an idea to remedy the situation.”
Alex looked down and wondered how he missed the IV in his right hand. The dagger must have been used for it.
“You are a resourceful bunch,” said Alex. He reached his hand to his face. “Can I get this feeding tube out of my nose?”
“Of course, Alex. I want you to take it easy,” said Veronica. “No extracurricular god activities, if you know what I mean.”
“Understood. Please, just give me an update on Danyal.”
Veronica smiled and said Danyal was at Mass General under Dr. Anderson’s care and was being treated by the best coma specialists in the country. She added she was happy to report he had been showing steady improvement. The radioactive isotopes in his system were now undetectable, and he was displaying brain patterns indicating he might soon wake from his coma.
Alex dropped his head back on his pillow and took several deep breaths before responding through tears that he didn’t know what to say; she’d given him the best news of his life. He said he wouldn’t forget her efforts and would do whatever he could to repay her.
Galen placed his hand on Alex’s shoulder and smiled.
Alex placed his hand on Galen’s. “When can I see Danyal?”
“I see no reason why you can’t see him today, as long as you didn’t overexert yourself,” said Veronica.
Alex nodded, and Veronica said she’d have a nurse to assist Alex getting dressed.
“I gotcha,” said Galen. “Think I’m qualified to dress him, drive him to the hospital, and push a wheelchair.”
Veronica gently removed the feeding tube. She left the room as Galen pulled the wheelchair to the bed. Galen helped Alex stand, and Alex placed his arms around Galen. They stood in silence, embracing.
“Yu’re going to have to let go so ya can get changed,” said Galen.
“I know,” said Alex. “I just can’t believe that, after all that’s happened, the ordeal is nearly over. I truly wouldn’t have made it here without you, Galen. I hope you know how much your friendship means to me.”
“Feel the same, mate. Ya’ve changed mah life in so many ways. Mostly for the better,” said Galen as he chuckled. “Where do we go from here?”
“I see a bright future for us, a lifelong friendship. But for now, help me dress and take me to Danyal.”
Alex’s heart raced the entire drive to Mass General. As Galen opened the door to Danyal’s hospital room, Alex couldn’t hold back his emotions.
“He looks so much better,” said Alex through tears. “His color is returning, and he’s starting to look like my Danyal again. Although I’m not sure about the beard. I think it hides his handsome face.”
“Don’t know,” said Galen. “Clean up the beard, maybe; it could suit him.”
Alex smiled. “Agree to disagree; I’ll have to see how it feels when I kiss him.”
Galen rolled Alex up to the side of the bed. “I can see his spark,” said Alex. “It’s much stronger than before.”
“Good thing?” said Galen.
Alex said it meant he was healing as he picked up Danyal’s hand and kissed it. “I’m going to nurse him back to health, and we’re going to get our lives back on track. Everyone gets a happy ending.”
“Not everyone,” said Galen. “Zoe’s memorial service is today.”
“I’m so sorry, Galen,” said Alex, “that was insensitive of me. I’m so sorry for your loss. It pains me I couldn’t save her.”
“I know, Alex.”
“Are you going to the service?”
“Not sure,” said Galen.
“I know it won’t be easy, but you have to. I can hold down the fort here. Do what you need to do for you, and for Zoe. Don’t leave any regrets.”
“Andrea and Michael said they’d go with me. Andrea says she’ll wear a dress. Gorilla says he’ll wear a suit,” said Galen.
“Oh my,” said Alex with a laugh. “Sneak some pictures if you can. I struggle with imagining either of them wearing anything other than camo.”
Galen said it had been a while, but they cleaned up well. He added he needed to head back and clean up. “Will need to discuss future arrangements for when Danyal moves into the penthouse so ya can have space.”
“That’s a conversation and a bridge we will cross much later. Be with your friends, and please share my condolences with Zoe’s family.”
Galen nodded and kissed Alex on the top of his head. “Ya deserve a happy ending, Alex Lieth,” he said before leaving the hospital room.