No More Mio Amore

Chapter 15 “Living For Him”
 

December 9, 1999

Brian took a large bite of his sandwich and his stomach seemed to appreciate the taste because it let out a loud grumble.

Michael laughed. “Jesus, Brian, when’s the last time you ate?”

“I had a cereal bar from the vending machine this morning,” Brian answered and took another bite of his sandwich. “The roast beef on this is fantastic.”

“It is,” Mikey agreed. “We should come here tomorrow too.”

“Yeah, that Rueben that guy’s eating looks good too.” Brian pointed at a good-looking young brunet sitting at a table beside theirs. “I think I’ll get that.”

Mikey grinned at Brian and asked, “The guy or the sandwich.”

“The sandwich,” Brian quickly answered.

“Are you… feeling okay?” Michael asked. He reached across the table and put his hand on Brian’s forehead.

Brian knocked his friend’s hand away. “I’m fine, Mikey,” he groaned.

“Did you miss the ‘take me home and fuck me’ look he gave you?” Mikey gasped.

“I didn’t miss it,” Brian replied, dabbing his mouth with a napkin. “I’m not interested.”

“But…but… he’s hot,” Michael whispered in distress.

Brian shrugged. “He’s nothing special.”

“But…”

“Hang on,” Brian said, holding up his hand. He grabbed his vibrating cell phone out of his pocket and answered it. “Hello?”

“Brian, it’s Cynthia!”

Brian’s face fell and his body temperature rose. “What’s going on?”

“You need to get to the hospital immediately,” she told him.

Brian stood up and looked at Mikey. “Come on, we have to go,” he ordered his friend, already walking to through the restaurant toward the door.
 

****
 

Brian wiped at the tears that fell down his cheeks. “So what do I have to do?” he asked the respiratory specialist.

“There isn’t anything you can do, Brian,” the man spoke. “We just have to wait until he wakes up. He’s stable and has taken to the surgery well. ”

“Where is Dr. Rhine!” he yelled. “Sherry said she was on her way.”

The man nodded. “I’ll go see if she’s arrived.”

Brian paced back and forth in front of the windowed NICU surgery room where his son was once again hooked to dozens of machines. He mumbled and prayed for his son’s health as he waited for Gus’ doctor.

“Brian,” Anna spoke softly as she turned down the hallway.

Brian practically ran over to her. “Tell me how this could’ve happened? Where were you?”

“Brian,” Anna spoke gently. “I was at my wedding shower. I had my phone on, but it was in my purse and I didn’t hear it ring. I’m sorry. Dr. Stone just caught me up on Gus’ condition.”

“You promised me that you’d always answer your phone!” Brian cried in anger. “You promised me!”

Anna cautiously put her hand on Brian’s shoulder. “I know I did. I’m sorry, Brian; really I left the moment I got the messages.”

Brian sighed and growled, “Tell me what we do now.”

“Where’s Cynthia?” Anna asked.

“She’s a mess, so I sent her home to sleep a few minutes ago.”

“Why don’t we sit down,” she suggested, motioning to the seats a little further down the hall.

Brian looked at his son and shook his head. “I don’t want to leave him. I’m not leaving him alone here again until he comes home with me.”

“Brian,” Anna’s voice broke. “We have to talk about that.”

Brian rolled his eyes as he looked back at the doctor. “Don’t worry about saving my feelings. I’m not stupid. I know that he won’t be coming home for Christmas.”

“No, he won’t,” the woman spoke in a sad voice. “Did Dr. Stone explain why Gus had to have surgery?”

“Of course he did,” Brian replied, agitated. “I wouldn’t have consented otherwise. I want to know how this happened? Why didn’t we know about the Pulmonary Sequestration? The last time his lungs were tested, they were fine.”

“This is something that is very hard to diagnose. It’s known as the ‘ghost lung’ because no matter what tests we take, we can’t see it. There weren’t symptoms and many times, there aren’t any until it causes breathing issues. I barely believed it myself when Dr. Stone updated me. Dozens of doctors have seen his sonograms and x-rays and none of us saw the extra lung tissue.”

“So what do I do now? And, don’t tell me that all I can do is wait for him to wake up.”

Anna bit her lip and thought for a moment. “Do you want to go in with him?”

“They told me I can’t,” Brian replied. “Every person I’ve seen go in there is dressed in something that resembles a biohazard suit.”

“He’s under my care now,” Anna said. “Go take a shower and I’ll acquire a suit a for you while you do. Then, you can go do what he needs.”

“What’s that?” Brian asked.

“Let him know you’re there, talk to him. Love him.”

“Thank you,” Brian spoke, feeling mild-relief.
 

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