Page 21 of Words Unspoken

“Hey,” Max dropped his feet and sat up, suddenly serious. “I get that you don’t want to be here. No one likes to be sick in the hospital, least of all one of us. I would hate to be in your shoes. But you could cut the nurses some slack. They are trying to help you.”

Michael sighed and gave a half nod.

“Good,” Max grabbed the remote to the television. Michael wanted to say that he had not bothered to have it hooked up. “Here is the game.”

Baseball. The Yankees were playing Boston. Max must have paid to connect the television service up. Or added it to Michael’s hospital bill. Max had gotten comfortable in the chair again, feet up on the bed. Michael didn’t even push them off. He simply leaned back in the bed to watch the game.

∞

Ann had gone home and taken a long hot shower. She switched out some items in her bag and cancelled a couple of appointments that she had. They could wait. She even managed an hour nap before heading back to the hospital. On the way, she bought a day planner so that she could start managing Michael is personal life with it. Ann would keep track of his appointments and medications with it.

This morning had been a disaster. She felt like Kelly was rushing Michael. Getting out of bed to shower and getting dressed when it was obvious that he was dizzy had been a bad idea. Especially right after breakfast. Fortunately, Ann had not gotten any of the vomit on her. Poor Michael had worn most of it. He looked so pale, in pain and completely mortified. Kelly had simply and cheerfully called in reinforcements to get him into the shower. They had told Ann to go away for a while. Michael was scheduled to go walking so there was no point in her waiting, staring at the walls.

Ann had protested their plans. Michael did not seem in good enough shape to do what they were asking of him. Kelly had firmly and merrily pushed her out of the room. Ann hoped they knew what they were doing.

Now she was returning, fully expecting Michael to be spent.

Instead, she could hear Max arguing. She picked up her pace.

“He was out! No question about it,” Max exclaimed loudly.

Ann slowed her pace and looked in the room. Michael was giving Max a look like he was crazy and made the universal ‘safe’ sign.

“You need glasses. So does the ump,” Max slouched back, his feet on the bed where Michael was comfortably reclined, one leg bent as they both stared at the television. “See! Right there, the ball beats the runner.”

Michael grimaced and pointed to the television.

“Well, from that angle sure, but from the first angle they showed, he was totally out,” insisted Max. He winked at Ann then turned his attention back to the television.

Both of them suddenly groaned at one of the plays that were made.

Ann leaned in the doorway. She had been so worried and here he was, enjoying himself with Max. Max had a real way of connecting with people and bringing them out of their shell. Ann had missed him over the past few years, and she was glad that Michael and Max appeared to have repaired the rift in their relationship.

Michael saw her and smiled. She walked over to the bed, and he made room for her. There was nowhere else for her to sit unless she sat on Max, so she decided to share the bed. It was not like a million people hadn’t already seen her snuggled up to him sleeping.

Max raised an eyebrow, but she ignored him. “What is the score?”

“Boston is spanking the Yankees. Michael keeps telling me they will catch up. I think it is a done game. Bottom of the seventh.”

Michael shrugged. He mimed a walking figure with his hand.

“No way. Strike out.”

“What?” Ann looked at Max.

“We are predicting what is going to happen with the new batter. Michael says he is going to walk.”

Ann watched the pitch fly in. It was a ball. “Pitcher is going to bean him.”

Both men looked at her, so she asked, “Why not?”

“Unlikely,” Max said.

“It could happen,” she insisted. “If I were pitching, I would bean him before I walked him. Especially looking at his stats.”

“Well then it is a good thing you don’t pitch.”

“I used to,” revealed Ann.