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"Drake spoke with Dr. Clark, your father's neurosurgeon, while you were in with him. Drake's really pleased with him and says he's one of the best. We're so lucky to have him as Ethan's doctor. He really is one of the tops in the field in all of the US, even the world, according to Drake. He's been so devoted to Ethan, dropping in frequently to check on him and to reassure me."
I nodded and sipped my iced tea, thinking about my father's neurosurgeon and how people must feel towards Drake the way Elaine felt towards Dr. Clark. We mere mortals were so reliant on the expertise of these specialists to save our lives or make them more livable. It humbled me a bit to realize this. I had always been impressed with Drake, with how in-demand he was because his skills were so rare and specialized. Now I understood it from the point of view of a patient who must be like so many of Drake's patients, waiting to find out how a loved-one is doing, hoping for the best outcome.
"If Drake's pleased, then he must be good," I said, feeling somewhat more calm knowing that Drake was confident in the neurosurgeon's skill.
"I'm so glad that Drake was able to get away," Elaine said. "To drop everything on such short notice and come to Manhattan." She shook her head as if in amazement. "I can't tell you how relieved I feel to have him here. He's such a source of information and he has such a great bedside manner."
I smiled. "Drake loves Ethan like a father," I said and Elaine nodded. "I was going to leave him in Nairobi but he insisted on coming. He got someone to teach his class today and was off this weekend anyway so all he had to do was find someone to scrub in on his cases on Thursday night. I expect he'll go back as soon as he knows Daddy is stable."
"Still," Elaine said. "It's amazing that he did. I can't thank him enough. For the short time you were in with your father, Drake was able to explain everything to me in layman's terms and alleviate my concerns. He said that he would read your father's file and talk with everyone on his medical team and have a report for me."
"He's wonderful," I said, my throat constricting.
"He's a keeper," Elaine said and smiled, repeating the words she'd said to me that fateful day when I was first with Drake. "I said that before and I'll say it again. I know it won't be easy to be married to a specialist who is in such high demand as Drake, but he loves you, Kate." She took my hand and squeezed. "He dropped everything to come here with you."
"I know," I said and squeezed her hand back. "He is a keeper."
We walked back to the ward and I glanced in through the window on my father's room. Drake was sitting where I had sat, my father's hand in his. He was talking to my father, and I wished so much to hear what he was saying. Was he telling my father about our life in Nairobi from his point of view? What would he be telling my father? About his new job, about his class, his patients, our home?
I sat in the small waiting room with Elaine and waited for him to finish his visit, closing my eyes and listening to the sounds of the hospital. Elaine was on her phone speaking with one of my father's supporters, relaying information about his condition, her voice hushed as she said he probably wouldn't be able to run in the election after all.
That admission made me choke up and finally, I couldn't hold it back and tears rolled down my cheeks. Elaine saw and reached into her bag to hand me a tissue. I mopped my eyes while she said goodbye to whomever she was speaking, and finally, when she hung up, she put her arm around my shoulder.
"It's OK sweetie," she said, her own voice cracking. "He's in the very best of hands and now he has Drake to watch over him. We have to hope and pray for the best. He's in God's hands now."
I nodded, but I didn't believe in prayer or God – not after Mangaize, my faith dying along with all the tiny babies. I wanted to believe. It would be so much easier to believe, but I couldn’t. I said none of that to Elaine, not wanting to push my own doubts and lack of faith on her. Instead, I nodded like a good girl and forced a smile. She had enough to worry about without adding me to her list.
"When's Heath getting here?" I said. "I tried calling but Christie didn't answer."
"She's staying with her family in Hawaii, and Heath is trying to wrap up his work in Haiti, but he's so busy, he can't just leave."
"What? His father had a stroke – of course he can leave. Drake left!"
"Don't be mad," Elaine said. "Before he went unconscious, your father told me he didn’t want you or Heath to come."
"What?"
She nodded. "He only wanted you back for his funeral. I disobeyed his wishes and called both of you. Heath decided to say and finish his work before coming."
I shook my head, angered that my brother didn’t come right away. I couldn't understand how he could stay away, with my father so ill, even if my father wished it.
Drake finally emerged from my father's room, wiping his own eyes briefly before pulling me up from the chair and into his arms. He buried his face in my neck and squeezed me tightly.
"Are you scared, too?" I said, rubbing his shoulder. "I thought you really liked Dr. Clark."
Drake pulled back. "Of course I'm scared, but Aaron's the best for this kind of injury. Ethan's bleed was deep in the brain. It still all depends on whether the ablation was successful and that will only be clear in the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours."
I nodded and hugged him more closely. "I'm so glad you were able to come after all."
"Of course I'd come. Ethan is like my own father."
We sat in the waiting room while Elaine went back in with my father.
"Wait here for a moment," Drake said and went to the nursing station. He spoke with the duty nurse and used the house phone. He spoke for a while to s
omeone and then thanked the nurse before returning.
"You must be tired. I've been able to finagle one of the extra on-call rooms for you if you want to rest for a few hours. There's nothing much else to do here."
