Declan even goes into a bit more detail about his cybersecurity work, but I don't ask many questions.I know it’s all secret-squirrel kind of shit that they can only talk about in their double-secret, eyeball-scanning conference room in Cal’s place.
But it’s comforting to simply breathe him in, hear the cadence of Declan’s familiar, deep voice, and feel the rise and fall of his breathing as he holds me close.
Eventually, we start to yawn.Declan turns off the only light we’d left on, and we close our eyes, wrapped up in one another, as the city lights twinkle and sirens wail.
I can’t wait to get the rough behind me and get back home.
In just a few hours, I will get prepped for my operation.I only hope I’m prepared for whatever comes after that.
CHAPTER 54
Declan
The robotic surgery takes a long-ass time, much longer than I was told it would take.I don’t like that.
I’m back in a waiting room with nothing to do except wait.There are others here, and they tell me their stories.One woman is waiting for her husband to get out of heart surgery.Another is waiting for his daughter to have infected tonsils removed.I tell them I’m there for my wife’s routine procedure.
I can’t tell them my story.I can’t bring myself to tell them about Summer’s cancer scare and the ovary that’s being removed.About the two percent chance that it’s not benign.
I’ve been on and off the phone again with my family.Everyone is thrilled about the diagnosis.I heard Phoebe crying with relief in the background.There’s a lot of comfort in having such a big, supportive clan who’s got my back.And my wife’s back.
Because Summer is my wife, and I’m the luckiest bastard anywhere around.
The tonsils are done first.Then they call for me.I give the woman all my best wishes for her husband’s recovery, and I leave.At first, I think they’re bringing me to see the doctor, but instead, they bring me straight to Summer in the recovery room.
It’s a large place, filled with two rows of patients, each curtained off for privacy.They show me to a seat next to Summer’s bed.She’s out cold, still under the effects of the anesthesia.They’ve put an oxygen mask on her, and I watch her for any signs of distress.
I can’t stop the memories from hitting me—all those terrifying, horrible days when she was in an induced coma.When I slept draped over the edge of her bed having nightmares about whether her brain would be damaged.And all the beeping machinery and the sounds of her breathing tube.
I need us to be fucking done with hospitals after this.I need us to just be happy for a while.
I brush Summer’s hair from her face and hold her hand.
A recovery nurse approaches and takes Summer’s vitals.
“How is she?”I whisper.“Was the surgery successful?Did they test the tumor?”
“She’s doing just fine, and the doctor will be in to speak with you soon, but it’s time for her to wake up.You can talk to her if you want.”
I lean close and whisper.“Summer, baby, time to wake up.”
“Not like that,” the nurse snaps.“You need to wake her up, not seduce her.”She claps her hands together once and it’s so loud I’m sure everyone else around here has just woken up.“Summer!Time to wake up, now.The surgery is over, and it went well.”
My ears perk up.It went well.I slow my breathing and try to relax with this good news, even though it’s not the whole story.I know I have to wait for Dr.Goldberg for that.
“Wake up, Summer,” I say, again, louder.“We need to go ring shopping.Harry Winston, here we come!I was thinking that maybe we should get Elton John to marry us next time.”
That did it.Summer stirs.“Yacht rock?Good choice,” she mumbles.I watch her struggle to flutter her eyes open.She reaches out with a floppy hand and hits my face.“Holy shitballs, look at your violet eyes.Ain’t that something wonderful to wake up to?”
“I wouldn’t kick him out of bed.That’s for sure,” the nurse says.
“All right,” Dr.Goldberg says, throwing open the curtain and appearing out of nowhere.
He removes his cap.His mask hangs by strings tied around his neck, and he’s wearing scrubs.He’s in a hurry, obviously moving from one operation to the next.
“It all went well,” he says to both of us.“We tested the tumor onsite, and it’s benign.All good news, Summer.The surgery itself went without a hitch.I’ll come around this afternoon on rounds, and you should be good to go tomorrow.We’ll talk about all that this afternoon.”
And then he’s gone.
