“When did this start?”
“Week or so ago.”
Colin hissed in anger, spinning away. “Goddammit, Josh!”
Joshua shook his head and shrugged. “It didn’t occur to me that what I felt was symptomsorside effects. I thought I was just tired from the New York trip!”
“And maybe youwere,” Adam told him. “You said the trip was taxing for you.” He turned to Colin and grabbed his arm. “Would you please stop fuming? That trip could easily have triggered the symptoms he’s having.”
Colin moved to Joshua’s side and laid a hand on his arm. “Is he getting worse? Is the concussion gettingworse?” he asked.
“No!” Casey told him. “That isnotwhat is happening here.” He turned back to Joshua. “But itisa sign that you need to easebacka bit.”
Colin wrapped both arms around Joshua, who leaned against him. “You have to cut your clinic hours,” Colin told him, his voice low.
“Colin, I don’t want to…”
“Baby, youhaveto cut your clinic hours! I won’t allow you to invite serious side effects by overdoing it! I just won’t! Miranda will understand, though I wouldn’t give a crap if she didn’t.”
Casey laughed and patted Colin’s arm. “He’s obnoxious and bossy, but he’snotwrong.”
“God, is this ever going toend?” Joshua grumbled, his voice downcast.
“Josh, it’s only been a bit over four months! I told you—and I’ve told you all along—that full recovery can take up to a year or even longer. You won’t help yourself by doing more than your condition can handle. You have to ease into it!”
“I’msickof this!”
“Josh, stop your damned whining,” his doctor snapped. “You must have the hardest head in Virginianotto have suffered a skull fracture from that blow. The wound you suffered was vicious anddeep. It had all the earmarks of a skull fracture, and I was astonished to discover that it wasn’t. So, if it takes you a year to get back to normal… consider yourself lucky!”
Joshua nodded and leaned against Colin’s shoulder. “OK. Message received. I guess I could turn my group over to someone else for a month or so.”
“Youhaveto go back to four days a week,” Colin insisted again. “Just for a while! Just until these symptoms pass!”
“I can ask Miranda if she—”
“No,” Colin interrupted. “We’re going totellMiranda! This isn’t open to debate or discussion.”
“Colin…”
“No, Josh,” he said, wrapping Joshua tight in his arms. “No!”
* * *
Much though hehated the idea, Joshua turned over his Thursday night group therapy sessions to a staff psychologist and reduced his office hours to four days a week. He had a long discussion with his boss, Miranda Estavira, director of the Rainier Clinic, and she supported his decision.
“I’m still going to do the court-ordered psych evals,” he told Colin that night at dinner. “And I’ll still be available as an expert witness.” He laid his hand on Colin’s arm. “I’m not giving that up.” His brows drew together. “And get that look off your face! Neither of those assignments takes much time.”
“Oh, stop it! Miranda just doesn’t want to lose that juicy city funding.”
“I like doing the evaluations. The work is interesting, and it’s challenging.” He shot Colin a glance. “I don’t like testifying at the trials, but that’s part of the deal.”
“Fine. But if I see you nodding off at dinner or demonstrating any other symptoms, the court will have to look elsewhere for its expert witness.” He covered Joshua’s hand with his own. “If you were feeling overwhelmed while we were in New York, you should have said something. You should havetoldme!”
“And donewhat? Come home?Notgone to Nate’s opening night? Not gone to hisparty? We had to be there, Colin! Hell, if I’dknownit was going to overtax me, Istillwould have gone! We had to be there for Nate. Wehadto!”
“Never occurred to me that it would be too stressful for you. We could have skipped some of the party stuff.”
“Didn’t cross my mind either,” Joshua grumbled, then let out a harsh breath. “It was just… too many crowds, too loud and boisterous, not enough quiet time. No real break in the schedule. It was nonstop for two days and nights, and I guess I wasn’t ready for it.”
