Doc’s face was still as stone. “Come on. I want you to see him before they take him.”
“Take him where?” Beau asked, swaying, and Balta thought that if they lost Sam, if would not be the only ghost the angels got today.
“They’ve got to remove a piece of skull, get the swelling down. They’ve got him on a respirator now and, if he gets through the surgery, they’re going to put him in a coma for a few days so he’s not hurting so bad.” Doc took a deep, deep breath. “It’s not good,Beau. You have to pray for him. Come on, now. You need to see him, in case.”
“We will pray for him,” Joa called after Beau’s back, but Balta knew that Beau never heard him.
He glanced at Joa. “We will need coffee,sim? Beau needs to stay awake.”
“How does he take it? Sweet like you or black?”
“Black with just one sugar.” He thought. “Bring it black with some of the things, sim? The cream and sugar?”
“Sim.Anything, Balta.”
He tried to smile at Joa, but he couldn’t. Sam Bell was his friend. Balta thought he might vomit.
He sat hard and a touch landed on his shoulder. He glanced up and it was Raul Araripe. “Silva?Como posso ajudar?”
Was there anything Raul could help with? Balta shook his head, then nodded. “I don’t know,” he returned in Portuguese. “Everything is wrong.”
“Of course it is, but he will survive. He must.” Raul sounded so sure, so confident in their native tongue. Completely different from the halting English he gave interviews with.
“Joa—he will need help if I stay here.” Balta smiled, finally, because Raul’s solid presence made him feel better.
“Sim. Sim. Yes. I have my truck here this time. I can help.”
“Obrigado.” Raul barely knew Beau or Sam, so he had to be doing this for Joa, maybe for Balta. He was a good man. “I’m lost some, huh?”
“It looked bad. Much blood.”
“His head is broken, I think.” Balta had no idea why he was babbling to Raul. Sometimes it was easiest to talk to someone you barely knew.
Raul winced. “Then I will pray more. Is his…friend…with him?”
“Sim. Until surgery.” Beau. God, Beau would need to have someone with him until they knew…
Joa came back, hands filled with Styrofoam cups. “Raul. Hello. Coffee?”
“Yes, please. Only if you have enough.”
“I brought an extra. There is always need for more.” That was his Joa—always thinking about more. “There’s nothing in it, but I have cream and sugar.”
“Cream.” Raul smiled, and Balta blinked. The sun came up in that smile, surprising him.
Fascinating.
“This one is yours, Balta. Three sugars and two creams.”
“Thank you.” Balta watched Raul, who watched Joa. He needed a distraction. He let himself imagine, for a heartbeat, Joa sucking Raul off. He knew it was inappropriate, but he needed a good thought.
It didn’t make him smile, but it did make for a pleasant fantasy.
Then Beau came out of the doors the color of milk, and all other thoughts shattered. Balta climbed to his feet, holding out a hand. “Beau?”
“They’re taking him to surgery. He’s not awake.”
No. No, of course Sam wouldn’t be.
