Chapter 59

When he’d started talking about things like rehabilitation and “long-term outcomes” that included such potentials as arthritis, muscle weakness, loss of motion, and chronic pain, Randy’s brain started to shut down the part of it that absorbed information. He’d turned an exhausted gaze on Vaughn, and Vaughn had taken over from there.

It had been nice to hear Vaughn speak again. But for asking for the doctor, Vaughn had barely uttered two words after Randy had voiced an “I think we have a problem,” and handed Vaughn Lyle’s letter.

So, Vaughn talked about the whens and wheres with Doctor Briar, and Randy took a trip down Naptime Lane. One minute later (or five, or nine-hundred, it was hard to tell), Randy felt Vaughn’s palm on his forehead and heard Vaughn whisper, “Stay here. Sleep. I need to talk to the doctor in private.”