“Where—”
I reached over and pushed a finger on his lips. “Shh. No questions. Just follow.”
He removed my finger by grabbing my wrist and then yanking me toward him. Our bodies collided as he kissed me until the elevator dinged for our floor.
I cleared my throat and stepped out onto linoleum tiling, the air suffused with the acrid scent of sterility. I had been to hospitals plenty of times since my last treatment, but the smell… it would never fail to trigger old emotions and old fears. For a heartbeat, I felt the press of a needle into my arm, the susurrous sounds of the machines diligently operating, the subdued joy of having a pudding cup after a tumultuous day. I swallowed, got my bearings, and started down the main corridor with Rome by my side. His hand was at the small of my back despite the traffic of nurses and support staff.
He wore a Riders cap that he pulled low on his face. It didlittle to conceal him from a fan, but the effort was there. The late summer heat still forced us to wear shorts and t-shirts. We looked like a couple of casual dudes just strolling around a kids hospital. I kept my eyes peeled for any familiar faces, but the staff was young—younger than me.
I walked up to a reception desk where a staff of three sat at their desks. “Alex Edwards here for a visitation appointment.” At that, Rome shot me a look that I ignored. The polite lady at the desk hit a button as a set of doubled doors to our right mechanically opened up. I watched as old memories overlayed my real-time vision. Devin had always insisted I see these doors as mighty gates swinging inward, like the threshold to a castle and we were the raiders come to plunder.
“Room 757. On your left,” she said, breaking me from my reverie.
I nodded. “Thank you.” Together, Rome and I walked from the reception area to oncology.
Rome reached out and squeezed my hand.
We reached 757 and I took a breath.
From the long but narrow window along the door, we had a view of the patient inside. A young boy, his face familiar to both Rome and me, and the boy’s mother sitting at his bedside reading a book while holding his hand. A tender moment, one I wanted to capture with my camera, but my politeness recognized the intrusion.
“Is that…?” Rome started to ask as he stepped closer to the door.
“This is Danny and his mother Paola. You met them when you first met me.”
Rome swallowed. “From game 108 against the Thunder.”
I let out a small gasp. “You know the game number?”
He looked back at me, though his eyes didn’t quite find me. “It’s when I first saw you. I’ll never forget that game.” He turnedto look inside the room. “He doesn’t look like he did back in July.” Another swallow. His head swiveled back and this time his eyes found mine, initially filled with hope. But when he saw the kindness, the gentleness I attempted to exude, he understood.
“The treatment didn’t take,” I said in a careful whisper. “He only has about a month left.”
Rome’s breath went out of him and he took a step back. My hand went to his waist. Someone passing by noticed but politely turned away.
“How? Did you search around? How did you find him?” Rome asked.
“I connected with Paola at the end of the game before they could leave. I took so many pictures of you and Danny that I wanted to get her information so I could send them. I had her name, knew her son’s name, and I reached out to some old contacts from the hospital. I initially set things up so he could see you again, but then I found out the news…” I pulled the backpack from my shoulder and lifted the top flap. Inside lay a cache of Riders paraphernalia that Rome kept around the house. Jerseys, hats, old gloves. “I thought he could see his hero again and this time decked out in Riders regalia.”
With suddenness, Rome yanked me into the tightest embrace he had ever given me. He squeezed me from all sides as if he could tell me by touch how important this was to him. I relaxed into him and ignored the flow of traffic around us. If he didn’t care, I didn’t care.
When he finally pulled away, his eyes had misted over. “I’m paying for his treatment. All of it,” he told me with absolute conviction. “Even if there’s some kind of deal with the hospital, I want it all pulled and put squarely on me. I’ll reach out to Joe and see what he can do.” He turned and looked back into the room. “Paola shouldn’t feel the burden of any of this. I wonder if there’s some kind of fund I can set up for her afterward. Whatdoes she do for work? I don’t want her to worry about any of her bills.”
A lump formed in my throat and I had to dedicate half my brain to keep myself from falling into a blubbering mess. “I’ll work with Joe. This kind of stuff is right up my alley.”
“Yes, it is. You’re perfect for this,” Rome said, almost as if he was confirming something. An answer to a question I never heard.
“Do you want to go inside? Paola knows we’re coming but Danny doesn’t.” I handed him the backpack.
Rome took the bag in a daze. Without saying a word, he pushed inside the room. I watched as Paola’s eyes lifted from her book and a smile bloomed on her face. She stood and padded gently across the room and welcomed Rome’s quick embrace. I heard a croak of exclamation from Danny, his eyes immediately filled with tears and wonder.
Don’t intrude, I told myself. I had been in Danny’s shoes before. I knew the joy of having a hero all to yourself for a few precious minutes. Paola knew, too. She stepped from the room as Rome pulled out item after item and helped Danny fit everything on.
I gave Paola a hug hello. She had tears running down her cheeks. “Thank you, so, so much, Alex,” she said.
So far, I had managed to keep it together, but I was holding on by the thinnest of threads. “Of course. I’m glad we were able to arrange this. How long is he able to keep his strength up?”
“He just woke up from a nap. He’ll be charged with energy for a few hours but will crash hard.”
