“Well, Joe. Your eyes are the best in the business. Send me the film. If I see what you do, I’ll be on the next plane. But you make sure the patient understands the risks. I don’t want to get there and have to turn around. ”
“You got it. Thanks, Stu. ”
“Good to hear from you,” Stu said, then hung up.
Joe replaced the receiver. Now all he had to do was speak to Claire.
He went back to the elevators, then crossed the sky bridge and headed into Swedish Hospital. He kept his gaze pinned on the floor. A few people frowned in recognition, a few more whispered behind him. He ignored them and kept moving. No one had the guts to actually speak to him or ask why he was back here, until he reached the ICU.
There someone said, “Dr. Wyatt?”
He turned slowly. It was Trish Bey, the head ICU nurse. They’d worked together for years. She and Diana had become close friends at the end. “Hello, Trish. ”
She smiled. “It’s good to see you back here. We missed you. ”
His shoulders relaxed. He almost smiled in return. “Thanks. ” They stood there, staring at each other for an awkward moment, then he nodded, said good-bye, and headed for Claire’s room.
He knocked quietly and opened the door.
She was sitting up in bed, asleep, her head cocked to one side. The patchy hairless area made her look impossibly young.
He moved toward her, trying not to remember when Diana had looked like this. Pale and fragile, her hair thinning to the point where she looked like an antique doll that had been loved too hard and then discarded.
She blinked awake, stared at him. “Joey,” she whispered, smiling tiredly. “I heard you were home. Welcome back. ”
He pulled a chair over and sat down beside her bed. “Hey, Claire. ”
“I know. I’ve looked better. ”
“You’re beautiful. You always have been. ”
“Bless you, Joe. I’ll tell Di hi for you. ” She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, but I’m tired. ”
“Don’t be in such a hurry to see my wife. ”
Slowly, she opened her eyes. It seemed to take her a minute to focus on him. “There’s no hope, Joe. You of all people know what that’s like. It hurts too much to pretend. Okay?”
“I see it . . . differently. ”
“You think the white coats are wrong?”
“I don’t want to give you false hope, Claire, but yeah, maybe. ”
“Are you sure?”
&nbs
p; “No one is ever sure. ”
“I’m not asking anyone else’s opinion. I want yours, Joey. Are you telling me I shouldn’t give up?”
“Surgery might save you. But there could be bad side effects, Claire. Paralysis. Loss of motor skills. Brain damage. ”
At that, she smiled. “Do you know what I was thinking about just before you got here?”
“No. ”
“How to tell Ali Kat that Mommy is going to die. I’d take any risk, Joe. Anything so I don’t have to kiss Ali good-bye. ” Her voice cracked, and he saw the depth of her pain. Her courage amazed him.