During this week Cary had taken over his
father's role and actually had some very good days at
sea, which he said buoyed Uncle Jacob and helped his
recovery. I didn't go back into the CCU with them, but
two days after they moved Uncle Jacob to what they
called Step Down care, I accompanied the family on a
visit. I noticed that Uncle Jacob avoided looking at me
the whole time and then, just before we were about to
go home, he whispered something to Cary. As we
were all leaving the room, Cary asked me to remain. "My father wants to talk to you privately
again," he said. "We'll wait for you in the lobby." I looked at Uncle Jacob, but he kept his eyes
closed and lay back on his pillow. It wasn't until the
others left that he opened his eyes. Actually, they
snapped open, and he gazed at me with that all-toofamiliar look of accusation.
"Cary said you wanted me to stay for a few
minutes?" I said, approaching his bed.
"Yes." He looked away, sipped some water, and
then turned back to me. "He tells me I asked to see
you while I was in the CCU."
"Yes," I said, surprised that he had to be told.
"It was only for a few minutes, but--"
"I have no memory of this, but my doctors tell
me I could easily have hallucinated and said
ridiculous things. You are to disregard anything I
might have said under the condition I was in," he
ordered. "I hope you haven't gone blabbering any of it
to anyone."
"No. I wouldn't do that," I said.
"Not even to Kenneth Childs?" he asked, his
eyes shifting to me.