Page 111 of Free to Breathe
I love you.
Corinna.
Put the peacock here. I’ll be back soon. XOXO
I take a deep breath and let it out. Closing my eyes, I do something I haven’t done in years.
For all my loved ones, and even my enemies, I begin to pray.
58
Kittens
“Do you need the aspirator?”
“No. Now that we clipped off that bleeder, we’re fine. Fuck, she had me scared for a few minutes. How’s her drainage?”
“We’re just about done draining naturally.”
“Did you put in the monitor for her ICP?”
“Yes, Doctor.”
“Then let’s get started.”
* * *
“I don’t knowa damn thing I’m not telling you.” Jason’s yelling. I tend to believe him as he’s being cornered by everyone, including his husband. “I swear to God, I tried to get more information, but they’re not saying a word.”
“Shit. I believe him,” Phil grumbles.
“Thanks, baby,” Jason says sarcastically. Shoving away from the pack of desperate Freemans, Jason stalks over to a chair and throws himself into it.
Phil goes to open his mouth, but I clap my hand on his shoulder and shake my head. “Jason,” I call to him. His head snaps up. Glaring at his husband standing next to me, he raises his eyebrows. “Thanks for trying,” I say before I let Phil loose to go grovel at his husband’s feet.
We’re in hour five of Corinna’s surgery. Our last update consisted of things were still “going well.” Jason volunteered to try to find out more specifics, but that failed. We’re barely hungry, yet we’re starving. We’re exhausted, yet we can’t sleep.
We need some kind of reassurance Corinna’s still with us.
As if she hears us, my cell phone alarm goes off.10:50 AM. Purple bag. Ziploc 4. Then your journal. Love, Corinna
The cards feel thick as I pass them around the room. We tear them open, and the exclamations of “Where the hell did she find these?” begin. Even Jason can’t hold on to his anger as Phil rubs the furry card against him and makes kitty noises.
“Jesus, can someone please get me eye bleach?” Keene mutters over my shoulder, as he’s unable to look away from the train wreck that’s Phil curled up in his husband’s lap pretending to purr like a cat.
“So, I take it you and Ali don’t plan on being furries anytime soon?” I ask innocently.
“Bite your damn tongue right off.”
“You know that if you just ignore him, his antics stop faster.” Ali slides up next to Keene, wrapping her arms around his waist.
“They never stop. It’s like watching bad internet porn,” Keene bemoans.
Ali arches an eyebrow. “Have much time do you have to do that these days?” She stalks away to talk with Cassidy and Em.
“Shit. How is it I always end up in the doghouse?”
I snicker. “Don’t you mean the cathouse?”
