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“How nice of you. Thank you for your generosity.”

He narrowed his eyes. “We’re in a hospital, Nurse Becky. This is no place for sarcasm.”

She rolled her eyes. “Kid, trust me when I say a hospital is the perfect place for sarcasm. And I’d consider moving my butt if I were you, before I change my mind.”

Nick moved his butt.

Everything was the same. The machines still beeped and hissed. His father’s eyes were still taped shut, the tube still down his throat.

Nick closed the door behind him. He was going to pull a chair next to the bed, but he was tired and heartsore. His eyes felt like they were filled with sand, and there were shards in his chest that poked him as he breathed.

He moved to the other side of the bed.

Carefully, he climbed onto it, not wanting to jostle his dad. He toed off his Chucks as he sat, letting them fall to the floor. He turned around, stretching his legs out. His knees bumped into his dad’s thigh, and he apologized even though his dad couldn’t hear him. As soon as the words left his mouth, he wished he could take them back.

He realized, then, how stupid he must look. It was the middle of the night, and here he was, climbing into bed with his dad like he was little and had just woken up from a scary dream. His eyes started to burn as he lifted his dad’s arm and lay near his shoulder. He brought the arm down across him, holding on to his hand tightly.

Dad didn’t wake up.

“Please don’t leave me,” Nick whispered. He closed his eyes.

He woke to the sound of voices.

A weak, gray light filtered through the window as he cracked open his eyes.

“—and he hasn’t moved at all, even when I put a blanket on him. I think he needed some reassurance. It’s tough having a parent in the hospital.”

Someone sighed. “I know. I really should have seen this coming. I appreciate you calling me.”

“I tried Mr. Caplan first, but got a voicemail. I didn’t leave a message in case I got ahold of you. Didn’t want to worry anyone unnecessarily.”

“Probably for the best. I don’t know when Rodney will have a chance to check his phone, given what’s going on with the Extraordinaries.”

“I saw the alerts on my phone, but it’s been a busy night and I haven’t had a chance to follow up. Is it bad?”

“I don’t know. They’re at it again. A nuisance, if you ask me.”

“I can’t imagine what it takes to— Looks like someone’s awake.”

He turned his head.

Becky stood in the doorway, Mary Caplan next to her, hand clutching the strap of her purse tightly.

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

Mary shook her head. “I’ll let it slide this time, Nick. Just keep me in the loop, okay? I would have come with you myself if this is what you needed.”

Properly chastened, he mumbled, “Okay.”

“Why don’t you take Mrs. Caplan to get a cup of coffee,” Becky said cheerfully. “I need to empty your dad’s catheter bag, and I’m pretty sure you don’t need to be here for that.”

“Why would yousaythat? There are things I don’t need to know. What the hell, Becky.” Then, because he couldn’t not, he added, “Is there a lot?”

She laughed at him.

So weird.

There were a few people blinking sleepily in the hospital cafeteria. Mary made Nick sit at a table in the corner, before saying she’d be right back.