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Amy said to Amanda, “At Episcopal Academy, Matt used to have a crush on her.” Amy looked at him. “Didn’t you, Matt?”

“A crush?” Amanda repeated. “How sweet!”

Payne shot his sister a glare.

“You’re Episcopalian?” Byrth said.

Payne nodded. “Not exactly a practicing one, but I’ve kept the faith, so to speak.”

“So am I. Remarkable. But then, in this crowd, I guess not.” He paused. “And I understand your disappointment with the church and its politics these days. Me, I’m with whoever said that going to church no more makes you holy than standing in a Porsche showroom makes you a sports car.”

Everyone at the table laughed.

Matt said, “Let’s not get started on religion tonight, too.”

“Sorry,” Byrth said, shrugging.

“Amanda,” Matt said, first looking at Amy then turning to Amanda, “for the record, Becca and I never had a relationship. But, yeah, we were kind of close growing up. And I cared about her. Enough to be disgusted with her getting involved with that goddamn Skipper Olde.”

“Matthew,” Jason Washington said solemnly, “I know your mother taught you not to speak ill of the departed.”

“There’s exceptions to every rule, Jason. And I’m still pissed off at Skipper-RIP, ol’ buddy-for putting Becca in this situation.”

Dr. Law smiled warmly at his explanation.

“Your concern is sweet,” she said with sincerity. “But, I’m sorry, I just can’t discuss a patient. It wouldn’t be ethical.”

Matt could tell from the way she said it that she truly was sorry.

“She’s worse, Matt,” Amy blurted. “That intracranial hypertension has not subsided. It’s looking more and more like Amanda will have to induce the coma.”

Dr. Law looked at Dr. Payne and said, “Amy!”

“

For the record, Matt,” Dr. Amy Payne said, “that information I got directly from Mrs. Benjamin. She shared with me what Becca’s attending physician”-she glanced at Amanda Law, who now looked less horrified-“had told to Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin.”

Matt made a face, then drained his drink.

He looked at Dr. Law and was again amazed by her air of complete confidence.

She oozes it.

What a woman…

He said, “Amanda, can you describe in broad terms-just hypothetically, nothing patient-specific-what inducing a coma involves?”

Dr. Amanda Law considered that a moment.

Then she nodded and said, “Sure. With a brain injury, fluids collect in the brain and cause it to swell. The skull, however, does not expand to allow for the fluids, so that basically causes the brain to be compacted, and blood, and the oxygen in it, is prevented from reaching all of its parts. That can cause brain damage, even death.”

Matt shook his head.

She took a sip of her wine, then went on: “When conventional therapy fails, and we are unable to surgically open the skull to drain the fluids, we carefully consider the barbiturate-induced coma. The coma reduces brain activity, but that has to be balanced against the side effects of the drug.”

“What side effects?” Matt said.

“It could stress the cardiovascular system to the point where it causes more harm. And there can be complications-from infections, deep blood clots-leading to death.”