Page 50 of Should the Sky Fall

“Not very different.”

“You likely won’t notice the difference until you read. It should make your vision sharper.”

“Oh. Thank you. That’s very thoughtful.”

So polite. Always so polite now. It messes with Dawson’s head.

“If you like that, you’ll like this even more.” He pulls out his e-reader. “It’s mine, but you need it more than me. It has a built-in light that’s gentler on the eyes. The only thing is that it’s registered under my account and you’ll have to download the books again, so remember where you stopped before you switch.”

Cal takes it carefully, cradling it like it’s something fragile. “Thank you. I’ll take good care of it, I promise.”

Dawson’s heart does something strange in that moment. Naturally, he ignores it.

“No problem,” he mumbles. “So, tell me aboutTwilight.”

On his way out, Dawson is approached by Doctor Lin. He’s only met her once, when she was speaking with Cal and Dawson walked in. Cal seemed to like her.

“Let’s talk somewhere private,” she says, leading them through the maze of corridors until they reach a door with the number 3 on it. Inside, she gestures for Dawson to take a chair and sits opposite him.

Intertwining her fingers, she rests her forearms on the desk and smiles. “How are you, Dawson?”

“I’m good.” It’s a lie, and by the way she looks at him, he’s not fooling anybody.

“I hope to speak to your brother-in-law at some point, but since Cal’s going home with you, I wanted to talk to you first.” She waits until he nods. “You’ve heard this from us before, but the brain is rather unique, and we can’t certainly say what caused Cal’s memory loss. I’m sure you’re wondering about the possibility of his memories being restored.”

Of course she’s sure. Who wouldn’t want their husband to remember, right?

“Yeah. And I guess you can’t give me a definitive answer.”

She chuckles briefly and leans back in the chair. “You’re right, unfortunately. It’s not uncommon to experience retrograde amnesia after a serious accident, but Cal’s case is quite special.” She shows her palms. “I can give you the same advice I’ve given to patients and families who were in a similar situation. You’ve probably been doing some of these already. The best thing to do is expose Cal to a familiar environment, engage him in activities that he used to do often. Talk about your history. It seems to be especially effective if there’s a strong emotional connection to the memories.” She gives him a meaningful look.

Dawson isn’t an idiot. He knows what that look means.

“We’ll have Cal come for a check-up in a month, to see if there’s any change and also make sure he’s healing nicely. Aside from the impaired memory, Cal is doing very well. If he sticks to the regime, he’ll be fine to return to regular daily activities and more challenging exercise in four to six weeks. It’scrucialto remain physically active, especially in the initial post-op stages. As for limitations—no strenuous activity in the first few weeks, no lifting heavy stuff.” She raises an eyebrow but her lips twitch. “That includes engaging in intimate activities.”

Dawson’s stomach turns. He wills his expression to stay impassive. “That’s not going to be an issue.”

“I imagine things might be quite strained while he gets used to his life again. I know this will be hard on you as his husband but try not to take it personally if he’s cold and withdrawn. You can expect frequent mood swings, anxiety, confusion.” She pauses, leaning forward again. “In some cases, the patient can become aggressive when under pressure. Some people find therapy helpful.”

Dawson almost laughs. She has no idea. Cal, cold and moody? Shocker. It’s ironic how calm and pliant Cal has been since the surgery. Then again, who wouldn’t be pliant after having their stomach sliced open and a garden hose sized tube rammed in their chest?

“I understand,” he says at last.

The doc smiles. “If everything goes well, Cal will be ready to go home on Wednesday.” Shit, that’s in two days. “The discharge papers will contain all the information you need regarding what Cal can or cannot do, including how to care for the wounds as they heal. But remember—if unsure, you can always reach out to us.”

Right.

Because he’ll be the one to keep an eye on Cal’s recovery. He’ll be in charge of making sure he heals properly.

Right.

Dawson nods, wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans. He stands up on shaky legs. “Thank you.” He leaves the office in a trance, trying to reconcile what all this means for him.

It means you’re exactly where you started. Just worse.

He needs to go to Kieran’s place, pack up his stuff. The holiday is over. It’s time to come back to reality.

“I can’t believe you’re going to do this,” Kieran grinds out, gripping the steering wheel. Probably so he doesn’t choke Dawson in a fit of indignation.