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***
Alan blinks again, but what he sees remains the same. He’s in a hospital room and there’s Denny, snoring in an armchair next to his bed. When they got married and became medical proxies, this wasn’t how he had imagined it would be.
It’s the snoring that probably woke him up.
Unfortunately he has no memory at all how he ended up here.
He tries to move, to look around, to find out what’s wrong with him. But his body won’t cooperate. He thinks that he moved his fingers a little bit but his hands and arms won’t follow. And he’s so, so tired. The snoring isn’t helping at all. It reminds him of sleepovers and … well, married life, to be honest. Even if it’s only for tax and medical reasons, Denny insists on sharing a bed. No spouse of mine sleeps in a separate bed!
And he didn’t mind, because it felt so … safe …
***
When he comes around for the second time, Denny is awake. He notices how worried the other looks, how pale and tired. Must be serious then. He also realizes that he can move his hand, so he turns it inside Denny’s and links their fingers. There are other people around and Denny is not keen on public displays of affection, but he holds his hand, whispering Did you really think you could get rid of me that easily?
***
He only realizes that he lost consciousness again when he wakes up for the third time. Denny has shaved and showered, so there must have been some time in between. He’s still pale, but the dark shadows under his eyes are better. He finally manages to ask what happened. Denny is so happy that he is talking that he doesn’t seem to be able to answer at first.
„You tripped and fell.“
„Tripped?“ This is ridiculous. He’s a man in the prime of life. He doesn’t trip!
„Tripped, and fell down the stairs.“ There’s that worried look again. „You went down like a dead duck.“
He still can’t believe it, not to mention remember it. But there are more important questions. „How bad is it?“
„Broke your arm.“ And he remembers the fingers that moved while the rest wouldn’t cooperate. No wonder, with his arm in a cast.
„Hit your head pretty bad.“ Denny’s voice is gruff. „They weren’t sure you were going to come to. They had to drill a hole in that thick head of yours.“
„Oh.“ Well that sounds serious. „But I came around.“
„You did.“
***
When he’s wakes up for the fourth time Denny is gone and a doctor is there with him. A beautiful, dark-haired woman who makes him acutely aware that all he is wearing is one of those flimsy hospital gowns. He has to tell Denny to bring him some decent pyjamas.
„You’re awake“, she says and tells him more or less what Denny told him, using a little more medical vocabulary. Obviously the pressure on his brain could have done some serious damage but she seems to be pretty content that he can move all of his limbs and talk coherently. He’s not sure that that is enough to make sure that there‘s no damage, but then … he doesn’t feel any different. His head works just the same as before, now that they’ve lowered his meds. At least he thinks so.
„About your husband …“
„Denny Crane.“
„Yes, he’s said as much.“ There’s a flicker of a smile on her face, but it soon turns serious again. „There are signs … you must know that I am no expert in geriatric care, but you two might want to have him checked out as well.“
„What signs?“
„Well for one thing he said you were a flamingo.“
„His flamingo.“ He can’t help smiling but seeing the poor doctor’s confusion he adds: „We already had him checked out. He’s in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.“
„I’m sorry.“
„It’s O.K.“ It isn’t. But it’s as good as it gets.
***
It takes some time and a lot of waking up, but finally he awakes in their bed at home again. Usually Denny is still snoring happily when he gets up in the morning, but this time he’s already awake. He’s lying on his side and watches him blink awake.
„How are you?“
„There’s no place like home“, he quips. Not that he doesn’t mean it. He hasn’t slept this well in weeks. It’s a huge relief to be home at last, to have some privacy and his own bed and … Denny. Who surprises him by taking his hand and kissing it, which is the most romantic gesture he’s ever shown him. They don’t usually do stuff like that.
Not that he minds.
What bothers him ist hat Denny still looks pretty disturbed. „Everything is O.K.“, he reminds him. They checked him from head to toe at the hospital and he’s fine. No brain damage, just a cast that will come of in a few days.
„I guess I never thought about how hard it is to be on the other side.“ Denny is still holding his hand. „To make decisions about your life. To fear … for your life.“
Oh. That. He doesn’t really know what to say, so returns the gesture and kisses Denny’s hand. The fact that Denny allows him as much tells him how disturbed he really is.
„You’re my flamingo. And it’s a long time yet. Don’t worry about it now.“
They both know that Denny might take a turn for worse any time. But that will be then and this is now. And in the present, Denny is still well and sound of mind. Well, mostly. In the present, Denny pulls him into a hug and he falls asleep again, happy to be home.
* Fin *