| Chapter 84 A couple of orderlies came early the next morning to take Nick for his tests. Lyn went with them, to act as interpreter, and because she didn't want to let him out of her sight. Everyone waited in Nick's room, playing cards, watching TV, talking, anything to pass the time. Nick had been gone for several hours when they brought him back in, sound asleep. The orderlies placed him back in bed, and left the room. "How'd the tests go?" Brian asked Lyn. "OK, I think," she said, "I was watching Nick more than the techs." "Is he OK?" Howie asked. "Yeah, he's worn out though," she said. "Yeah, I imagine those tests are tiring," Leighanne said. Lyn sat down and looked out the window. The sun was shining, and there was no trace of the storm from the night before. "Here," Tara said, handing her a cup of coffee. "Thanks," Lyn said, taking a sip. Tara sat down, "So, what about the other tests?" Lyn looked over at everyone else, to make sure they weren't being listened to, "I think they went well. Uncle Ted is gonna talk to us after he looks over the others." Tara nodded her head. Brian walked up, "What are you two whispering about?" "Nothing," they said in unison. Brian looked at them suspiciously, "Yeah right." "Honey, if you must know we are talking about girl things," Tara said. "Yeah, you want the details?" Lyn asked, smiling. Brian held his hands up, "Oh no, that's quite alright. You two go right back to talking, I'm just gonna leave now," he said backing away. Tara and Lyn burst out laughing. A.J. walked over and put his arm around Tara, "I'd love to hear the details." "Alex, go back over and sit with Sarah before I hurt you," Tara said with a smile. "Yes mame," he said, getting up and running over to land in Sarah's lap. Everyone was laughing now. Ted walked in, and smiled, glad to see them all in a good mood. "Hey doc," Kevin said, "So what's the news?" They all calmed down, and listened as Ted went over all the tests and the results. "So what does that mean in layman's terms?" Brian asked. "It means that he is normal. The surgery didn't have any affect on his ability to function, or his memory," Ted said. "Thank God," several of them said together. "What about his infection?" Lyn asked. "His blood count looks better today. I think we caught it in time, and maybe in a few days we can look at sending him home," Ted answered. Lyn smiled, "Great." Ted looked over at Tara and Lyn, "Now if you guys don't mind, I need you to step out for a few minutes while I check something." Everyone got up to leave. "Um, Lyn and Tara, I'll need you to help talk to him," Ted said, giving them a reason to stay. The girls stayed behind, as everyone left and closed the door. Ted walked over and shut the blinds on the window, so no one could look in. "So?" Lyn asked. Ted smiled at them, "There's definitely some improvement. I don't know how, but there is." "That's great," Tara said. "I need to ask him something, let's wake him up," Ted said. Lyn walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. She gently shook Nick, until his eyes opened and he looked up at her. "Uncle Ted needs to talk to you," she signed. Lyn moved the bed up, so Nick could sit and talk to him. Ted sat on the other side of the bed, having Lyn sign to Nick as he talked. "Nick, there is some improvement in the right ear. I'm not sure how, but with the right hearing aid, we could get some of your hearing back," Ted said. Nick looked a little shocked, and frightened. "How much?" he asked. "Well, it's hard to say without having the equipment right here. You would have to go through several extensive tests to see what level of aid you would need, and how much it would help," Ted said. "You said only in the right ear? What about the left?" Nick asked. Ted shook his head, "Unfortunately the left is still the same." Tara and Lyn watched as Nick looked down, thinking about what he wanted to do. "What if I don't have the tests done?" he asked. "You will be as you are now, hearing sounds but not knowing what they are," Ted said, "Nick, I really think you could get enough hearing back to be able to function in the hearing community." Nick sat there looking at him for a long time, trying to decide what he wanted to do. He looked over at Lyn, "What do you think?" "Nick, I'll support whatever decision you make. You need to follow your heart on this, and not what we think you should do," she said. Nick looked down and sighed heavily, "Doc, can I think about this for a while? Maybe give you an answer in the morning?" Ted smiled at him, knowing he was having a hard time with his decision, "That would be fine." "Thanks," Nick signed. Ted got up and Lyn walked with him to the door. "Thanks," she said. "Don't let him worry about this, he can give me an answer anytime," Ted said. Lyn nodded her head, as he left the room. Lyn walked back over and sat down next to Nick. "He said you could tell him anytime, it doesn't have to be tomorrow," she signed. "Good," Nick signed, breathing a sigh of relief. Everyone walked back in, getting the OK from Ted. They all noticed the serious looks on Lyn, Tara, and Nick's faces. "Um, is there something going on we should know about?" Kevin asked. Tara smiled, "No why?" "Cause you guys look a little to serious," Howie said, plopping down in a chair, and pulling Kira into his lap. "What'd he say?" Nick asked, knowing Howie said something, but not seeing it. "He said we look to serious," Lyn signed to him. Nick laughed, "Really? I look serious? Someone get a mirror I have to see what this looks like." Everyone laughed. "It's good to know you still have your sense of humor, not that it was that funny in the first place," A.J. said. Nick looked hurt, "Gee, thanks." Nick looked around, "Guys, you know you don't have to stay here all day and baby-sit me." Everyone looked at each other, knowing how Nick felt about being looked after. "Um, well, I guess we could go back to the house and get some rest," Kevin said. Brian looked over at him and smiled, "Yeah, I'm kinda tired. I'm up for that." Howie and A.J. caught on, "Oh yeah. We'll come see you tomorrow," A.J. said. Nick watched in surprise as they said good-bye and all left, leaving him and Lyn alone. Nick looked at Lyn, "That was a little to fast. I was expecting to have to argue with them." She laughed, "Well, be glad then. I think they understand how you feel." "Yeah, either that or they're doing something," Nick signed. "Doing something? Like what?" she asked. "That would be the million dollar question," Nick said smiling. Nick yawned. "Are you tired?" Lyn asked. He nodded his head, "Lay down with me." She smiled as she crawled into bed with him and pressed the button to lower it. He got comfortable, and she held him, careful of his stitches, until he fell asleep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All the guys headed up to the music room as soon as they entered the house. Gary sat down on the couch to watch some TV, while the girls went about doing various things. After a while, Tara got bored, and wondered upstairs to see what they were doing. She walked down the hall, and stopped in the door. Kevin was at the piano, Brian had a guitar, as did Howie and A.J. They were working on the chorus to Nick's lyrics, but they couldn't get past this one part. She stood there unnoticed and listened as they tried various notes, and chords. Each one they tried seemed to be lacking the meaning behind the words. "Damn, writer's block sucks," A.J. said. "Yeah, I can't figure out why we can't get past this," Brian said. "Well, I got absolutely nothing," Kevin said, putting his pen down. Howie finally noticed Tara standing there, "Hey, how long you been there?" She smiled at them, "Long enough." "We're stuck," Brian said. "Yeah, I see that," she said, walking into the room, and looking at what they had so far. She sat down next to Kevin at the piano, and played what he had written so far, then stopped and read the words to come next. She closed her eyes for a moment and thought, then opened them and played the rest of the chorus. Kevin's mouth dropped open, "That's it! Play it again so I can write it down." Tara laughed and played it again, as Kevin hurriedly scribbled down the notes. Brian walked up to her after she was done and pulled her into a hug, "You're amazing, did anyone ever tell you that?" She laughed, "Well, not today." He leaned in and kissed her. "OK guys, um we aren't done yet," Howie said in a teasing voice. Brian looked over at him, "Kira's downstairs, I say ten minute break." "Wow, a whole ten minutes? Whatever will I do," A.J. said, getting up and running out of the room before either Brian or Tara grabbed him. Kevin and Howie got up laughing. "OK, ten minutes, then we're gonna finish this thing," Kevin said. "Yeah, yeah, just leave so I can congratulate my woman," Brian said, shooing them out of the room and shutting the door behind them. He turned back around to see Tara standing there with her hand on her hip and a smile on her face. "Your woman? What are we in the cave man era now?" she asked, teasing. Brian smiled as he walked over and pulled her to him, and grunted. Tara burst out laughing as Brian picked her up and swung her around before laying her down on the floor, laying down next to her. "And what are we suppose to do for ten minutes?" she asked. "Um, I don't know, this...." he said as he leaned in and kissed her passionately. Chapter 85 |