She's starting to freak me out. No, I don't feel normal, something's definitely off kilter, but I don't think it's cause for alarm. I can tell she's nervous, biting the side of her lip, but whatever's going on in that pretty little head of hers, she's not sharing. Piper's quiet for most of the ride, so I don't push. I understand my wife's fear. I get it. "Moby, when did you start feeling bad?""I've had a headache for a couple days.""Is that it? Just the headache?""I don't know. I guess. Last night I felt weird. There were a couple times I got really dizzy like I'd stood up too fast, but it passed as quickly as it came, so I didn't think much about it.""Anything else?" I hesitate-this is like the Spanish Inquisition. I know I'm about to piss her off, but she was sick. "Last night after you went to bed my hand started to tingle, kind of like it was asleep. I couldn't get it to stop."She glares at me, giving me serious stink eye, before turning back to the road. "Why

I heard the words Piper said, but can't really wrap my mind around the possibility of a stroke. It didn't take a genius to notice the nurse didn't correct her assumption. I can't fathom how the hell I could be having a stroke. My head is throbbing, but I'm completely lucid. I'm young, in great shape, eat a healthy diet; this only happens to grossly obese people my age, not healthy, thirty-two-year-old men. My limited knowledge of stroke symptoms, patients, and the like is zilch, but the point is it shouldn't be me. I don't smoke, and I rarely drink. I just married my wife for the love of God. What the fuck is Piper going to do with what's left of me?Lying on this bed, unable to talk to my wife, the emotions seize me, Heather steps to my side. She doesn't speak. She places her hand on my forearm while we wait for the nurse to usher us in for the CT scan. The warmth of her touch grounds me and reminds me I'm not alone. When the doors finally open, signaling our turn, she gives me a ge

The worst part about all this is the incessant waiting. Waiting for nurses, waiting for tests, waiting for lab work, waiting for results, waiting for doctors. After Moby's MRI, the new nurse, Asten, has come on shift. Sweet girl, but if she doesn't stop making googly eyes at Moby, I may have to kick her in the ovaries. Overhearing me talking to Moby about running home to get his things, primarily his glasses so he can see, she tells me I have plenty of time before a doctor will be back in."You can go home. I'll be here. We won't let anything happen to him," she winks at Moby. Bitch, I'm not playing. She better lay off the flirty shit before I take out her kneecap.Glancing up and huffing in irritation at Asten, I turn to Moby, who is somehow oblivious to her advances. "Are you okay with that?" He nods. He looks tired. His eyes are dull, not their normal vibrant blue. Dark circles are forming around them. I can't help but notice his skin has a ground mustard hue that's unflatter

The bell sounds signaling visiting hours are over. I try to push back but Asten, the little hussy, holds firm refusing to allow me to stay with Moby overnight. "You can stay in the waiting room if you'd like but the hospital adheres to strict hours in ICU.""I'm his wife, are you serious?" I'm miffed, which I'm sure my tone conveys."Very. Goodnight, Mrs. Cooper." My eyes flutter in irritation. I swear if I have to see this little heifer much more, they may stick in the tops of their sockets."Fine," I huff at her. "Can you give me a minute, Asten?" I draw out her name indicating how pretentious I think it is."I'll be back." She turns to leave and again, my eyes search the ceiling. Irritation doesn't begin to describe what her presence does to me."Okay, I guess I need to go. I'm going to stop by the gym in the morning to tell them what's going on and see if they can reschedule your clients. I'll be back as soon as I'm done with that. Do you need anything from home?""D

Ripping the door open to my car, I plop down in the seat to Google the phone number for the hospital. "Moby Cooper's room, please.""One moment please." The sound of fingers on a keyboard fills the silence. "I'm sorry ma'am, there are no phones in the ICU rooms.""Okay, how about the nurses' station, it's right outside his room.""We aren't allowed to connect people to the ICU nursing station."The bitch in me erupts. "Look, I appreciate you're doing your job, and I hope you can appreciate I'm simply doing mine. My husband is on that floor, and his mother just called me to tell me they're moving him to MUSC in roughly twelve minutes, and I'm not there. Now, you can either connect me to a nurse on that floor or when I get there and my husband has left, I will personally come find you and show you just how unhappy I really am.""Let me put you on hold and see what I can do." She remains calm, but I can hear the unsettled tone in her voice."Thank you."As I wait, I start