WALKING DOWN THE hallway to Donnie’s room, better rested, properly fed, and clean, Ben smiled to himself. He looked forward to seeing Donnie and telling him that he’d been right to put his foot down. Getting away from the hospital had done Ben a world of good. But the smile vanished from Ben’s face the moment he stepped into Donnie’s room.

Donnie lay curled on his side, as tense and miserable as he had been three nights before when Ben found him doubled up with pain at home. His face was ashen and sweaty, and his eyes were dark with agony.

Ben dropped the small bag with Donnie’s things that he carried and hurried to Donnie’s side. “What’s wrong? Why didn’t you ring for help?”

“Did...an...hour ‘go,” Donnie gasped.

The IV bags hanging over the bed were all empty. “When did they last give you pain meds?”

“This mornin’.”

“I’ll be right back. Hang tight.” Ben squeezed Donnie’s shoulder, then ran from the room. On his way in, he’d missed the red call light flashing above Donnie’s door, so absorbed had he been in his anticipation. He sprinted toward the nurses’ station. When he got close enough to hear the two duty nurses talking, he stopped dead.

“Shouldn’t we see what he wants now, in room 102?” one of them said.

The other one made a dismissive noise. “That’s the faggy drug addict. All he wants is a shot. He’s not getting any pain meds from me.”

Ben couldn’t believe his ears. He was about to confront the women when he spotted Dr. Greene come down the corridor toward them. “Doctor,” Ben called, loud enough to be audible over at the nurses’ station. “My—” He hesitated, then pressed on, “— boyfriend is in agony. He needs pain meds right now!” Then he turned and gave the two nurses his most withering stare. “And if either of these two comes near us again, I’m suing this hospital!” Then he turned and hurried back toward Donnie’s room.

“Ben,” Dr. Greene panted, trying to keep up. “What happened?”

“I’ll tell you soon as you make sure Donnie’s okay.” Ben wrenched the door open and strode inside, hurrying his steps as soon as his eyes fell on Donnie. “Whoa, what is it?”

Donnie tried to push himself to sitting but didn’t have the strength and got tangled in the IV lines. “Need...bathroom...oww!”

Ben was by Donnie’s side in a couple of strides, desperate to help, but at a loss with the wires and plastic tubes. He threw the doctor a panicky look. “Help me, will you? Get these things off him!”

By the time the doctor had unplugged everything and Donnie was upright, he whimpered, and shook in Ben’s arms. Ben led him straight into the bathroom, but here Donnie stopped dead. He wrapped his arms around his middle and leaned his forehead on Ben’s shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, Ben. Oh god...”

“What?”

“I—” Donnie began, but Ben already knew.

“No matter. Let me help.” Ben made to pull down Donnie’s soiled boxer shorts, but Donnie grabbed his wrist.

“Put on...gloves.”

“Donnie, this won’t—”

“Just do it...” Donnie’s grip on Ben tightened as his insides cramped again. He gave a suppressed moan but wouldn’t meet Ben’s eyes.

“All right,” Ben murmured and reached out to take a pair of nitrile gloves from a dispenser on the wall, while Donnie fought to control his treacherous body. When Ben finally pulled Donnie’s boxer shorts down and helped him take off the hospital nightgown, they were dealing with a proper mess. Donnie whimpered again and averted his face.

“You gonna be all right for a minute?” Ben asked when he had helped Donnie sit on the toilet. “I’ll grab some fresh things for you.”

Donnie nodded, and Ben got the bag with Donnie’s clothes. He waited for Donnie to let him know he was finished, then helped him clean up and into a fresh pair of boxers and a T-shirt. Donnie didn’t speak. He was sweaty and heavy in Ben’s arms as they returned to the bed, and he curled up away from Ben as soon as he lay down.

The doctor reconnected the IVs and hung fresh bags, then pushed an extra strong dose of painkillers. The tension drained from Donnie, and his shoulders relaxed as the medication took effect, but he didn’t move. He was at the end of his endurance, and Ben had no more words to console him.