“Do you need the aspirator?”

“No. Now that we clipped off that bleeder, we’re fine. Fuck, she had me scared for a few minutes. How’s her drainage?”

“We’re just about done draining naturally.”

“Did you put in the monitor for her ICP?”

“Yes, Doctor.”

“Then let’s get started.”

“I don’t know a damn thing I’m not telling you.” Jason’s yelling. I tend to believe him as he’s being cornered by everyone, including his husband. “I swear to God, I tried to get more information, but they’re not saying a word.”

“Shit. I believe him,” Phil grumbles.

“Thanks, baby,” Jason says sarcastically. Shoving away from the pack of desperate Freemans, Jason stalks over to a chair and throws himself into it.

Phil goes to open his mouth, but I clap my hand on his shoulder and shake my head. “Jason,” I call to him. His head snaps up. Glaring at his husband standing next to me, he raises his eyebrows. “Thanks for trying,” I say before I let Phil loose to go grovel at his husband’s feet.

We’re in hour five of Corinna’s surgery. Our last update consisted of things were still “going well.” Jason volunteered to try to find out more specifics, but that failed. We’re barely hungry, yet we’re starving. We’re exhausted, yet we can’t sleep.

We need some kind of reassurance Corinna’s still with us.

As if she hears us, my cell phone alarm goes off. 10:50 AM. Purple bag. Ziploc 4. Then your journal. Love, Corinna

The cards feel thick as I pass them around the room. We tear them open, and the exclamations of “Where the hell did she find these?” begin. Even Jason can’t hold on to his anger as Phil rubs the furry card against him and makes kitty noises.

“Jesus, can someone please get me eye bleach?” Keene mutters over my shoulder, as he’s unable to look away from the train wreck that’s Phil curled up in his husband’s lap pretending to purr like a cat.

“So, I take it you and Ali don’t plan on being furries anytime soon?” I ask innocently.

“Bite your damn tongue right off.”

“You know that if you just ignore him, his antics stop faster.” Ali slides up next to Keene, wrapping her arms around his waist.

“They never stop. It’s like watching bad internet porn,” Keene bemoans.

Ali arches an eyebrow. “Have much time do you have to do that these days?” She stalks away to talk with Cassidy and Em.

“Shit. How is it I always end up in the doghouse?”

I snicker. “Don’t you mean the cathouse?”

Keene gives me the middle finger before he goes to coax Ali back into a better mood. I drop down into a chair and open my own card, and slap a hand over my mouth before the snicker can escape and draw any attention.

It’s going to be all about playing with the kitty for a while. Sorry, baby! XOXO

Reaching for my journal, I open it to where the peacock marker rests. Turning the page, I start reading, and suddenly, I can’t control the laughter.

This is the kitten checklist. If I’m right, can I have a real cat?

Doesn’t she realize she doesn’t need to guess? She can have whatever she wants.

Phil is rubbing the card (and likely himself) all over Jason. Keene is complaining about being traumatized. Ali is wondering why Keene can rock her world in bed, but is such a prude around the family. Holly and Em are trying to stay sane by scoping out hot doctors when they escape the room for a few minutes. Caleb and Cass are cuddling more than usual to bear up under the strain because today is bringing back too many memories of when she was a patient here, and Charlie is trying to get some semblance of order by bossing you around?

How did I do?

Seriously, y’all needed to lighten up for just a few minutes, and I just knew that giving Phil a card like this would be set off a chain reaction.

Consider this the meow effect!

Love,

Corinna

In case you didn’t figure it out, my love, stop reading. But don’t use my kitty to mark the page. It will just stretch it. And what good is a stretched pussy?

I’m laughing so hard, I can hardly breathe.

“Do you think we need to get him a doctor?” Holly says worriedly.

“If you go to get one, I’m coming with you,” Em replies.

Clutching the journal to my stomach, I laugh harder.

“Hunt, get it together! You’re losing it and scaring people,” Charlie barks at me to get me in line.

Just like Corinna said.

“Can’t breathe,” I manage to get out. “Knows…you…all…too well.” I flip the journal over and howl like a lunatic.

“Colby, are you okay?” Cassidy, sweet Cassidy. I spin around in my chair and grab hold of her. Just to offer her a moment of peace, I press the journal in her hands. “I swear I’m not losing my mind. Just…here. See what she did and you’ll understand.” Watching Cassidy closely as she absorbs Corinna’s words is almost as good as me reading them for the first time.

“Oh, Colby.” Her face loses its tension. “This is priceless. And so utterly Corinna.” Cassidy’s tension has been replaced with something different.

Hope.

“I know.” I accept the journal she hands back to me, sliding the peacock card in place again as a bookmark before sealing it closed.

“I’ve always said she has the biggest heart of us all,” Cassidy murmurs. Dropping a kiss on the top of my head, she continues. “How fortunate she chose to give it to you for safekeeping.”

“I’m not just fortunate, Cassidy. I’m blessed.”