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There is the unmistakeable smell of disinfectant in their air, Nick 'Carbo' Karandonis noticed, bottom lip quivering, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "Mate", he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Mate, it'll be alright", Ben Rafter rasped, from the hospital bed, drawing the attention from his visitors. Squinting in the fluorescent light, he addressed his best friend. "Carbo, in case something goes wrong, I want you to have my car. You've always had my back, mate".

Carbo was trying to put on a brave face, but the sniffles and red eyes were clearly giving him away. "I love ya, mate", he whimpered, in what he hoped to be his manliest voice.

He then turned to his younger brother, Nathan, reaching out for his hand. "Nath, because you seriously need them, I'm leaving you my weights. Use them well, bro".

Nathan nodded solemnly, unable to bring his eyes to meet his brother's.

"Coby", he said to the poor, confused man at the end of the bed. "I don't really know you that well, but you need to look after Nath and Carbo, 'kay? They aren't going to be able to live with themselves once I'm gone". Coby looked even more confused, but nodded all the same.

Then he turned to the brunette on his right, who was, in his opinion, the most important of the group. She had her face scrunched up and he thought it was sweet that she was holding her tears in. He took a deep breath before pulling him close towards him.

"Mel", he said.

"Ben", she replied.

"If I die on the table-"

"You're completely overreacting-"

"I want to be cremated and I want you to take my urn to bed every night. 'Kay?"

"Oh, for pity's sake". Melissa cupped her husband's cheeks in her hands. "Ben. I want you to listen very carefully to me, alright?"

Bright blue met hazel and he nodded.

"Ben", she said slowly, as if she was talking to a three year old. "You're having your tonsils removed. You'll be back in here in an hour; it's probably the most common procedure". It didn't matter how many times she tried to console him, it didn't work. She thought having a nurse for a wife would have some form of calming effect on him, but apparently not.

After that statement, there was silence- a silence that was finally broken by Sandra, a sweet, elderly nurse. "Okay!" she said cheerily. "Who's ready to get their tonsils out?"

Ben turned to Melissa with a panic stricken look on his face and Carbo broke down in tears.

Surrounded by fine examples of masculinity, Melissa had no choice but to kiss her husband goodbye and put an arm around Carbo. Rolling her eyes heavenward, she sighed. Men.