Hours later Deakins and Eames were called to the small conference room just off the surgical waiting area, where Doctor Maxwell Preston awaited.
"Hello," he said, "I'm Doctor Preston, I'm a specialist in maxillofacial surgery. I was called in by Doctor Springer to assist in Robert's surgery." He shook their hands. "Robert did fantastic. Everything looks great."
"Thank God!" Alex repeated.
"I understand you have a few questions?"
"Yes." Deakins answered for them both.
"Okay," Doctor Preston said. "Why don't I just tell you everything we did, and then if you have any questions I'll be happy to answer them.
"Usually, a broken cheekbone is just put back into place, and hopefully it will hold on it's own, sometimes it needs help with the addition of a very small metal plate and screws. This is what we had to do in Robert's case, in addition to a little bone graft involving the orbital eye socket. As you were probably already informed, we went through his mouth, through the gum above his back teeth. The stitches are dissolvable and will fall out on their own. All in all, it looks good."
"What about his recovery? What will that entail?"
"Well it's definitely going to be very sore for a while. He'll be on painkillers for a while; we'll get together with his other doctors on that, since he has those other injuries. And he'll be on antibiotics, intravenously at first, to ward off any infection involving the graft. There will be more swelling and bruising; the nurses will apply cold compresses to help alleviate that. It will also help with the pain. And it should take approximately six weeks to heal, and we will have to keep an eye on him for the next few months. Does that help?"
"Uh…yes. Thank you. Just one more thing, will this alter his appearance in any way?"
"Of course there's no way to know for a few more days at least, until the swelling goes down. But we feel very good about this."
"Thank you, Doctor," Deakins said, as the doctor left. He put his arm around Alex's shoulders. "See? Bobby's gonna be okay. Things are coming along. We'll get Bobby out of this mess yet."
Joe Simons was determined to get Bobby out of jail. He went back to Judge O'Toole, armed with statements from the doctors as to Bobby's condition, statements given by Jake Connelly from the interrogation with Eames and Logan, and a report of the jailhouse attack. If this didn't change the judge's mind, then nothing would. And there was no way in hell Bobby would survive another couple months in jail. There wouldn't be anything or anybody who could save him.
Judge O'Toole listened as Joe presented his case. The one thing he had dreaded had now happened. Goren had been attacked, nearly killed, and another prisoner and guard had been injured in that same attack. There were bound to be repercussions from this one. He was still reluctant to grant Joe's request, but finally relented, and Bobby, whenever he was medically well enough to be released from the hospital, would soon be out on bail.
Joe maintained his cool while in the presence of the judge, but once outside, couldn't help it, he fairly leaped down the steps, raising his arms in victory. Finally, one for Bobby.
-----------------
Joe hurried back to the hospital, meeting Deakins and Alex just as they were leaving the surgical waiting room.
"Good news!" Alex and Joe both spoke at the same time.
"You go," Joe said, allowing her to speak first, knowing it was about Bobby's operation.
"Every thing looks good for Bobby," Alex told him. "The operation appears to be a success, the doctor says he should be fine. We're just waiting for him to get into his room."
"That's great! And I've got some pretty good news, too."
Deakins and Alex both looked at Joe expectantly. "Well?"
"I got bail for him. As soon as he's okay, he gets to go home."
Alex hugged Joe, and Deakins shook his hand.
"Congratulations, Joe!" Deakins said.
Joe didn't normally receive congratulations for getting a client bail, but after all that Bobby had been through, this was a big deal.
"I can't wait for you to tell him!" Alex said, hugging him again.
A few hours later, after Bobby was settled back in his room, the small group entered. Alex wasn't sure exactly what she was expecting, but she was expecting him to look better. Instead he looked worse. His already bruised face was bruised even more, thanks to the surgery, and it was swollen again, plus a lot of packing on the inside of his mouth made it seem all the more swollen. But it was all for the good. He might look worse, but at least now he was on the road to recovery.
Bobby was propped up by a couple of pillows, partially sitting up, per the doctor's instructions to keep him upright. There was an IV pole next to his bed, with a couple bags attached, with the line running into Bobby's right hand. Alex came up to him and kissed the top of his head, then brushed the curls off his forehead.
"How ya feeling, Bobby?" she asked.
He grunted something unintelligible. Despite being loaded up on painkillers, he was still in a lot of pain.
"We've got some news, Bobby." He looked at them. They all seemed kind of…antsy? Wired?
He closed his eyes momentarily, expecting the worst, bracing himself for…what? He was being shipped off to Rikers for good, without even the benefit of a damn trial in some kind of kangaroo court? After everything that had happened, even his thoughts were sarcastic.
Finally Alex couldn't hold back any longer. "Bobby, Joe got you released on bail! You're out!"
Bobby, still groggy, stared at her for a second, not understanding. "What?" he mumbled.
"It's true, Bobby," Joe continued. "That bastard judge finally relented, on threat of a lawsuit, to release you on bail."
"God…!" he shifted in the bed, suddenly trying to get up, getting himself all worked up.
"Whoa, Bobby," Deakins said, pushing him back gently, trying not to hurt him, but not wanting him to hurt himself, either. At last Bobby settled back in the bed, taking a big breath. Now that hurt. He'd have to remember not to do that, until his broken ribs healed.
"Thank you!" he whispered.
"It's okay," Joe said. "It's something you should have had all along. There's no way in hell you should have ever had to go through all this. No way in hell! I'm sorry, Bobby."
But Bobby was just grateful to be getting out. "Thanks," he
repeated.
Deakins smiled at him. "Well, now that we've got you all woke up, we're going to leave so you can rest and get some sleep."
Bobby managed a smile. "No—"
"Sorry, Bobby, doctor's orders. We've already got you all worked up. They'll be kicking us out soon."
"Just a little…" It was still difficult for him to speak, and just as difficult to be understood.
"Alright. But just for a little while."
So Bobby sat back and just listened to them talk, about his release on bail, the preparations for his trial, and general things of interest. Then Bobby asked the question again. "The kid?"
"What kid?" Alex asked. She hoped this conversation would go better than the last time.
"In JAIL." Bobby enunciated as clearly as possible.
"The kid in the jail with you? The one who was injured?"
"Yes!" Finally, they understood him!
The three of them exchanged glances. That kid who'd been in jail with Bobby was very sick, the result of a severe infection resulting from the attack when the other inmates turned on him. Why Bobby cared so much about this kid was beyond them, after all, this kid had been one of his attackers. Regardless, Bobby did care. And so they were reluctant to tell him.
Deakins changed the subject. "Well at least now you can recuperate in the comfort of your own—"
"What about him?" Bobby demanded, starting to get agitated again.
Again they looked at each other. "He's… very sick, Bobby. He might not make it," Deakins said gently.
"What?" Bobby's voice sounded strangled.
"They tore him up real bad, Bobby. He's developed a severe infection. They can't get it under control…"
Bobby looked stricken. Suddenly his stomach rolled; it was all he could do to prevent being sick.
"Are you okay, Bobby?" Alex asked, concerned. Then they all realized. This horrible attack was what had been planned for Bobby. He'd only escaped the same fate by minutes. If they hadn't, for some reason, attacked the inmate first…Bobby was feeling guilty, warranted or not.
"Hey, Bobby, c'mon. You gonna be okay, man?" Joe persisted.
"Look, Bobby," Deakins said. "None of this is your fault. They attacked you! That inmate included! Just because they turned on him for some reason is not your fault." Alex and Joe agreed.
"Yeah," he mumbled, just to get them to leave him alone. "I'm alright."
"You sure?"
Bobby nodded, shutting his eyes for a moment.
Then, sensing how drained Bobby really was, they decided to go, and let him rest.
Bobby, so tired he could hardly keep his eyes open, sat propped against the pillows, with his head just slightly back, thinking.
That kid had saved his life. He may have come to Bobby's cell with all sort of evil intent, but the fact that he didn't go through with it, and had, in fact, tried to prevent them from hurting him any further, told him that there was still some good in that kid. And he felt horrible. God…please let him make it…
Finally Bobby began to succumb to the residual effects of the surgery, anesthesia, and the narcotic effect of the painkillers, and fell into a very exhausted sleep. He slept a little easier, knowing that for the first time in months he could sleep without the fear of being attacked.
tbc