Early the following morning, Cal was moved to a four bed ward. There were two other occupants there, an elderly man who was currently asleep and a young man, maybe fourteen years old, Cal guessed. He was bald headed, a sufferer of chemotherapy. He gave Cal a smile as he was wheeled past. Once Cal was settled the boy turned to him and spoke thickly. He had the voice of someone who couldn't hear themselves speak. "What's your name?"
Cal brought his hands up. He pointed to himself, then made 'h' hands and tapped the middle finger of his right hand against the upturned edge of the index finger of his left hand: 'my name'. He watched the delighted expression cross the boy's face as he realised someone spoke his language. Cal finger spelled his first name. The responding conversation was far too fast for Cal to read. He held up a hand to stop him. 'Slow,' he signed back. The boy spelt out his name: Kent. Cal smiled and nodded; he got it this time.
Kent asked if Cal was deaf. Cal shook his head. He signed 'son' and 'hard of hearing'. Kent nodded. Cal noted to himself that Kent had stopped speaking a loud and that he also wasn't wearing hearing aids, which meant Kent was culturally deaf. Cal asked if Kent could read lips and he nodded. Cal asked how old Kent was. He signed back: sixteen. Just slightly too old to remain in the children's ward, but he was small for his age. Cal figured it was because he was sick. He didn't ask.
Kent asked how old Cal's son was. Cal told him Lewis's name and age. Kent signed something Cal didn't understand. Kent asked if Cal could read lips and he shook his head in the negative. He finger spelled 'sorry'. Kent gave a shrug. Cal gave a wan smile and finger spelled 'learning'. Kent nodded and gave him a thumbs up. Then he slowly signed 'it's nice to talk.'
Cal gave a smile. He could see the joy on the young man's face. Extended stay in hospitals were lonely enough without being unable to speak to anyone. Cal wondered how he got along with the staff. Across the aisle the old man snored in his sleep suddenly. Cal turned to study him but noted out of the corner of his eye that Kent didn't react to the sound.
"Good morning Doctor Lightman," Doctor George greeted him. She was followed by a nurse and the surgical assistant Rachel Ferguson. The nurse pulled the curtain around Cal's bed. Rachel dived right on in to check how Cal's incisions were healing. "Now I've had a look at the lymph nodes removed from your neck during the surgery," Doctor George went on.
"Open up," Rachel instructed Cal. He obliged. She shone a small light into his mouth.
"I'm pleased to report there were no abnormal cells present."
Cal felt relieved. Rachel let his mouth go and stripped off her latex gloves. "You're good," she gave his shoulder a pat. She moved away giving the nurse room to move in. Rachel also gave the doctor a clear expression before she left again.
"So we're still confident we caught this disease in the earliest of stages."
Cal nodded. The nurse started to change his dressings. He realised then that he had a completely female medical team. "How's your pain this morning?" George went on.
Cal gave his hand a vague wave in the air. He was wary of how much his throat hurt. He didn't want to talk because of the pain. "Scale of one to ten, ten being agony," George instructed.
"Six," Cal croaked.
"Six is good," George was optimistic. "That's manageable." The nurse taped fresh dressings onto each side of Cal's throat, just under his jaw bone. "You can go home later his afternoon," George continued. "And we'll send you away with something to manage the pain." She went on to explain home care and how Cal should come back in for a follow up in about a week's time. He would get the stitches out then. And they would probably do another CT scan just to make sure. In the mean time the nurse removed Cal's IV and packed away her supplies.
"Do you have any questions for me?"
Cal shook his head. He held out his hand for the doctor to shake. "Thank you," he rasped.
"My pleasure. See you in a week."
Cal nodded. The two women left. Breakfast arrived. Cal was on soft foods for his throat. He was disappointed it wasn't an ice cream diet. The snoring from across the way stopped and he figured the old man was awake now. But with the curtain pulled he couldn't talk to Kent anymore. It wasn't like he could call out to the young man. Half an hour later an orderly came to clear Cal's tray. He asked him to pull the curtain back again. Kent had gone.
An hour after that, Cal's hands were twitchy with wanting something to do; preferably being able to text his wife. A nurse came in to give Cal pills. He swallowed them awkwardly, thinking all that education and they couldn't figure after throat surgery he might find it difficult to swallow? Whatever the pills were, couldn't they just liquidise them and shoot them into his thigh?
"Wait," Cal stopped the nurse from leaving. "I need the bathroom." She looked dubious for a moment. Cal wondered if he was going to have to explain exactly what it was he was going to do in there but she said she'd get an orderly to come and help him. Cal thought that was slightly ridiculous. He had been taking himself to the toilet successfully since he was three. Five minutes later a blond haired young man came in and announced he was going to help Cal to the bathroom. Cal wondered why he needed assistance. It wasn't like he had had surgery on his legs. Actually, after his appendectomy he had needed a little help. But that had been a large abdominal invasion...
The orderly stood by as Cal levered himself out of bed. He was surprised to find himself a little unsteady, a little light headed. He took a moment to gather his bearings and then took a tentative step forward. His legs felt a little wobbly but after a few shuffling attempts he no longer felt like he was in danger of falling flat on the ground. Now he had to worry about flashing his bare arse to the hospital. At least he didn't have an arse he was ashamed of sharing around.
The orderly took him down the corridor and waited around outside while Cal used the facilities. He had underwear on. Small blessings. And no new scars to indicate they had also stolen a kidney while he was under. The walk back to his room went a lot quicker; he was feeling better the more he moved around. Kent was back when Cal arrived. He gave him a wave. Cal wanted to ask where he'd gone but was overly conscious of the fact that he couldn't communicate so well and that he would be prying his nose into the sick young man's life. Gillian would disapprove. And he could already see that Kent was unwell; did he really have to know more about it?
Cal read the paper for a bit, but he could feel Kent's eyes on him and put it down again, looking over at the younger man. Kent asked him what he did for a living and Cal was able to explain he could read facial expressions. Kent thought that was cool. Unfortunately for Cal, he couldn't ask Kent about himself, what school he went to, what subjects he took, whether he had a girlfriend or boyfriend. So he let Kent pry into his life. He told him about Emily and Gillian. Kent asked him how come he had a two year old. So Cal explained about his first marriage too. Briefly. Very briefly. Kent seemed fascinated. Cal suspected he had been bored shitless until he got there. Cal was bored shitless without Kent to talk to.
Gillian arrived mid morning. "Hey," she gave him a pleasant smile in greeting. "You've moved."
Cal wiggled his eyebrows in assent. He reached out for her hand and pulled her close to where he was sitting up cross legged on the bed. He kissed her. She gave him a pleased smile when she pulled back. "So you're feeling much better then?"
Cal nodded.
"But not talking?" She was slightly concerned.
Cal signed 'hurts', two 'D' hands rotating in front of the chest simultaneously but in opposite directions.
"Do you want me to get someone for you?"
Cal shook his head. He signed he was ok. Then he whispered that he'd already had something. He added that Doctor George had been by to say his lymph nodes were clear and that he could go home that afternoon.
Gillian gave a brilliant smile. "That's great!" She gave his arm a squeeze. "That's really great."
Cal nodded. Why wasn't he as excited to go home as she was? He wanted the hell out of the hospital that was for sure but... He saw Kent eyeing them up out of the corner of his eye, despite having an extreme sports magazine open in his hands. Cal indicated his roommate. He introduced Kent as his friend. He signed it. Gillian watched Cal carefully and he loved that they could communicate without words. He didn't have to tell her Kent was deaf, she could just tell. He didn't have to add he was making extra effort for the kid, she just knew. She turned to the young man and waved hello and smiled in greeting. He waved back. She asked him his name, the fluidity of her signs much better than Cal's. Kent responded and asked hers. Gillian signed her name quickly. She practised. They went back and forth a bit. Cal could follow most of the conversation. But Gillian knew signs he didn't and she was quick.
Gillian turned back to Cal. "Cute kid."
Cal nodded. Kent could see him and therefore read his lips. Gillian could say all she wanted with her back to the boy. She dug in her bag. "Here," she handed over his phone.
Cal rolled his eyes in exaggerated relief. He signed 'thank you'.
"Figured you'd be bored."
"I am," Cal whispered.
"And I brought you something to read." She produced the text of American Sign Language they were learning from.
Cal took it with a sardonic smirk. "Got a change of clothes in there so I can sneak out now?"
"I brought clothes, but think again if you assume I would help you break out, sorry. I brought your toothbrush though. And a razor just in case you felt the need to shave."
Cal took the items with another 'thank you'. He hadn't shaved in the last three weeks, not since he had originally found the lump. He hadn't set out particularly to make a statement. He just didn't feel like it. And once he got beyond the itchy stage and the hairs had softened again he quite liked it. The hair was flecked with grey and lighter colours but it was not as frightening as he thought it would be. It didn't make him look like an old man. This was the first time Gillian had suggested he shave it off.
"Will you stay for a while?"
"Sure," Gillian agreed. "My time is your time." She pulled a chair closer and sat, holding his hand. Cal gazed down at her. So beautiful.
He asked about Lewis. Gillian told him the toddler seemed to be unsettled. Or perhaps the terrible two's were just starting to kick in. He had tried climbing up the book case and worked a hole in the couch cushion so he could pull the fluff out of the middle of it. He was spending some serious time in the corner. Apparently at day care yesterday he had smacked a kid in the face and spent ten minutes in the 'time out'.
"Oh dear," Cal rasped. "That magical age."
"I figured."
"Anythin' from the adoption agency?"
"No," Gillian replied cautiously. Cal nodded, his stomach doing a quivery little jump that made him feel nauseous. "Do you think there would be?"
"No news is good news right?"
Gillian nodded and then her focus got a little distant.
"So how's work?" Cal changed the subject.
PJ
Gillian went back to work so Cal had lunch with Kent. They talked about football. Kent was quite knowledgeable. He explained he had a lot of time to read and watch TV. He also claimed to support Manchester United and Cal teased him about only supporting the team that was always winning. In the early afternoon Cal was told he could get dressed. He called Gillian to get her to come and pick him up. She told him she would get Lewis on her way first; she wouldn't be more than an hour. Cal sat on the edge of his bed and waited.
Kent asked Cal how he could 'see' people. Cal took that to mean how could he 'read' people's faces. He explained through a whisper so Kent could read his lips. Their elderly roommate was taking an afternoon nap. Kent had told Cal the old man was not open to much conversation. In fact, he had a hard time keeping his eyes open at all.
Kent asked if Cal could 'read' him.
Cal nodded he could.
Kent reckoned he couldn't. He didn't have anything to hide.
Cal smiled a little at the challenge. "You got a girlfriend?"
Kent shook his head, embarrassed.
"Boyfriend?" Cal guessed.
Kent shook his head again, but there was something about the way he refused to meet Cal's eyes. He kept his gaze focussed on Cal's lips and alternated to his hands when Cal signed the few words he knew.
"There a boy you like?"
Kent looked up in awed mortification.
Cal gave a shrug. "He go to your school?"
Kent gave a slight nod.
"Does he notice you?"
Kent glanced away again before looking back to watch Cal communicate.
"That's all right," Cal responded. "My wife didn't notice me eitha for years and years."
Kent signed 'why?'
Cal indicated she already had a husband.
Kent asked how they ended up together then.
'Long story,' Cal signed.
'She's beautiful,' Kent signed in return.
Cal agreed with a grin. He nodded his head. She sure was. Speaking of which, Lewis announced their arrival by running in. "Uh oh!" Which was hello. Then he hesitated as he was confronted with Kent first and the sleeping form of the elderly man. Cal slipped off the end of the bed and made himself seen. "Dad!" Lewis pointed and raced over as Gillian came through the doorway. Cal scooped Lewis up into his arms and planted a kiss on the boy's cheek.
"Better now," Lewis told him.
Cal nodded. "Betta now," he whispered back. He wondered if Lewis's hearing aids would pick up the feeble sound.
"Hi," Gillian greeted him. She leaned in for a quick kiss. "Ready to go?"
"Yep," Cal responded softly. He had already filled out his discharge papers. His bag was packed. The beard was still on his cheeks.
Gillian took Lewis and told him to say hello to Kent. Kent signed 'hello'. Lewis returned it. Gillian gave Kent a warm smile before she left. Cal turned to Kent too. 'Pleasure to meet you,' he signed. He had been practising the phrase all morning.
Kent gave him a smile. 'You too.'
Cal crossed to shake his hand. He put his other arm around the back of the young man's shoulders in a hug. 'You take care of yourself.' Cal had been practising that one too. Kent nodded. Cal turned back to his bag. Gillian was waiting for him in the doorway. They filed the paper work with the charge nurse and headed downstairs to fill Cal's prescriptions.
"That was really nice," Gillian told him as they waited for the elevator.
"What's that?"
"Giving Kent a hug. You should have seen his face."
"I did," Cal responded. He turned to find Lewis digging in a pot plant. He went to retrieve him. Normally he'd just yell. "No," he told Lewis firmly as he picked him up. "You really are turnin' into a terra."