While Ryan was relaxing with his music, George called to check in. Mr. Kelly stepped out of the room for a moment to talk to him.
"Hi, George," he said. "I am so glad you had the idea of putting that music in Ryan's Ipod. He's gotten to the point now where he knows he's losing control, and he'll ask for it; it always calms him down. It just saved us from a nasty episode with one of the therapists."
"I'm glad it's working," George replied, "And it's good to know he's starting to be able to keep himself in control. I guess today's been a bad day, then?"
"Yes," Mr. Kelly sighed. "He's so stressed right now he couldn't even get out a full sentence to tell me what he needed when he couldn't find the Ipod. He'd put it into one of the drawers this morning and didn't remember. But the therapist who was here is going to put a note in his chart so that all the other staff know that his Ipod is what he's looking for when he gets like that."
"That's a good idea," George agreed. He sighed, too. "I wish we could be there with him. The shows here are going well, and Colm's fitting right in, but we miss him, and we worry about him all the time since we aren't there. It's got to be hard on you as well with him bouncing between moods like this and being so impatient."
"It is," Mr. Kelly acknowledged. "We're never quite sure what we're dealing with from minute to minute. We're slowly starting to see bits of the old Ryan, but they're few and far between right now. I don't know if he'll be able to talk to you, but I'll ask him."
Mr. Kelly stepped back into Ryan's room. "Ryan?" he said quietly. "George is on the phone, do you want to talk to him?" Ryan nodded, dropping the headphones around his neck. Mr. Kelly passed him the phone.
"George?" Ryan said hesitantly, then smiled as George replied. He listened for a few moments then said, "No." He listened again and then said "No. Sing, please?" Mr. Kelly watched, smiling, as Ryan relaxed back on the pillows and closed his eyes.
On the other end, George had said to Ryan, "Not having a good day, eh, brother?" He grimaced at the few people around him as Ryan said, "No." "Do you want me to talk to you, or someone else?" He listened, and then started softly singing "Scarlet Ribbons". The others looked at each other in confusion. Normally Ryan was anxious to hear their voices.
When George had finished the song, he listened and then smiled gently. "I'm glad I could help, Mr. Kelly." he said "Hopefully that'll set him right." He disconnected the call.
"What was all that about?" Emmet burst out.
"Really bad day," George said. "Mr. Kelly said Ryan had gotten so stressed he couldn't even say a full sentence, but he is beginning to be able to tell when he's losing control and he'll ask for his Ipod to settle himself down. He couldn't find it this time and almost lost it but Mr. Kelly was able to get it to him. He'd been listening to it when I called. When Mr. Kelly gave him the phone, and I asked if he wanted someone to talk to him, he said 'No' and 'Sing, please'. Apparently I sang him to sleep." George wiped a tear from his eye as he finished.
"Hey, if that's what he needed, than that's fine, big G," Keith said, giving George a pat on the back. "That's what we're here for, right?"
"Aye," the big man agreed. "They're going to put a note in his chart so all the therapists know to look for his Ipod if he gets upset and starts hunting for something. He didn't remember where he put it this morning and he couldn't tell the therapist what he needed." It made all of them sad that something so simple could upset their brother that badly, but the fact that he could now get himself back under control was such a huge step that they felt like celebrating anyway.