She was in recovery for ninety minutes. Sam tracked me down in the ICU shortly after Lauren was wheeled into her room. Hearing him say, “Hey,” was the first sign I got that he hadn’t yet been picked up. He waited outside the door as two nurses completed the process of settling my wife into their care. They made double sure that the monitors were monitoring and the pumps were pumping and the IVs were dripping. The nurse that I thought was Lauren’s primary appraised Sam suspiciously. He was hovering the way cops hover, something few found reassuring. The nurse said, “No visitors at this hour. You want him here?” I nodded. “I’ll give you five minutes.” I was sitting by Lauren’s side with her limp hand in mine. Her hand was too cool for my comfort, but not cold enough to spawn any greater panic than I’d been feeling all day. I felt no indication Lauren knew I was by her side.
