Clouds and Rain

said he was happy that Gable had found someone to champion him.”
    “Yeah, I bet he is,” Flynn replied wryly. He had the sudden uncontrollable urge to get into his car and drive to the hospital to see Gable.

    91

    Zahra Owens

    TO FLYNN‟S surprise, Gable wasn‟t in his room when he got there. A quick query at the nurse‟s desk garnered no reply, so he walked back to Gable‟s room, where he found a stranger in a white uniform leaning against the doorpost.
    “Craig,” the stranger said, holding out his hand. “Gable‟s on his way back. He‟s determined to go home as soon as possible, so he‟s making his way here from the elevator.”
    “Walking?” Flynn asked, his eyebrows flirting with his hairline.
    Craig chuckled. “No way. We‟re working on getting him a bit more mobile in a wheelchair, but he told me he‟s going to have to navigate a narrow flight of stairs in his house?” Flynn nodded. “Not to mention four steps up to the porch and a not-so-even driveway to get there. I told him he‟s not ready to come home yet.”
    Craig smiled compassionately. “He‟s a bit stubborn that way.” Flynn laughed. “Tell me about it.”
    When Flynn looked into the hallway, he saw Gable sitting in a wheelchair halfway down the corridor, his elbows resting on the arm rests and his head hanging down between his shoulders. He wanted to go over to him but Craig held him back. “Leave him. I want him to feel how much effort even the smallest thing will cost him. It‟s the only way we‟ll be able to persuade him that it‟s too early to go home.” Although Flynn knew how stubborn Gable was and doubted that Craig would win, he could see the sense in what the therapist was telling him. That didn‟t make it any easier for Flynn to watch Gable struggle for every foot of progress he made down the corridor.
    Eventually, Flynn walked inside the room to wait there, and he was glad to see Gable enter through the door. He stayed back to watch how Craig helped Gable stand on his good leg and then transfer to the bed, where he laid down, totally exhausted.
    “A lot of work to do, buddy,” Craig told Gable after patting his knee. “Rest now.”

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    Gable nodded and watched him leave, after which he looked at Flynn. “You‟re late. I was hoping you‟d come to the therapy room with me so you could see how well I‟m doing.”
    Flynn walked to the bed and took Gable‟s hand. “I‟m sorry I missed it. I was making amends with Calley.” Gable didn‟t say anything, and the silence wasn‟t entirely comfortable.
    “Craig says I can go home soon.”
    Flynn shook his head. “Craig says you need to be patient. There‟s still a lot of work that needs to be done, like fitting you with a prosthesis.”
    Gable closed his eyes and Flynn knew he was hurting. Gable didn‟t respond, though, again ignoring Flynn‟s plea to talk. “I can‟t stay here much longer, Flynn. I need to be in my own house and I need to be able to see the horses and then everything will be okay, I promise.”
    “But you‟re exhausted just from pushing your wheelchair down three hundred feet of corridor,” Flynn tried.
    Gable pulled him closer. “But at home I know where everything is. It‟s MY house. Please, Flynn.” He scooted over a bit, making a space for Flynn.
    Flynn crawled into Gable‟s bed, as he‟d done so many times in the past weeks, and snuggled into his arms. He knew Gable would fall asleep as soon as they got comfortable, but he liked that it made Gable feel good and it cemented their bond. He‟d expected Gable to be angry with him for giving permission for the operation, even though it was Calley who had signed the papers, but Gable had been surprisingly loving, and Flynn reveled in the attention. He had to give it some time.
    “Are you still awake?”
    “Mmmh,” Gable moaned.
    “Give me a few days and I‟ll take you home.” 93

    Zahra Owens

    Chapter 13

    FLYNN picked Gable up from the hospital and drove him back to the ranch. Gable was nervous. He desperately wanted to see his house again, wanted to sit on the porch, look out over the paddocks and inhale the fresh, clear, open air, but it wasn‟t going to be easy. He didn‟t look forward to climbing the stairs to his bedroom, and he hated thinking about all the hours he‟d sit waiting for Flynn to be done with his work around the ranch, but anything beat lying in that cold, white hospital room. He was surprised to see all the snow and had