Page 12 of Words Unspoken

“Hi sleepyhead. How do you feel?”

He was thirsty. His throat felt like it was swallowing rocks. His head barely hurt but he suspected that was the drugs. Michael could see and there were no ominous floating dark clouds around. He was grateful that she was there.

What could he say? He squeezed her hand instead.

“Are you in any pain?”

He shook his head no. It was insignificant.

“Would you like some water?”

He nodded and she helped him sit up. Drinking from the straw was like sucking down cut glass. He winced. Michael motioned for her to return the water to the side table. Leaning back, he watched her.

“Dr. Hemmond was by. He said that everything went as well as it could during the surgery,” she looked down at their joined hands and he realized that Ann knew. She knew about his mixing up words. The doctor had probably explained it to her. He swallowed thickly and instantly regretted it, his throat raw. He stared up at the ceiling. He was permanently damaged.

“Noah keeps calling. I shut your phone off because everyone from the board was calling but Noah is now phoning my cell. He is left a few voice messages.”

Michael didn’t really care about the board at the moment.

“I think I should tell him where you are,” softly said Ann.

Michael looked at her sharply. He was not certain he wanted Noah to know just yet. He felt like he needed some time to assimilate what had happened before it was shared.

“Both he and Max deserve to know. They are your brothers.”

Michael hoped it was sympathy and not pity in her eyes. He didn’t want anyone’s pity. He looked at Ann again. It was not fair to expect her to stay. At some point Noah and Max would have to learn the truth. Perhaps it was best they did know then Ann could go if that was what she wanted to do. He wanted her to stay though. Her presence was comforting. Conflicted, he nodded, giving her permission.

Ann rummaged around in her purse and came up with her cell phone. She dialed up Noah is number and put him on speaker so that Michael could hear the conversation.

“Ann! Where is he?” Noah sounded agitated. “Is Michael with you?”

“Yes,” Ann barely got to say the word before Noah interrupted.

“What on earth was he thinking?” Noah exploded. “The board is in turmoil. If this gets leaked to the press the stocks are going to dip. He has put the company in a bad place. Why would he quit? He always wanted to be head of the company.”

Actually, his father had wanted him to be head of the company. Michael had simply done as he had been told to do. He was not sure that he ever really truly wanted the position, now that he thought about it. Head of the legal department had been challenging, interesting. Head of the entire company? Daunting.

“Put him on the phone.”

“I can’t,” Ann said calmly.

“Excuse me? Is he refusing to speak to me? If he is doing that silent ‘I know better than you’ routine, you can tell him where to put it. He left me with this mess, and he knows I hate the politics of the board. I am a simple scientist who likes being in charge of the labs. He cannot stick me with any of this. None of it was supposed to be my responsibility.”

Michael was confused. What responsibility?

Ann saw his expression and understood. “Who is trying to stick you with responsibility Noah?”

“The board! They are deciding between Gains and I to run the company. Something about having a Ramesly in charge for the past sixty years, tradition is important to shareholders and the business community, blah, blah, blah,” Noah took a deep breath. “I would like to talk to him Ann.”

“He is on speaker.”

“Michael, you need to come back,” Noah sounded exhausted. “I can’t do this.”

Michael stared at Ann. He felt impotent. There was nothing he could do. There was nothing he could say.

“Noah, we are at the hospital,” Ann kept his gaze and took his hand in hers again. “Michael has just had surgery.”

“What?” asked a surprised Noah.