Page 49 of Words Unspoken

“Special occasion?” He smiled and sat down. “Okay, I understand all of you are concerned for Michael. Is this the first time he is ever had a seizure?”

“Yes,” confirmed Max.

“I see by his chart that he is a patient of Dr. Hemmond. He has had surgery on his brain,” Dr. Smythe looked at the papers in front of him. “Sometimes the brain is a funny thing. While Michael’s migraines, dizziness and hallucinations have disappeared - ”

“Hallucinations?” Noah interrupted sharply. “No one said anything about hallucinations.”

The young doctor checked his notes again. “It is here on his chart.”

Ann put her head in her hands. Michael never said anything. He had been suffering so much and never said a word. When she had been his secretary she knew about the migraines and their increasing strength, however Michael never once complained about them. She could feel Elle rub her back.

“As I was saying, most of Michael’s previous symptoms have disappeared post-surgery. However, we all knew that there might be some side effects. Sometimes if a stroke happens during the surgery, there can be interruptions in the neurons in the brain. They happen infrequently and randomly. With proper medication, we can work on eliminating the seizures.”

“Are you saying he had a stroke during the surgery?” questioned Max.

“It is likely that he had a small one. It explains the speech aphasia and the seizure,” the doctor confirmed. “We have sedated him, and he is going to be very tired tomorrow. We will keep Michael until the day after and if there are no other lasting effects, he will be able to go home.”

“He is going to be okay?” Mrs. Ramesly asked, her voice quavering.

“Yes. He will be okay.” Dr. Smythe stood up. “Now, seeing this is a special occasion, I will let the entire group see him for five minutes then you all need to go back to the party. No one gets to stay tonight except Michael. He is going to sleep the entire time anyways. Visiting hours start at eight tomorrow.”

They followed the doctor and found Michael laying in a hospital bed, the hated gown on, asleep. A monitor blinked nearby, reading his vitals. Ann hung back as everyone either squeezed his hand or gave him a kiss on the cheek. Finally, most of them trailed away and Ann came over. She perched on the bed and grabbed his hand. She clutched it to her and leaned forward to place a kiss at the edge of his mouth then straightened to watch him sleep a moment.

“I am sorry Ann,” said Noah. “I didn’t know.”

Ann nodded. She suspected everyone except Michael knew now. Then again, maybe he knew but didn’t want to hurt her feelings by rejecting her. She wiped away a tear and gently put Michael is hand down. “Can I get a ride please?”

“Of course.”

Taking a last look at Michael, she allowed Noah to lead her out of the hospital. Everyone was gathered in the parking lot with the limo. Noah explained. “It seemed the most expedient.”

Ann crawled into the limo and Elle wrapped an arm around her. She leaned on her friend, feeling emotionally exhausted. Once again, she had put Michael first. Maybe that was what she was meant to do.

“You are the secretary, aren’t you?” asked Michael’s mom, eyeing her.

Ann nodded. “I was.”

“He gave you all of his shares,” Rachel stated calmly. “David is fit to be tied over that.”

“I am sorry,” Ann replied. She was not sure what else to say.

“No,” she smiled. “I think it is wonderful.”

Ann was puzzled. “Why?”

“Michael was always the most generous with the people he loves. I am looking forward to a third wedding,” she said.

Ann burst into tears as the rest of them got into the limo.

“Things haven’t been going smoothly,” Elle cautioned Mrs. Ramesly, hugging Ann.

She nodded wisely. “The quiet ones are always the hardest but once you have them, they will never let you go.”

Chapter Ten

Michael listened groggily to the beeping and the clock ticking. Right away he knew he was back at the hospital. He heaved a heavy sigh. In response, someone started strangling his arm again with the blood pressure cuff.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”