The Dream Ender Read Online Free Page B

brother was hopeful that if he continued to improve, he could be released Monday. We asked if he was up to receiving visitors, and on being told yes, said we’d be over Saturday morning.
    Because children were not allowed on patient floors, we brought along enough things to hopefully keep Joshua occupied while we took turns going up to see Jake. I sent Jonathan up first while Joshua and I sat in the main floor waiting room.
    “I’m hungry,” Joshua announced after noticing the waiting room led to the hospital’s cafeteria.
    “We had breakfast just before we left the apartment,” I said.
    “Well, I’m hungry anyway,” he said. “I’m a growing boy. Uncle Jonathan said so.”
    “Well, when Uncle Jonathan comes back maybe you and he can go in and get something to keep you alive until lunch.”
    “When’s he coming back? I’m hungry now!”
    “Be brave,” I said, and recognizing a losing battle when he saw one, he reluctantly returned to his coloring book.
    Jonathan returned about ten minutes later.
    “How is he?” I asked, although I’d be seeing for myself in a minute or two.
    “He looks a little tired, but otherwise he looks the same as always.”
    “Jared there?” I asked in a classic example of a dumb question.
    He nodded as Joshua hopped down off his chair and tugged on his shirt.
    “I’m hungry,” he said. “Uncle Dick promised you’d take me to get something to eat as soon as you got back.”
    Jonathan shot me a look, and I merely rolled my eyes toward the ceiling.
    “You two work it out,” I said. “I’ll meet you here…” I paused and nodded toward the cafeteria. “…or there in a few minutes.”
    *
    Jake was in a private room on the tenth floor. Jared sat on the edge of one side of the bed, and on the other side stood a spectacularly handsome specimen of manhood in a white doctor’s lab coat. I didn’t have to ask who it might be—the resemblance to Jake was clear.
    Jake grinned, and Jared stood up when I came in.
    “Dick!” he said. “Good to see you.”
    I hurried over to shake hands with him, then with Jake, who still was hooked to an IV.
    “Dick, this is my brother Stan. He just stopped in to pester me about going hunting this fall.”
    We reached across the bed to shake hands, and I was a little ashamed of myself for a quick rush of erotic fantasies.
    Jeez, Hardesty, this is a hospital, fer chrissakes! one of my mind-voices scolded.
    Hey, hot is hot! another responded.
    I noticed that Stan wore a large silver wedding ring. Oh, well, so much for that.
    “Hunting?” I asked.
    “Yeah,” Jake said. “We go deer hunting every fall. We’ve been trying to talk Jared into coming along this year. Especially since he has a cabin close to where we normally go.”
    Jared grinned and shook his head. “Not fair to the deer,” he said, looking mildly uncomfortable.
    “He was a sniper in Special Forces in the Army,” Jake explained.
    “I didn’t even know you had been in the service,” I said, looking at Jaren.
    “Yeah, well, that’s a part of my life I’d just as soon forget,” he said.
    I decided it was time to change the subject and turned back to Jake.
    “You look great,” I said.
    “Thanks to my big brother here,” he said.
    We talked in generalities for a few minutes until Stan excused himself. “I wish you were the only patient in the hospital,” he said to Jake. “The nurses tell me you’ve been acting like it. But since you’re not, I’ve got a few other people to look in on.” He offered me his hand again and said, “Nice to have met you, Dick. Jared, you keep Jake in line, hear?”
    When he’d gone we picked up our conversation in mid-generality. Not a word was said that might even imply the potential seriousness of Jake’s situation, and after a few more minutes, a good-looking male nurse came in to give him some medicine. Jake, Jared, and I exchanged glances and knowing smiles, which were not lost on the nurse.
    As the nurse was leaving but was