Brian and Howie were called over the PA system by Kevin when Nick woke up. He had just arrived from the hotel,and the three boys gathered in Nick's room along with his parents.
"Nick!Oh,man,you don't know how glad we are to see you!," Howie called. Brian stood next to his bestfriend,but didn't touch him because of the machines.The doctors came in to unhook some of the machines,when Brian started talking to Nick.As the room grew quiet,Kevin and Howie glanced at each other.
Brian was talking steadily,his face animated and his hands moving.But Nick didn't budge.His eyes stared up at the ceiling,and he didn't make any reactions to what Brian was saying.Howie stepped forward,and put a hand on Nick's shoulder.Nick turned and saw him,but didn't speak.
Brian stopped talking. He looked at Howie,confused.
"Brian," he said,"Say his name."
"Why?What's going on?," Brian asked.Howie shook his head,pulling back
away from Nick,"Just say his name.Look at him,and say his name."
Brian turned,and looked at Nick.
"Nick," Brian said. Nick didn't blink,and he didn't answer.Brian said his name
again,and then a third time.Nick's dad called a doctor for help.
When the doctor came in,he checked Nick's ears and eyes.
"Why won't he answer me?," Brian asked,sounding panicked.
The doctor instructed them to leave. Both of Nick's parents stayed behind as Brian,Howie,and Kevin stood outside the door. Denise was with AJ,so the boys waited for news on Nick.
"Guys?," it was Lou.He and Donna didn't look to excited."I think all of you should sit down," Donna said,leading the boys to a table in the corner of the room.
"Tell me what's wrong with him," Brian begged, leaning forward in his chair. "It isn't good," Lou said.Donna nodded,and turned to face the boys,"The doctors think that AJ fell in that hole last night.They think that Nick found him,and tried to pull him out on his own.Somehow,AJ must've started sinking and Nick dove in after him. The damage done to AJ is severe-he has alot of fluid on his lungs,and he's got frostbite.Nick doesn't have that much damage. But something happened to his ears-the doctors said he has alot of fluid in his earlobes.He can't hear at all.They want to do surgery to try and repair the damage," by this time,Brian was in tears.
"If he can't hear.....he can't sing," Kevin said.They all knew this was true. If Nick couldn't hear music,he couldn't sing it.
"He won't be able to perform?," Brian asked."If they can fix the damage, he can.But they don't actually know how severe it is,and they won't until they do the surgery tomorrow. Nick's parents have already given the go-ahead on the operation.All we're waiting on is a doctor from Germany who specializes in this sort of thing," Donna explained.
"I need to be alone right now," Brian stood up.Donna grabbed his arm,and she hugged him,"We're here if you need us," she said.He walked away with Kevin and Howie watching him go.
"This is hitting him pretty hard," Kevin whispered.
"Well,you know,he and Nick are bestfriends.They depend on each other more
than you think. It wouldn't be the same for either one of them if Nick
couldn't hear anymore.Brian would crack a joke,and Nick wouldn't hear it.
He'd say something stupid,and Nick couldn't laugh with the rest of us.And
it all comes back to the performing-it won't be the same for any of you
if Nick isn't out there too," Donna said.The boys nodded.
Howie found Brian alone in the chapel. He was standing in front of a framed
picture of Jesus that was mounted against the back wall.
"This isn't fair," Brian said,"He's testing us.We've been through so much
in the past few months.First Nick's accident,then the thing with Raul,and
then the whole thing with you and Becky.Now this?How much more do we have
to take?"
"Brian,it makes us stronger.We have each other to get through this,and
that's all that really matters," Howie replied.
"It still isn't fair. You know,I thought when I was little that something
was wrong with me.I was five years old,and dying. I didn't know what
was going on,but I knew that is wasn't fair. I was so sick,and scared.
And the thing was-nobody had faith that I was going to live. And I'm
standing here now,by some twist of fate. But all of this is happening,"
Brian said.Howie had heard about Brian's close call early on when they
all met. But he had never heard Brian say anything about it,except that
the doctors told him he wasn't going to live.
"If you can get through that,then you can get through this.Don't forget- you weren't alone then,and you aren't now.You had your family,and you still do," Howie said. Brian just nodded.
It was two days later,and Nick was in surgery. The boys,Lou,Johnny,and Donna,along with Nick's parents,had planted themselves just outside the double doors of the surgical unit. The doctors had been locked behind the huge gray doors for nearly ten hours.The surgery was delicate, and they had to be extremely careful not to cause more damage.
Two hours later,Kevin was asleep next to Brian and Howie had walked
down the hall to stretch his legs.Dr.Bauleri walked out of the doors,
pulling off his gloves and mask.
"How is he,doctor?," Mrs.Carter asked.The doctor didn't speak until his
face broke into a smile.
"He's fine.He's recovering right now,and we've repaired the damage entirely,"
Dr.Bauleri said. Brian and Donna screamed,causing Howie to come running.
Their reunion was touching,despite the fact that AJ wasn't there to share
in it. But now that Nick was well,they could find out what had happened
that night in the snow.
Now that Nick is okay,find out what happened that night in the
cold outside the lake. Stay tuned for chapter four.
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