I Woke After 11 Days and Found My 9-Year-Old Grandson Asleep Beside My Hospital Bed—Then He Whispered, “Pretend You’re Still in a Coma”

I looked away.

Not because I didn’t want to see.

Because it belonged to them.

That night I tucked Walter into bed.

At eleven, he still tolerated it if no friends were present.

Blue moon night-light remained.

He claimed it was because Pickles liked it.

Pickles did not care.