Vance said, his voice quiet and clinically exact.

“We’re right on track with our two-hour surgical plan.”

“Will he feel the chest tube as soon as he wakes up?” I asked, moving close to the gurney rail.

“He’ll have local numbing for six hours,” Dr.

Vance said, resting the surgical cap between his fingers.

“And Nurse Ruth is assigned to his recovery bed until noon.”

Caleb reached out from under the white thermal sheet and pulled on the cuff of my gray cardigan.

I leaned down until my ear was just inches from his lips.