Page 80 of The Callahan Effect

Corey stood immediately.

"No, sir..." He caught himself and smiled. "Sorry...Richard."

Dad chuckled.

Mom handed Corey a paper cup before crossing to my bedside.

"I had a feeling everything would work itself out."

"It did."

She brushed a hand lightly across my shoulder.

"I never doubted it would."

Jack caught my attention as he handed me a cup fitted with a lid and straw. His eyes searched my face.

Everything okay?

"Everything's okay."

His shoulders relaxed almost immediately.

Corey noticed the exchange and grinned.

"I get it now."

I frowned.

"Get what?"

He nodded toward Jack.

"The way he looks at you."

"I noticed that the moment we arrived," Dad agreed.

Mom slipped an arm around Jack's shoulders with unmistakable affection.

"So did I."

The coffees had barely cooled before another knock sounded against the open door. This time it was one of the orthopedic nurses accompanied by Dr. Caroline Juneau, who greeted everyone as she stepped inside.

"I've come to see how my patient is behaving."

Dad laughed.

"You're about to find out he's inherited every stubborn gene known to mankind."

"I heard that," I grumbled.

Dr. Juneau pulled the chart from the end of my bed.

"I wasn't trying to be subtle," Dad admitted.

She carried out a thorough examination, checking the dressing covering my hip before asking me to move my feet, flex my ankles, and gently bend my uninjured leg. A small flashlight appeared from the pocket of her white coat as she assessed my pupils once more before asking the same memory questions I'd already answered several times throughout the morning.

"What day is it?"