ODDS OF LOVE SEASON TWELVE

Episode 150

" Is he going to be okay? ," Ethan demanded to know as he sat beside Zipp who slept fitfully on the hospital bed.

The doctor nodded and tapped a finger on the chart he held in his hand. " I say he'll be fine. That very recent knife wound Mr. Dennis suffered developed a rather nasty infection. We have him on a very strong antibiotic so between that and some much needed rest he should recover well. "

He looked back at the sleeping man's face, thinking how innocent and vulnerable Zipp appeared. And, how lovely really. That last thought he pushed from his mind as he glanced at the doctor again and asked," So he'll be staying in the hospital again? This time don't let him talk you all into releasing him. The man is not in his right mind. He just lost his daughter to suicide. "

The doctor pursed his lips. " Perhaps that's why we also found a very high dosage of aspirin and painkillers in his blood stream. Has he ever talked to you about wanting to harm himself? "

Ethan blinked his eyes in disbelief. Suicide? Harm himself? What the ------- Zipp ? The one who could just barely talk about death ? Who rescued strays of all different sizes , shapes , species to feed and then rehome ? That Zipp ? His heart began to ache.

" No. He has not. I want him to stay here until the infection is cleared up and he's better but I don't want him in .... a psych ward or anything. He's not.... He's just grieving. I want him to be released to ..... to me. I'll take care of him. I'll take care of all his medical bills as well. I'll be responsible. I'll get him counseling on the outside."

The doctor eyed him with much curiosity. " And your relationship is......"

" I'm.... I'm his.... his best friend. I'm his friend. So his current issues are the infection and.... this pill situation? Is there anything else that I need to know?"

The doctor hesitated. " Well. Is there not a family member I can talk to about his condition? "

Ethan was beginning to grow worried. This didn't sound good to him. At all. " His partner, life partner, former life partner that is, is currently on the mental health floor of this very hospital. I don't think you'll get anywhere with her. And his parents are in Richmond. They're elderly. He was a change of life baby. They don't like to travel or be away from home. His father has a heart condition and his mother bad  arthritis. I don't think.... I don't know..... I think it's just me right now.... I think....."

Dr. Woods sighed. " Well , since you are the closest thing to family he has right now I suppose I can tell you this much. The X-ray showed a little bit of damage to his left kidney. It may heal on its own as he heals but if it gets worse we may have to consider other possibilities. "

" What other possibilities? "

" Like the need for a kidney transplant. Family would be the best option. But as I said we're going to take a wait and see approach. "