Him & I

No One Like You

Oh babe, I just need you like never before
I just imagine you'd come through this door
You'd take all my sorrow away
There's no one like you
I can't wait for the nights with you
I imagine the things we'll do
I just want to be loved by you
——No One Like You, Scorpions

April 3, 2019

"The fact that he doesn't need the valve replaced, just repaired, is good news," Joan explained to Cait. 

"And the fact that he's improved his diet in the last year or so will help tremendously."  Dr. Nathan Ringer was her father's cardiologist.  "Your stepmother apparently deserves a great deal of credit for that."

"We've made terrific improvements in open heart surgery in the last five years," Dr. Chen Wong offered.  He was the thoracic surgeon who would actually be operating.  "The incision will be fairly small, maybe four or five inches or so."

"What will his recovery time be?" Cait asked. 

"The first four weeks or so will be difficult," Dr. Wong acknowledged.  "But by six weeks, he should be much better.  Important that he gets up and moves."

Cait swallowed hard and nodded.  "And he'll be able to travel by June?" she asked quietly.

"If I know that stubborn old goat, he'll be up and around in no time," a voice said behind Cait.

She spun to see her godparents standing there and almost burst into tears.  She shot out of the chair to hug them both. 

As Mike passed Cait to his wife, he turned to the doctors, who seemed a little stunned at the sight of Coach K.  "I'm impressed that you actually found a heart in the jerk," he smirked.

Cait was laughing through her tears now.  "That's awful, Uncle Mike," she giggled.

"But valid," he returned.  "Can I see him?"

"Of course," Dr. Ringer offered, pointing to the room.  "Go ahead in.  We'll be taking him to surgery in about half an hour."

*****

Cait watched through the window as her father caught up with his friend briefly, the two of them laughing together.  She entered just in time to catch the end of the conversation.

"You don't get to check out on me yet, Jack," Coach K said firmly.  "We made a deal a long time ago that we'd live to be grumpy old bastards together."

"Oh, I think you two have already accomplished that," Mickie waved a hand at them. 

Cait saw her father laugh.  "You aren't getting rid of me that easily," he managed.  "After all, I've apparently got to go to a wedding.  Which is all your fault."  He tossed a glare at his friend.

But Cait teared up a little.  "You'd better be there, Dad," she told him.  "Otherwise you aren't gonna wanna meet up with me in the afterlife."

That made him smile.  Mickie tapped her husband's arm.  "We should get out of here.  But we'll stay with Joan for a day or two.  And we'll be back to check on you, too."

Jack nodded and Cait sat beside the bed.  "Hey," Jack said, seeing her fighting tears, "stop that.  Caitlin, whatever happens, you'll be fine.  And you'll take wonderful care of your brother.  You can't imagine what a comfort that is to me."