Kevin sat in the chair beside the bed. "You could have told me," he whispered, gently resting his hand on Will's arm. "I don't care why you disappeared. When you came back, you could have told me who you were."
"Mick has a big mouth." The words Will spoke were barely discernible.
Kevin barely suppressed a shout of relief when he heard them. "You're alive."
Will opened his eyes momentarily. "Probably."
The nurse was there seconds later, shooing Kevin from the room, telling him to go wait with his mother.
"He spoke to me," Kevin said elatedly, as soon as he was back in the waiting room. He hugged Mira and then Mick, telling him, "He said you have a big mouth."
Mick grinned happily. Mira smiled, but cautioned, "That doesn't mean he's out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination."
"I know," Kevin replied, his mood deflating. "But at least he remembered Mick and me. I think."
The nurse came into the room to let them know the doctor was with Will.
"It will be two hours before you're allowed back in to see your father," she told Kevin. "You can wait here if you want."
Kevin nodded, looking at the others. "If I stay here, I'll pace a hole in the floor."
"Then I suggest we go get something to eat," Mira replied. "It's almost morning and I, for one, haven't eaten since the police called me hours ago."
The nurse suggested, with a small chuckle, that they go somewhere other than the hospital's cafeteria. Taking her advice, the three of them went in search of the nearest restaurant.
When they found a small diner not too far from hospital, Mick asked if Kevin and Mira would rather he went home so they could have some private time together. Both of them said no. Mira added, giving him a quick hug, "You can keep Kev from killing me." One look at Kevin's face confirmed that in some part of his mind that was an option.
They took a booth at the back of the room, ordered their meals and coffee. Then there was a long, pregnant pause.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Kevin said, breaking it.
"Because I truly thought it was better for you to think he was dead rather than that he'd deserted me…us."
"But you knew he wasn't."
Mira nodded.
"Why? Why did he leave? Or don't you know?"
"Guilt."
"Because Uncle Danny was killed?"
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