Chapter
26
The boys just
sat in silence around Nick's bed, crying softly. Suddenly, Brian gasped.
"What?"
Kevin asked, alarmed.
"He
squeezed my hand!" Brian cried.
"Seriously?!"
Kevin asked, knowing it was almost too good to be true.
"Yes!"
Brian shouted. "He did! I felt it!" The other guys looked at each
other and broke into grins. "I knew he could pull through," Brian was
saying. "He's gonna wake up, I just know it."
Kevin didn't
want Brian to get his hopes up, but he said nothing. He was hoping just as much
as Brian that this was a sign Nick was going wake up.
"I'm
gonna go get Dr. Mitchell," Howie said, jumping up suddenly. He hurried
out of the room.
Minutes later,
he was back with Dr. Mitchell right behind him. Dr. Mitchell stopped once
inside the room and gazed at the four earnest faces in front of him.
"Listen
guys," he started. "I know this seems like a good sign, but it could
be nothing more than reflexes. It doesn't mean that Nick is coming out of the
coma." One by one, their faces fell. But Brian remained hopeful, refusing
to believe the doctor. He truly believed that miracles could happen; in fact,
he had had one happen to him when he was five. And he believed it could happen
to Nick as well.
"I'll run
some tests on Nick and see if he's made any progress," Dr. Mitchell said.
"You guys go sit in the waiting room or something while I take Nick down
for the tests. He'll be back in his room in about an hour or so." They
nodded and headed out, Kevin pushing Brian's wheelchair, and Howie pushing
AJ's. Howie and Kevin took Brian and AJ back to their rooms, figuring they
needed to get back into bed. Then they went down to the waiting room, promising
to tell the other two when they got any news about Nick.
***
