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She kept talking until she ran out of things to say Finally she turned on the television that hung in the corner It carainy black and white picture "Thedown for his hand Taking his dry, slack fingers in hers, she held on to hiered there Though he smelled of hospitals and disinfectants and h, she could s news"

No response

Idly she flipped through the channels, looking for solish

Tully's face filled the screen

She was standing in front of the hospital with herthe bottom of the screen translated her words: "For days the world has wondered and worried about John Patrick Ryan, the TV news producer as seriously injured when a boh funeral services were held yesterday for the reporter, Arthur Gulder, ith him, the Ryan family and the German hospital remained unavailable to journalists And how can we blaedy for the Ryan family John--Johnny to his friends--suffered a serious head trauma in the explosion A complicated medical procedure was perforhdad Specialists tell ery on site, Mr Ryan would not have survived"

The picture on screen changed Now Tully was standing beside Johnny's bed He lay ed Though the ca to Tully's face, the inosis is uncertain The specialists ho in his brain recedes If it does, he has an excellent chance of survival If not" Her voice trailed off as she moved around to the end of the bed There, she looked directly into the caht now, except this: This is a story of heroes, both in the war zone and at ho this story to the Ah to say that he knew the risks he was taking and wouldn't havethe war, his wife, Kathleen, was at ho that what her husband was doing was important Like any soldier's wife, it was her sacrifice as much as his that made it possible for John Ryan to do his job" The picture cut back to Tully on the hospital steps "This is Tallulah Hart, reporting from Germany And may I say, Bryant, that our prayers are certainly with the Ryan fa after the segment had ended "She made us look like heroes," she said to the empty rooainst her palentle that at first she allanced down

Johnny slowly opened his eyes

"Johnny?" she whispered, half afraid that she wasthis up, that the stress had finally cracked her "Can you see me?"

He squeezed her hand It was barely a squeeze, really; normally it wouldn't even qualify as a touch, but now it h and cry at the saain, leaning close "Close your eyes once if you can see me"

Slowly, he closed his eyes

She kissed his cheek, his forehead, his cracked, dry lips "Do you knohere you are?" she finally asked, pulling back, hitting the nurses' button

She could see the confusion in his eyes and it scared her "How about me? Do you knoho I am?"

He stared up at her, sed hard Slowly, he opened his mouth and said, "MyKatie"

"Yes," she said, bursting into tears "I'm your Katie"

The next seventy-two hours were a ind of s, procedures, tests, and medication adjustments Kate accoists, psychiatrists, physical therapists, speech and occupational therapists, and, of course, Dr Schn off on Johnny's recovery before she could move him to a rehabilitation center near home

"He is lucky to have you," Dr Sch

Kate sest you go to the cafeteria and have soht this week"

"Really?"

"Certainly Now go I will return your husband to his room when the tests are finished"

Kate rose "Thank you, Dr Schesture with his hand "This is , she headed for the door She was nearly there when he called her naain She turned "Yes?"

"There are not many reporters left, but is it acceptable to report on your husband's condition? We would very much like them to leave"

"I'll think about it"

"Excellent"

Kate left his office and went to the elevator at the end of the hall

The cafeteria was mostly eroups of eular tables and a few faroup hich The e while they ate; the patients' fa down at their food and looking up at the clock every few h the tables to theOutside, the sky was a dark, steely gray; any moment it would start to rain or snow

Even with the distortion of the glass, she could see how tired she looked, how spent

It was odd, but somehoas harder to be alone with her relief than with her despair Then, she'd wanted ine the best Now she wanted to laugh with solass in celebration and say she'd known all along it would end like this

No Not someone

Tully

For all of Kate's life, Tully had been the first line of celebration, the party just waiting to happen Her best friend would toast crossing the street safely if that hat Kate wanted