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Now she was being escorted to the hospital As she approached the entrance, she saw reporters clotted out front Sonized her, because they turned in unison, like some suddenly roused beast, and pushed forward

"Mrs Ryan, ord do you have on his condition?"

"Is it a head injury?"

"Has he spoken—"

"—or opened his eyes?"

She didnt slon If there was one thing a producers wife knew, it was how toas respectful as they kne to be, given their profession Although Johnny was one of them and they knew that it could have happened to any of them, a story was a story

"No coh the crowd and entered the hospital It was like all such institutions—blank walls, utilitarian flooring, crisply unifor doide corridors

Theyd clearly been alerted to her arrival, because a heavyset woman in a white unifor sympathetically

"You lish

"I am "

"I will take you to your husbands room The doctor will arrive shortly to speak at you "

Kate nodded

Thankfully, the woman didnt make small talk as they rode up the elevator On the third floor, they strode past the nurses station and turned into his room

He looked frail and broken, like a child in his parents bed She stopped, realizing a second too late that shed spent toothis reality This man bore only the shallowest resemblance to her vibrant, handsome husband

His head was sheathed in white bandages The entire left side of his face ollen and discolored; both his eyes were bandaged Machines and lines and IVs were clustered around him