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“He told htmare”

“That’s why I like Kennedy He’s e doctor”

Dr Gerlaine slipped the chart back into its sleeve “Kennedy says he told you six o that if you had another episode of heart failure, you were going to—in his words—be in deep shit And son, it doesn’t get much deeper”

Angel laughed “Slon, I can’t keep up with the technical jargon”

“Kennedy toldhere is funny You’re a young irls at the nurses’ station are correct”

Angel thought about the stir his presence ht I’m both”

There was a pause before the doctor spoke again “You’re not taking this seriously enough, Mr DeMarco You’ve been sick for a long ti man weakened your heart And still you drank and ss The cold, hard truth is that you’ve been using up that heart of yours at a very rapid rate, and if we don’t do so at all”

“I’ve heard that before But I’m still here, Doc You knohy?”

Gerlaine eyed him “It’s certainly not because you listen to doctor’s orders”

“Nope” His voice fell to a conspiratorial whisper “Here’s ”

Gerlaine leaned back in his chair, studying Angel Minutes clicked by on the rhythmic tide of the monitor Finally the doctor spoke “Do you have a wife, Mr DeMarco?’

Angel gave hiusted look “I think she’d be here if I did”

“Children?”

He grinned “Not that I know of”

“Dr Kennedy said in all the years he’d treated you, he’d never seen anyone visit you in the hospital except your agent and a horde of reporters”