I ran up and hugged her stiff frame. “Oh, Caroline,” I exclaimed. “We are going to have so much fun!” Then I grabbed her hand and dragged her off to my room.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM

MORNING

DAY 21

“Right below the knee, that’s the reflex point,” Anna instructs as the sounds of Enya waft from the boom box.

Brett’s hands search nervously along my legs. “Here?”

Though I can’t feel a thing, I like that he’s touching me. He looks great; the weight he lost is back on, and from the contours under his polo shirt, he’s back at the gym. In prep for the film, his hair’s been lightened and he’s acquired a tan. Funny story: Once when we were making love, I’d accidentally given him a hand job with my tanning lotion turning his entire groin area orange. Needless to say, there’d been a lot of carrot jokes. Good times.

“Let me show you.” Anna takes his hands, guiding them to the spot.

“Maybe if we put on different music,” my father offers, pressing the player’s eject button. Thank God. That dreary Enya has been on ever since Dani’s shift. I’m positive she plays it to torture me.

Daddy parses through the bag of cassettes and CDs. “How about Mahler?”

“Too slow,” Anna replies. “She needs excitement.”

“Aerosmith was her favorite…is her favorite,” Brett corrects, pointing.

My father slips the disc out of its sleeve, clacks it into place and presses play. “Walk this Way” blares from the speakers.

“Good, Sidney.” Anna nods approvingly.

I wish I could save them the effort. In my condition, Steven Tyler naked in my bed couldn’t get a rise out of me.

Earlier in the week, Brett, Anna, and Daddy had met with a “coma-stimulation specialist” who had recommended a series of exercises and protocols. Now, after a mix of music and prodding and poking, the only thing I feel is the gas pain I woke up with.

“I don’t know what else to do.” Brett sniffles. “I feel like if Jackie were here, she would tell us all, ‘Quit bugging me.’”

“Jackie is here,” Anna says kindly, patting Brett’s arm.

“Oh God, I-I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant.” He turns away and goes to the window. “Don’t these folks have jobs?” he says, peeking through the blinds at the crowd in the parking lot. “It’s not even nine o’clock and there’s fifty of ‘em already.”

“Good morning, everyone.” Nurse Dani saunters in holding two Styrofoam cups. “Coffee anyone?” She’s wearing a crisp, pink uniform with short sleeves that stand stiffly out from her arms. “I have sugar packets in my pocket if anyone needs.”

“Oh, hello, Dani,” Anna says wearily, easing back to give Dani room to check my vitals and IVs.