FORTY-FIVE
At eight o’clock Dr. Jessica Gupta showed up at the hospital room door. “Well, I see you are up and ready. I hope you got some sleep? And that you haven’t eaten anything?”
“We fasted,” James said. He didn’t have any appetite anyway. There was no way he would have eaten knowing Charlie could not.
“And how are you feeling today?” she asked as she walked into the room.
“Hungry,” she laughed. “Scared.”
Dr. Gupta positioned herself at the side of the bed. “We are just about ready. I’m going to head to the O.R. to scrub up and then we’re going to have you brought up shortly.”
“Can James come with us?”
Dr. Gupta nodded. “Of course. There is a waiting area by the O.R. with a TV, vending machines, and wifi. He’ll be quite comfortable while you and I get this taken care of. How doe
