The hallway outside Harrison's room was still busy, but further down the corridor the small guest recovery room was a completely different world. The silence inside was heavy, the kind that sits between two people who have too much to say and don't know where to start.
Marcus stood by the window staring down at the hospital garden below. His weight kept shifting from one foot to the other, a nervous habit he had carried for years.
Daniel sat on the edge of the bed, his large hands resting on his knees. His dark eyes were fixed on Marcus's back, patient and steady like always.
"You have been quiet all morning," Daniel said, his deep voice breaking the silence. "Talk to me."
Marcus turned around slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. His eyes moved to Daniel's face and then away again, like looking at him directly for too long was something that still cost him something.
