The wait seemed endless. Countless doctors passed Kevin by, each with less information than the last. He felt so useless. All he could do was sit there whilst his loved one fought for his life. Kiseop gently his shoulder, uttering uncertain words of “it will be okay.”

Finally, after many dread-filled hours, the light in the surgery room went off and a doctor emerged from it.

“Are you the patient’s family?” he asked.

“No, we’re his...” Kiseop looked at Kevin hesitantly as he said this, “friends.”

“Well I can not speak to anyone but the patient’s family.”

“I’m his partner.” Said Kevin decisively, “We’ve been together a year. I’m the closest thing to family he’s got.”

The doctor sighed, it had been a long night for him to. “So there’s no next of kin?”

“None that would be willing to listen.”

The doctor gave in and decided to tell Kevin of Eli’s condition. “He had gone into a state of comatose, it was the best we could do. Through use of a life support machine, we have managed to stable his condition. The bleeding has stopped, but the blood loss was great.”

A heavy lump formed in the back of Kevin’s throat, blocking the many questions that he had for the doctor. Kiseop was forced to ask the most obvious one. “Will he wake up?”

The doctor’s eyes flicked to Eli who was being wheeled out of the room on a hospital bed. Kevin rushed over to him and cradled the sleeping head in his arms.

Kevin was out of earshot when the doctor responded with “it is highly unlikely.”

The first visit Kevin made to Eli was the worst. He dressed his best, as though going out for a date, but every word he said was met with silence. Tubes and drips connected Eli to many different machines, he looked more robot than human.

Kevin spoke carefully, relaying each and every detail of his day to Eli. Can you even hear me? Kevin wondered. I want to speak to you.

Kevin delicately touched Eli’s hand. He closed his eyes and reminisced of the first time Eli had held his hand. Eli’s palm had been sweating slightly, yet his grasp was warm a