A Falling Star

Eleven

Day 9

Nanon woke up to the sound of the phone ringing next to his bed.

"Hello?" He mumbled through a yawn when he finally managed to get the thing to his ear and the right side up.

"Nanon? It's Thana. I'm afraid I've got some bad news."

Nanon shot up in his bed, suddenly wide awake. "Is it Pat? I mean, Ohm? Did something happen to him?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that. He's going home this afternoon, though. His parents called earlier and asked that he be released into their care. They were quite insistent, and I'm afraid I couldn't stall any longer. So, if you want to see him before he leaves, you better head right over. I'm sorry." Thana concluded softly.

"It's okay, Thana. Thanks for letting me know. I'll be right there."

"I hear you're going home today?" Nanon tried to smile at Ohm, but failed miserably.

"Yeah. Apparently, my parents made a bit of a fuss to get me released." Ohm didn't look much happier with the idea than Nanon did.

"Uhm ... I just wanted to tell you... to say..." Nanon trailed off, not sure how you said goodbye to someone you had already lost.

Ohm stared at him, unsure how to say goodbye to someone when it felt like you were losing them before you'd even really found them.

Before either one of them could find the words, Ohm's whole family rushed into the room, all talking a mile a minute, and Nanon found himself pushed away from the man he loved. He almost turned around and walked out the door, but decided to at least do what he came for. He stepped forward again, pushing through Ohm's family, and placed the book he was holding in Ohm's hand.

"I thought you might like this one." He said this beforelaying a soft kiss on Ohm's forehead and turning around to go, tears blindinghim as he walked out of the room, out of the hospital, and out of the best partof his entire life.