Chapter 11
“I didn’t know it was possible, that kind of empathy…” Donal whispered to himself and Sean’s retreating back. Donal shut his eyes for a few moments.
The door closed and then opened again. Donal kept his eyes shut. Alexei had a unique scent, like fresh laundry. He felt Alexei lean over and kiss his brow. Donal heard him whisper something in Russian. Donal watched him from under his eyelashes as he went over to sit in the recliner by the fireplace, push it back and close his eyes. Donal couldn’t fathom why he understood the Russian when Alexei spoke it. He must have heard it from a john. My little mate? My little mouse? I must have heard him wrong.The doctor came. Donal had shut his eyes.
“Nurse, you can stop the fluids after this bag. I’ll give Alexei a prescription for antibiotics for the pneumonia.”
Soon Donal fell asleep. When he woke again, it was to a different man speaking softly to Alexei. “He’s doing much better than we expected. I think you can thank Kane, Sean, and the wolf pheromones for that. Try to find out how he was originally addicted to heroin. It may help with the continuing detox and the aftermath. It will be at least a few weeks until he doesn’t want to use. Keep candy handy. The sugar helps dull the cravings,” the man said. “I volunteer at a residential drug treatment center, if you need to go that route.”
Wolf pheromones, was that because I was at the zoo? Wait, did I hear him say candy?
Donal abruptly opened his eyes. “I can have candy?”
“You can have whatever you wish to eat,” Alexei reassured him. “You now have a phone. Vasily programmed the boys’ numbers into it along with his, Grigory’s, Katya’s, Boris’s, and mine. Here is the list.”
Donal started to cry. “I can’t read very well anymore, everything is blurry, and I never finished school. I’m stupid now.” Donal couldn’t explain the waterworks; he never gave Apuso the satisfaction of seeing him cry.
“We’ll have to take you to the eye doctor. As far as your education is concerned, Kane is a teacher. He’ll help you. Do you know your letters?” Alexei asked in a gentle, nonjudgmental tone.
“Yes,” Donal answered with suspicion. “I didn’t leave until I was fourteen. But I ran away many times before that, and he kept me home so I missed a lot of school.” The two men seemed to exchange a knowing look when he said he
“I’ll make the letters big. S is for Sean, I is for Ian, C is for Colin, and K is for Kane. I am A for Alexei. Grigory is G and Vasily is V.”
“I can see big letters.” Donal glanced at the list.
“I’ll write it down that way so you know how to get in touch with any of us. Take your phone. Press the green button and push the number I have written next to the letter and you will be able to speak to the person whose name the letter represents.”
“You don’t think I’m stupid?” Donal asked, his voice breaking.
“I think you haven’t been given the opportunity to learn.” Alexei ran his hand across Donal’s forehead in a light caress.
“Mr. Davidoff, may I speak to Mr. Berne in private?” the man asked formally.
Alexei gave a curt nod and told Donal, “I’ll be right outside the door. All you need to do is call out.”
Donal inclined his head, and Alexei left the room.
“I want to help you. However, to do so, I need you to be honest with me. Whatever you say to me will be kept in the strictest of confidence, no matter what.” Dr. Coté sat down.
“No matter what? You won’t even tell him?” Donal remained skeptical.
“No matter what happens you can trust me not to betray you. Unless you plan to harm yourself or someone else.” Dr. Coté met Donal’s eyes, and a small quiver of belief started to blossom in Donal’s chest.
“Does he mean it when he says I can stay here, no strings attached?”
“The only condition would be that you not use.”
“I had no choice. They gave it to me to keep me under control. If I didn’t want to get sick, I had to go back every morning with the money to get a fix. Last night I got a hold of some heroin on my own. I tried to kill myself. I couldn’t go on like that anymore. I had given up all hope.” Donal choked, trying not to cry out loud despite the fact that his eyes had leaked tears since he’d first awakened. He finally broke down into sobs.