I couldn’t breathe.
“It’s risky, Hannah. I won’t lie to you. It’s still experimental. But your scans… I’ve been looking at your scans for years. Your nerve damage is exactly the kind this was designed for. You’re a viable candidate.”
“Exactly the kind it was designed for,” I repeated slowly.
“Yes.”
I swallowed.
“And you would perform it?”
“With a team. Dr. Osei would co-lead. The ethics board has already reviewed it. I’d have to recuse myself if they said no, but they didn’t say no.” His hands tightened around mine. “Yes. I would perform it. I would stake everything on this.”
All those nights.
All those years in that office, with the door closed.
All those two a.m. mornings with the cold side of the bed.
All those times he said, I’m close, I’m so close to something big, and I thought he meant some stranger at the hospital.
