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"It is that simple."Nolan replied darkly.

"You'll get it when you're older.I've seen a lot of men and women do terrible things.Henry is a good man.He is a good match.He always will be."

Michael sat down uninvited on the hard bench next to Nolan.Nolan suddenly realized how weary the old man was.The butler was excellent at hiding it with his stiff posture and polite professionalism.Everything looked perfect--his pressed suit, his combed over white hair, his cuffs, his well-polished shoes.Nothing out of place.It freaked Nolan out when Michael put his head in his heads and ran his fingers through his hair revealing it was thinning.Michael caught his look and smiled easily."It's no big deal, Mr. Chen.The bit that was lodged in her back came out nice and easy.Wu is great at working wonders.She said after she gets the results from some tests we'll really be able to know for certain.But she doesn't see why Ellie shouldn't start recovering soon.We'll take good care of the lady, you know.I'll make sure everything is clean as a whistle so she doesn't catch a cold or have a rash from the bed.I know all of those little things from the elder Wongs who passed in the last few years.I never thought that knowledge would come of much use, but you know God gifts us things we never expect."

Unbidden tears began to prick at the corner of Nolan's eyes.He had thought for so long about how he would carry on after Ellie passed on.But hearing this news and seeing it with his own eyes that the thing that had been causing his sister so much strife had been removed was just too much.His tears soon followed wracking sobs that shuddered through his body as he curled into himself.Michael grabbed his shoulders as he began to wheeze out, "I'm not alone.I'm not alone.She'll be there with me when I graduate."

Wu came out running from the operating room. One of her shoes was half on.She threw her arms around Nolan as his face reddened even more.Her hands were so soft.Her voice was even softer. "You've been holding it together for so long haven't you.It's ok.I completely understand.I have a brother too.Ellie is so blessed to have such a devoted brother such as you.You should be really proud that you didn't give up."

Nolan turned out of Michael's hands and buried his face into Wu's shoulder.She looked delicate, but there was muscle to her.Wu must work out a lot, Nolan realized.She smelled faintly of lavender which reminded him strangely of his mothers hands vigorously rubbing lotion into his face when she reprimanded him about his skin being too dry.His mother never yelled, it was more a loving reminder.It always made him feel safe that there was somebody there who would do that when he was thirteen.

The reminder made his sobs deepen.He had lost his father to the marines, then his mother to cancer and then . . . it had been so close . . . what if Ellie.But thanks to this strange turn of events and this beautiful, talented, workable witchcraft of a surgeon, he would not have to go home today to an empty apartment.