"And what about his recent behavior? His… attraction to sex? Did it change? Was he recently sexually active as of recently?". The women glanced at each other, a silent communication passing between them.
"Yes, he is… he has recently begun to be active and desired more sexual interaction, as a matter of fact, he had been engaged in more sex recently,". It was Nadia who spoke, her voice soft but proud and a bit shy. Cathy simply nodded in firm agreement, but also carried the same expression.
Dr. Meredith's eyebrows raised slightly, but she maintained her professional composure. A woman knew a clear sign shown by another woman.
"I see… That tracks perfectly, Sexual activity is one of the most powerful hormonal triggers there is…. It would have poured jet fuel on this entire process.". She looked at them all seriously.
"Essentially, his body was trying to change from its suppressed state to its full natural potential too abruptly… The system-wide shock was the result; it was his body's way of rebooting… and reverting to normalcy".
"Now, during the crisis, his body did something remarkable,". Dr. Meredith continued, her tone shifting to one of faint awe.
"As part of this violent 'reboot,' it initiated a full systemic purge…. It expelled the built-up chemical remnants of the old medication, excess hormones, and metabolic waste, all at once…. It was quite dramatic and shocking, thankfully, Mr. Hardcox expelled it all through urination...".
A wave of slight embarrassment passed through the family. Emily blushed and looked at her feet. Vera cleared her throat.
"I know it's an intimate detail," the doctor said, a faint smile touching her lips.
"Medically, it's extraordinary…. It's a natural cleansing mechanism I've only read about in theory; His body didn't just change; it purified itself….". She tapped her tablet and looked up, delivering the best news.
"The tests are all back... His hormone levels are now settling into a high, but perfectly healthy, range. His organ function is impeccable. And perhaps most astonishingly…" She paused for effect.
"There is zero trace of radiation contamination in his system. It's as if he's been living in a cleanroom his entire life… He is, for all intents and purposes, in perfect health, He just needs rest to recover from the traumatic event itself…. He should wake up in a few hours, or by tomorrow morning at the latest."
The relief that washed over the five women was physical. Shoulders slumped, hands unclenched, and tears of pure joy began to flow. Sael, their man is okay and healthy.
**************************
The palpable tension in the room had dissolved, replaced by a weary, profound relief. The women sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, simply absorbing the doctor's final, incredible pronouncement: 'zero trace of radiation'. In their world, it was a miracle on par with his physical transformation.
Dr. Meredith watched them, a thoughtful expression on her face. The hardest part of her job was over; the diagnosis was delivered; the prognosis was excellent. Now came the part she often found more delicate: lifestyle counseling.
"There's one more thing, from his history,". She leaned forward, her voice taking on a more conversational, yet still professional, tone. she began, choosing her words carefully.
"I see he had what we might call an… 'alternative' lifestyle before…. The medication, the presentation and his psychology…." She didn't need to elaborate; the understanding was clear in their faces.
"This change, as traumatic as it was tonight, is a positive development, for both physical and phycology…. His body is begins rejecting his old identity…. And It's aligning with its true biological imperative.".
She paused, making eye contact with each of them, her gaze lingering meaningfully on Nadia and Cathy.
"The best way to ensure this alignment is permanent, to stabilize his new hormonal balance, is to provide a supportive environment…. His body has a new, powerful need, it's crucial that need is met.". She spoke with the absolute certainty of established medical fact in her society.
"You must attend to his sexual needs, Regularly and thoroughly… Make sure that he was satisfied… A satisfied man is a stable man, it will ground him, prevent any… backsliding.". She stood up, smoothing her coat.
"A man's nature, once embraced, must be nurtured…. He needs to be reminded constantly of what he is, …You're all clearly very devoted to him, this is how you can best care for him now…." She gave a final, confident nod.
"A man should always be a man… so, when he needed a relief, indulged him, and also, do enjoyed it as well…. it was clear that, Mr. Hardcox was a gifted man with insatiable sexual needs… Si, I suggest, as a family, do ensure that he received care and loving from each of you, ensuring that he would no longer be astray".
With that, she turned and left the room, the door clicking shut behind her and leaving her words hanging in the air, not as a shocking suggestion, but as a prescribed medical treatment. The family was left in a silence tinged with a slight blush of embarrassment, but beneath that, a powerful sense of validation. The doctor had just given them permission—no, a directive—to do exactly what they all secretly wanted.
The moment the door closed, a collective, deep sigh passed through the room. It was as if they had all been holding one giant breath for hours.
"Dios mío," Vera whispered, her hand fluttering to her chest. "I thought my heart was going to jump right out of my throat and run away.".
"Mine too," Cathy echoed, sinking into a chair and finally allowing the full weight of her exhaustion to show. "I've never been so scared in my life."
Nadia nodded, her eyes glistening as she looked at Sael's peaceful face. "Da, my poor malchik…. To go through such a thing.".
Cathy looked around at the faces of her family—her sister, her mother-in-law, her daughter, her niece. Their fear had been her fear. Their strength had been her strength.
"Thank you," she said, her voice thick with emotion.
"All of you…. Back at the apartment… you're all were amazing. We together moved like a machine, we got him here because we all worked together…".
The shared trauma began to morph into a shared bond; the decision was made without words; no one would leave or even they wanted to leave. Besides, the VIP room was spacious, with a comfortable sitting area and a large couch, everyone wanted to stay and keep a close watch on Sael, everyone arranged themselves around the room. The panic was gone, replaced by a warm, weary solidarity.
**********************
The first thing I was aware of was the absence of pain. It was so complete it felt like a presence itself. The white-hot, shredding agony was gone, leaving behind a body that felt… incredible, comfortable, stable and also aligned.
The second thing was the warmth of sunlight on my eyelids. I opened them slowly, blinking against the bright morning light streaming through the large window. That white window sill and pane, I knew exactly that I were in a hospital ward.
And the third thing I saw was Emily, she was perched right on the edge of my hospital bed, her legs curled under her, scrolling through her phone. She must have felt me stir because she looked down immediately, her face breaking into a brilliant, relieved smile.
"Well, look who's back from the dead,". she said, her tone light and teasing, but her eyes were soft with concern.
"You know, I'm pretty sure there's a rule against sitting on the patient's bed…. Something about sterility and… well, me,". I managed a weak smile, my voice a little rough from disuse.
"I'm glad you're okay, you big dick…. You gave us all a decade of heart attacks… mwah!". She laughed, a sweet, genuine sound that was better than any medicine. She leaned over and planted a firm, sisterly kiss on my forehead.
"The whole crew's here…. they just crashed a few hours ago….". She then gestured with her chin towards the other side of the room.
I turned my head. There they were. Mom was curled on the large couch, using her jacket as a blanket. Vera was in an armchair, her head tilted back, softly snoring. Bella was on a recliner, and Grandma Nadia was in another chair, her head resting on a pillow against the wall. They were all asleep, a peaceful, exhausted tableau of love and worry. I looked around the room. It was huge, with tasteful furniture and a private bathroom.
"Quite a room," I mumbled, impressed.
"It's a VIP suite… Figured we might as well use some of that fat wallet of yours for something important…. And this seemed like a good time… to use them, Mom were adamant to use her card, and I told her to just use yours…". Emily followed my gaze and snorted.
"Thanks… Mom would definitely do that,". I couldn't argue with that and knowing my mom, she would definitely want to use her money, I am glad that Emily was there to speak against it.
"Still for this, it was probably the best money I ever spent,". I said, my eyes drifting closed again, not from pain, but from contentment. Surrounded by my sleeping family, safe and healthy, the world felt perfectly in order, although I do buy a lot of things from the System mall, this was the first time spent money in the real world, and funny enough it was for a hospital visit.