And for the first time, he had reason to hope.
The procedure took nearly two hours.
Rosalie waited outside the examination room, walking from one end of the corridor to the other.
Every time the door opened, she stopped.
Finally, Dr. Whitcomb emerged carrying a small metal tray.
On it lay a thin, dark instrument about the length of a finger. One end was curved, and the other held a tiny toothed wheel covered with dried residue.
Beside it lay a fragment of corroded metal.
The doctor looked exhausted.
“We removed it successfully,” he said. “There was severe inflammation, and the tissue around it had grown over parts of the mechanism. I’ve cleaned the area and treated the infection. He will need careful follow-up.”
Rosalie covered her mouth.
“Will he hear again?”
The doctor did not give her false hope.
“I cannot say. The object has been pressing against delicate structures for years. Some damage may be permanent. But now that it is removed, we can see how much healing is possible.”
