I Asked That Same Question

It starts with a text from a number I didn't recognize, early morning after my first night home from the hospital, then a heartfelt and slightly indirect message on Facebook. We were friends at a crucial age, early 20s, when we thought we were effectively immortal, but I haven't heard from this guy in ages, except for him to occasionally show up on social media to make snarky comments and then disappear again.

Then my phone rings, it's him, and Katie stirs in her sleep. I pick up, but before I can get out more than "Hello" he's talking fast, just like he used to, saying, "So you're bald in these pictures and people are sending you supportive messages and shit, so what's going on?"