Ev Hillman and Hilly Brown

Ev Hillman and Hilly Brown are bound by a grandfather’s care for a grandson who has been left comatose after David’s disappearance. In Ev’s last visit, affection becomes a written promise of support—and a farewell whose finality Ev does not know when he leaves.

The Hospital Visit

Ev spends most of the remainder of the day at the hospital with Hilly. Around three o’clock, he writes two notes: one for Hilly, which he leaves on the night table, and another, longer one, which he folds into his pocket before departing. The small acts of placing and carrying the notes mark two different audiences: Hilly receives comfort, while Ev takes an undisclosed message with him.

Reassurance and Responsibility

In the note beside Hilly’s bed, Ev says he may not see him for a while, but believes he will recover from this bad patch. He offers to help, calling that prospect a source of happiness, and tells Hilly he believes David is still alive. Just as importantly, Ev insists that Hilly is not to blame for David getting lost. His reassurance addresses both Hilly’s condition and the guilt attached to his brother’s disappearance; Ev’s love is expressed as practical support and as an effort to relieve that burden.

An Unfinished Goodbye

The note ends with Ev’s declaration of love and hope that he will see Hilly soon, signed “Gramp.” The narrative then reveals the painful gap between that hope and what follows: Ev never sees Hilly Brown again. The ordinary bedside message thus becomes the surviving record of their last encounter, preserving Ev’s tenderness while making the promised reunion impossible.