Nikolai had suffered a shattered lower jaw, eleven broken ribs, internal bleeding, a fractured skull, a severe concussion, and a badly damaged left eye and orbital socket. But his arms and legs were fine. His heart and lungs and other vital organs were intact. Recovery would require months of painful convalescence and maxillofacial surgery, and his vision would be permanently impaired, but compared to the alternative, his condition could only be described as a miracle. He and Julia spoke until visiting hours ended. Although Nikolai couldn’t recall the moment of his fall, he remembered most of
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