Cry of an Osprey

When Jax Vanbeerman can't be woken one morning, he's rushed to the hospital and onto life support. The 48-year-old's devastating diagnosis: stroke. Over four agonizing days, his adoring younger sister, Amelia, and his former lover, Ben Olsen, stand vigil, each buffeted by heartbreak,guilt and by memories, happy and sad, of the man who'd been the centre of their lives. Twelve years ago, Jax, openly gay and the life of every party, and Ben, a shy gay Mennonite cabinetmaker with three young children and an oppositional ex-wife, had fallen in love. After societal and personal pressures, and one unforgivable mistake forced their breakup, neither ever recovered, and they'd recently been finding their way back to each other. Ben blames himself, and realizes now that they maynever get their second chance. Amelia tortures herself with thoughts of what she should have known or done to change the course of her brother's life.

Facing a potentialfuture without...