Shadows (20 page)

"Beautiful, what have you done?"

"He called your gram a whore." Not thinking
clearly, I try to bury my face in my hands. I scream out in pain
and start sobbing.

"Oh, baby, we need to get you to the hospital.
I'm going to give Gram a call and then get you dressed, okay? I'll
ask if her driver can take us, I'm not in the right mindset to
drive." I nod my head and try to calm my breathing. Lifting me off
the counter he gently places me on the couch. "Stay right here,
beautiful. I'll grab you some clothes." I nod my head, tears still
falling down my cheeks as he walks away. I hear a knock at the
door, but I ignore it. I'm not sure who would knock and I don't
want anyone to see me like this.

"That must be Evan. He'll be outside waiting
for us." I look up to see Theron setting clothes down beside
me.

I wipe my nose with my good hand.
"Evan?"

"Gram's driver. Can you stand, babe?" I nod my
head yes and stand on my feet. Theron helps me step out of his
boxers and into a pair of my panties followed by my jeans. He even
buttons and zips them for me. "This is going to suck. I'm so very
sorry." I take a deep breath as helps me take off the t-shirt I'm
wearing. I slide my good hand out first, then my head, and lastly
we slowly slide my most likely broken hand out of it. The shirt
barely skims my hand, but it feels like daggers. He helps me into
my plaid blue shirt with buttons down the front. "I'm hoping this
will help so you won't have to lift your arm." He smiles softly at
me, and I can see pity written all over his face.

I slip my feet into a pair of flats as Theron
drapes a jacket over my shoulders. I follow him outside to his
gram’s BMW. Evan is waiting next to the sleek black car. He's
wearing a black suit without a tie. He's broad chested and very
tall. His lips are in a hard line as he walks around the car to
help me, but Theron stops him. "Its fine, Evan. I'll help her in.
We really need to get to the hospital."

"Sir." Evan slips into the driver seat and
shuts his door. Theron sits in the back with me and we take off
towards the hospital. Laying my head on his shoulder, I close my
eyes. We make it to the hospital in record time. Evan pulls up in
front of the emergency exit and Theron helps me out of the
car.

"Evan, this may be a while. Please, park and
make yourself comfortable in the waiting room."

"As you wish, Sir." Evan nods his head towards
us and pulls away.

I follow Theron to the registration desk. The
lady behind the desk asks me for my identification and insurance
card, but I have neither. I didn't think to grab my purse. "Um, I
don't have any of that stuff with me. I forgot my purse." I look at
the registrant and she just raises an eyebrow at me, so I look over
to Theron.

"Is there any way we can begin the
registration process? Her hand is obviously broken. I can send my
driver for her purse. It shouldn't take long."

"Driver?" She looks at Theron like he has a
third eye growing in the middle of his forehead.

"Yes, I'll go ahead and take all the
information I can. As soon as your driver returns with your
identification I'll make a copy of it." She rolls her eyes and uses
air quotes when she says driver. This does not look like a
promising day. I'm only in the waiting area for about fifteen
minutes before a nurse comes to get me. Theron has stepped outside
to call my parents and let them know what happened.

"Um, my boyfriend stepped outside."

"That's alright. They will send him back when
he comes inside." Leading me to a private room, she pulls the
curtain around me as I sit down on the bed. "I need you to undress
and put on a gown."

"Um, I'm right handed." I nod to my
hand.

She stands holding a clipboard. "Of course,
you are. Would you like me to help you, or would you like for your
boyfriend to help you? Either way, the doctor won't be in here for
about five to ten minutes."

"My boyfriend."

"That's fine. Let's go ahead and get your
blood pressure out of the way while we wait for him." Wrapping my
arm in a cuff, she presses start on a machine next to me. She pops
a thermometer in my mouth and records both of the readings. As
she's taking off the cuff, Theron walks into the room.

"That was quick. I came back and you were
already back here. Did you see the doctor yet?" I shake my head
no.

"Excuse me, but I will need you to help her in
this gown. She wanted to wait for you." The nurse hands him a
hospital gown and pulls the curtain completely closed as she leaves
the room.

"Well, I guess there was no point to getting
you dressed earlier than." I try my best to smile at him, but fail
miserably. Taking a deep breath, I try to hold back my tears. I
hate hospitals and I'm only reminded of the last time I was here,
which was only ten days ago, when Matt died. Has is really only
been ten days? It seems like so long ago. Just the thought of Matt
pushes the tears I was holding back streaming down my
face.

"I'm sorry beautiful, I know this hurts. I'll
help you as best as I can." He unbuttons my jeans and pulls them
down my legs. I step out of them as he helps me with my shirt. He
was right this shirt was a lot easier to take off. He just finishes
tying the back of my gown, when there's a knock on the
door.

"Come in." My voice is a hoarse whisper, but
they hear me.

"Hello, Evelyn. I'm Doctor Michaels. I'll be
your doctor for today. It says on your chart that you injured your
right hand. May I see it?" Looking up at the doctor, I instantly
relax. He's older with gray hair and a mustache. He reminds me of
my grandfather. I hold up my hand and he grimaces.

"We will definitely need an x-ray, but I would
bet my license it’s broken. How did you do this?"

"I punched someone."

He looks a little shocked, but nods his head.
"Well, that would do it. Did they deserve it?"

I nod my head. "They insulted my boyfriend's
grandmother. They deserved it."

He laughs. "I should hope so. It's such a
shame your hand took most of the beating. Perhaps you should have
your boyfriend over there teach you a better technique if you are
going to go around defending people. The radiology tech should be
here in a minute to collect you. We will get an x-ray and see how
bad that break is." He shakes Theron's hand before he leaves the
room. The tech comes to collect me and I leave with her to get my
hand x-rayed. It only takes a few minutes. Theron is waiting for me
when I get back to the room. I’m a wreck and the pain in my hand is
so intense. He runs his hands up and down my back, trying to soothe
me as we wait for the results.

Tapping softly on the door, the doctor enters
the room. “Well, Evelyn it seems you have a Boxer's fracture. Your
fourth and fifth metacarpal bones have a break in them. These are
very common breaks associated with fighters or, in your case, those
defending grandmothers. Since, the breaks are clean I have decided
to splint your ring and little finger together instead of casting
it. I will be sending you home with a sling. Please try and avoid
using your arm. You need to keep it elevated and ice will help with
the swelling. I'm also going to send you home with a prescription
for some anti-inflammatory and pain medicine. I'll have the nurse
bring you some pain medicine before your discharged, this way it
will take into effect before you are able to fill the script. Make
a follow up appointment with your regular doctor in two to three
days. I don't see there being any complications, but they should be
able to help you with the rest of your care." He very carefully
splints my two fingers and wraps a bandage around my hand. He helps
me with the sling, making sure to adjust the shoulder strap to the
correct height.

"Thank you."

"No, problem my dear. Please try not to punch
anyone else." Smiling, he shakes my good hand. He turns to shake
Theron's hand as well. "Please be sure to take good care of
her."

"I will. Thank you again." The doctor nods his
head before leaving the room. Theron helps me out of my gown and
back into my clothes. A nurse comes in with a plastic cup and a
clipboard.

"Oh, I see you've changed already, it should
definitely help speed things along. Here are the pain pills he
wanted you to take before you leave." Placing two white pills into
my hand, she waits for me to put them in my mouth before handing me
a small cup of water to help me swallow them.

"Do you need a copy of my ID's?"

"Nope, a gentleman dropped them off at the
desk for us about an hour ago for us to copy. We have everything we
need. I just need you to sign here saying we went over all of your
medications, discharge instructions, and to schedule an appointment
with your regular physician in two to three days." She holds out
clipboard for me so I can sign it. She hands me a copy of my
instructions and two prescriptions. Theron helps me down from the
bed and kisses my forehead when the nurse leaves.

"Let's get you home. I'll have Evan fill these
after we get you comfortable. Okay?" Nodding my head in agreement,
I lay it on his shoulder as we walk out of the hospital back to the
car. On the car ride home, I fall asleep with my head resting
against the window. I feel myself being lifted and I open my eyes
to find Theron carrying me to our bedroom. He gently lays me on our
bed.

"I can walk, you know. I didn't break my
legs."

"I would be a horrible carriage if I didn't
carry you."

"You're not my carriage, you're my person." My
voice is soft and my words slur as I fall back asleep. I swear I
hear Theron gasp, but I'm not sure at what. I close my eyes and
welcome the dark.

Chapter 12

I
slowly start to wake
up and I roll over. "Fuck!" It was not a good idea. I rolled onto
my injured hand. Sitting up, I place my now throbbing hand in my
lap. I swing my legs off the bed placing my feet on the floor. I
make my way to the bathroom. I'm stepping through the doorway when
Theron comes rushing in the room.

"What's wrong?" His voice startles me and I
jump bumping my injured hand on the door frame.

"Shit!" Grabbing my hand, I hold it close to
my chest giving Theron a murderous look.

"Oh, beautiful. I'm so sorry. I heard you
yell. Why didn't you call for me?" His eyes look me over. "Where's
your sling?"

"I didn't know a broken hand would prevent me
from using the bathroom. The sling is on the nightstand over there.
It's uncomfortable and I'm only going pee, Theron. The world will
not end if I don't put it on." I'm furious and my hand is
throbbing. I also hate relying on people.

"If you would have had your sling on, you
wouldn't have bumped it on the door frame."

"Would that have prevented me from rolling
over on it? No, it wouldn't have. Now I am going to use the
bathroom by myself. When I lay back down you can determine if I
need anything else." I slam the bathroom door. I use the toilet and
wash my hands. Needing to calm down, I splash some cold water on my
face. It's not Theron's fault I hurt my hand, and the sling would
have kept me from bumping it. Opening the door, I crawl back into
bed where he is sitting waiting for me. "I'm sorry I got shitty
with you. It's not your fault I rolled over on my damn hand. It
fucking hurts. I promise next time I'm pissed off, I'll try my best
not to assault you with my crappy mood."

"That, beautiful, has to be the most unique
apology I've ever received." I shrug my shoulders. It's the best I
could offer. "You've been asleep for a while. Evan dropped off your
pain pills about an hour ago along with your brother." What? He
picks up the pill bottle and starts reading it. "It says you can
take two every four to six hours. It's almost been four hours. I'm
sure it wouldn't hurt anything if you took one now."

“
Wait, what? Back up a minute,
please. You said he picked up my brother?" My head might be foggy
from the pain medicine I took earlier, but I know I heard that
right.

"Yeah. Gram still isn't feeling well and I
wasn't sure what kind of help you would need. I don't want you
alone, even if it's just for minute. He can stay in the spare
bedroom for tonight."

“
I don’t need a babysitter,
Theron.”

He takes my good hand in his, brushing my
knuckles with his thumb. “Humor me, please.”

I’m not going to win this. He knows what his
touch does to me. “Fine, but it’s just a broken hand. I don’t
understand why I need someone here with me.”

“
Well, you just agreed and he’s
already here. Take these, please.”

I take the pills he's handing me popping them
into my mouth. He hands me a glass of ice water and I chug it down
swallowing my pills. "My mouth is so dry."

"It's a side effect from the pain pills. I
have an anti-inflammatory for you to take as well, but it looks
like you'll need more water. Is it okay if I have Robert, bring it
to you with some water? I haven't checked on Gram since last night.
She was really quiet on the phone earlier, I could barely hear her.
I'm worried." I smile and signal for him to come closer with my
finger. "Yes?" Leaning up, I kiss him softly on his lips. He grasps
my face in his hands brushes my jaw with thumb. "That was
definitely worth coming in here for. I'll send Robert in. I love
you." Furrowing my brow, I try to give him my best pouty face.
"What is it?"