Chapter 14 Tony #2
"I know it's irrational." She shrugged. "After all, we haven't lost a transitioning Dormant yet, but the possibility that the one you care for could be the first is always lurking in the background."
The door opened again, and Julian walked in carrying a tablet and looking like a man who had just come from dinner. There were crumbs on his collar that Tony chose not to mention.
"You're awake," Julian said, moving to check the monitors beside Tony's bed. "How do you feel?"
"Like I was hit by a truck, then the truck backed up and hit me again." Tony considered. "But also good. Vital. It's hard to explain."
"That's normal. Your body has been through major changes over the past few days.
The fatigue will fade, but the sense of newness will persist for a while.
" Julian tapped something on his tablet.
"Your vitals look excellent. Temperature is back to baseline, heart rate is strong, and your blood pressure is perfect.
" He put the tablet on the side table and pulled out a measuring tape.
"According to the last measurements we took, you've grown half an inch.
Let's see if anything has changed since then. "
Tony blinked. "Half an inch? That's it?"
He'd been hoping for more. Not that he was particularly short—five foot eleven and a half was perfectly respectable, but if he was going to go through the ordeal of transitioning, a few extra inches of height would have been a nice bonus.
Shira snorted. "You didn't ask Julian where that half inch went," she said, her eyes dancing with mischief. "In some places, it can mean a lot."
Tony chuckled. "You're such a scoundrel, Shira!"
"A scoundrel? I haven't heard that word in decades."
It was a reminder that Shira was so much older than she looked, and as always, he felt a little unsettled by it even though it was not news to him.
"That's what my grandmother used to call me."
Julian looked like he was suppressing a laugh, but to his credit, he maintained a professional expression. "The growth is primarily skeletal—spine, long bones, that sort of thing. Any other developments would be soft tissue related, which we don't typically measure."
"Good to know," Tony said. "As it is, my soft tissues have been handled too many times by strangers already."
Julian made another note on his tablet. "If you remain fever-free through the night and wake up normally tomorrow, you can go home.
I'll disconnect you from the monitoring equipment, remove that unmentionable thing that goes into your soft tissues, and prescribe some pain medication for the growing fangs and venom glands. "
Tony swept his tongue over his teeth and gums, searching for any sign of the promised changes, but everything felt normal. There was no swelling, no tenderness, and no hint of fangs.
"There's nothing there yet," he said.
"It will come," Julian assured him. "The transition affects everyone differently. Some people develop fangs more quickly than others. Same for the venom glands. Don't worry. They will grow whether you want them or not."
"When can we have the ceremony?" Shira asked.
The confirmation ceremony. She had told him about it, but he'd forgotten.
It was a little ritual that would officially confirm his transition to immortality.
A small incision would be made on his palm while his friends watched, and it would be timed to see how quickly it healed.
The faster the healing, the closer to the source the newly minted immortal was supposed to be.
"You can organize it for tomorrow morning," Julian said. "Around ten o'clock. By then, Tony will be free of all the tubes and showered."
"I'll take time off work." Shira tightened her fingers on Tony's hand. "I want to make it right for you."
"You don't have to make a big deal out of it. It's not like it's really necessary."
"This is important, Tony. As you've so eloquently said, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and it should be celebrated and recorded. The library can survive one morning without me."
Tony felt a warmth spread through his chest. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, but nothing is for free, buddy. You still owe me for three days of worry. I expect compensation."
"What kind of compensation?"
"I'll think of something." She smiled, and there was promise in that smile that made Tony's pulse quicken.
Julian cleared his throat. "Save that something for another time. Your body is working hard on rewriting itself, and you shouldn't put any strain on it. Rest, sleep, and preserve your energy. I'll have the nurse bring in some broth and Jell-O."
"Broth and Jell-O," Tony repeated. "The cuisine of champions."
"Your digestive system needs time to adjust. You don't want to start with anything heavier." Julian headed for the door, then paused. "Oh, and Tony? Congratulations. Welcome to immortality."
The door closed behind him, leaving them alone in the quiet room.
"Welcome to immortality," Tony echoed. "That's not something you hear every day."
"It's not something most people ever hear." Shira shifted her chair closer to the bed. "I was a little girl when I transitioned, so I don't remember how it felt, but I bet it's a monumental change for you."
"It's terrifying," he admitted. "And exhilarating. And surreal. Mostly surreal." He looked at her. "Is it strange that the thing I keep thinking about is all the books I'll have time to read and all the things I will have time to learn?"
Shira laughed. "Really? That's what you are thinking about?"
"I mean it. I could read every book ever written. Learn every language. Master every skill I ever wanted to try but never had time for. I could become a concert pianist. A master chef. A world-renowned expert in obscure medieval history."
"You could," Shira agreed. "Or you could spend the next few centuries perfecting your ability to curse in Italian."
"I already have that skill perfected, thank you very much."
"Mmm." She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "You know what I was thinking about while you were unconscious?"
"The Dewey Decimal System?"
"Besides that." She smiled. "I was thinking about how strange it is that you ended up here."
Before Tony could respond, there was a soft knock at the door, and the nurse entered with a tray of food—the promised broth and Jell-O, along with a glass of tea.
"Doctor's orders," Hildegard said cheerfully. "Start with the broth, see how that settles, then try the Jell-O. If everything stays down, you can graduate to real food tomorrow."
"Can't wait," Tony said.
The nurse just smiled and left, and Shira helped him sit up enough to eat. The broth was surprisingly good, rich and savory, clearly homemade rather than from a can, and his stomach accepted it without protest.
"You should go home," he said between spoonfuls. "Get some rest. You look exhausted."
"I'm not leaving you."
"Shira—"
"I said no." Her jaw had that stubborn set he was learning to recognize. "I'm not leaving until I see you walk out of this clinic on your own."
"That's very romantic, but you have a ceremony to organize. Where will you get supplies?"
"I'll have them delivered."
"What about clothing? You need something nice to wear, and so do I. You probably also want to do your hair and makeup and all that."
"I'll do that tomorrow. I want to be here in case something happens in the middle of the night."
"Nothing's going to happen. The worst is over."
"Then it won't matter if I stay." She crossed her arms. "You're not winning this argument, Tony. Surrender and accept defeat."
He wanted to say, never! But the truth was that he didn't mind losing an argument to her. She made him feel cared for.
Safe.
Even loved.