Chapter 12 #3
Sex had been about the last thing on his mind ever since. Until lately…
Lately, he’d begun to think he might be ready to start over again with someone else, as daunting a proposition as that might be after spending thirteen years—his entire adult life—with the same woman.
He couldn’t imagine ever being in love again like he’d been with Janey, but it would be nice to have someone to spend time with—other than his mother, who loved to fret about how badly he’d messed up his once-promising life.
He parallel parked in front of Daisy’s house and noticed a single light in a room downstairs.
Hoping he wasn’t disturbing her, he began to regret not calling before he came.
With his medical bag in hand, he rapped lightly on the front door and waited several minutes before he heard the shuffle of feet inside.
“Who is it?”
“David Lawrence.”
A series of locks disengaged, and the door swung open. Daisy seemed surprised to see him. Her face was bruised and swollen, with one eye completely closed. “What’re you doing here?”
“I wanted to check on you.”
“Really?”
He smiled. “Yes, really.”
“That’s so nice of you. Come in.” She shuffled back to the sofa and sat slowly and painfully.
“Are you all by yourself?”
“My friends were here earlier, but they left a little while ago.”
“Would it be okay if I took a look at your ribs?”
She hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
“Why don’t you stretch out on the sofa and try to get comfortable.”
Watching her painful effort to move her body into position made him hurt for her.
“Let me help you.” He gently lifted her legs and helped her recline on the threadbare sofa.
By the time he had her settled, she was breathing hard and a light sheen of perspiration had appeared on her forehead. “Is it okay to put on another light?”
“Sure.” She closed her one working eye, as if she could no longer make the effort to keep it open.
Moving carefully, David raised her T-shirt to expose the ribs he’d wrapped the night before.
In his bag, he found surgical scissors and cut the tape to expose angry-looking bruises.
He looked up to check how she was faring and was distressed to see tears rolling down her cheeks. “I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head.
“Then what is it?”
“It’s so embarrassing, you know?” Her luminous gray eye swam with new tears when she opened it to look at him. “That the man I supposedly loved could’ve done this to me, and I allowed it.”
“You didn’t allow it, Daisy. This was done to you. It’s not your fault.”
“I keep telling myself that, but still… I let him back in after the other times. That’s on me.”
“Maybe so, but you can’t be faulted for wanting to give someone you love another chance.”
“It’s nice of you to say that and to come here. You didn’t have to.”
“I wanted to see how you were doing.” His stomach let out an ungodly growl. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly.
“Have you had dinner?”
“Not yet, and my stomach is letting me know it’s time.”
“My friends brought a ton of food, but my mouth is too sore to eat anything. My friend Maude makes the most delicious lasagna. You should have some.”
“I couldn’t. They made it for you.” His stomach protested the words with another growl.
“I’d hate for it to go to waste. You’d be doing me a favor, and it’s the least I could do since you were nice enough to check on me.”
David wavered. He was starving and still needed to re-tape her ribs.
“Please,” she said softly. “After all you’ve done for me, let me feed you.”
“All right,” he said, smiling.
“Could I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
She hesitated, studying him intently. “Why is it that even when you smile, your eyes are sad?”
Staggered by the question, David stared at her.
“I’m sorry.” She looked down at her hands. “I don’t mean to pry.”
“I’ve made some mistakes,” he said haltingly. The words were out of his mouth before he could think about whether it was wise to share his personal travails with a patient. “You probably know all about them.”
“I know you used to be engaged to Janey McCarthy, but I don’t know why you broke up.”
“You must be the only person on the island who doesn’t know why.”
“It doesn’t matter. You’re a good person, right?”
There was something honest and unaffected about her that David found refreshing. When she wasn’t bruised and swollen, he realized she’d be very pretty. Why hadn’t he noticed that before? “I haven’t always been.”
“You are now, and that’s what matters.”
“I’m trying.”
“Good,” she said as her eye closed. “Go ahead and get something to eat. Bring it in here to keep me company.”
Watching her drift off, he noted the aura of serenity that surrounded her despite her injuries and was comforted by it.
For the first time in longer than he could remember, he didn’t feel lonely or out of sorts.
Funny, he thought as he made his way to the kitchen to investigate the lasagna, he’d come to provide care for her, and she’d ended up tending to him.
He hoped she’d wake up and talk to him some more. He liked talking to her.