Chapter Fifteen #2
“I...er... don’t really drive much anymore. In New York, it was easier to use taxis.”
“Or be chauffeured,” Donnie said.
Embarrassed, Charlie looked away from him even though he couldn’t see her. Simon was wealthy. He probably earned in a month what Donnie earned in a year. It was ridiculous, really. Donnie risked his life for his country and Simon bought and sold property.
“I imagine my condo is probably the size of your bedroom at his place,” Donnie said.
“The apartment isn’t that big.” She hit him playfully on the arm as she sat beside him. “Doesn’t matter now. I’m not there anymore.”
“Have you been back to get your stuff?”
“Not yet.”
“That was him on the phone, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.” She did not want to talk about this tonight. Time to change the subject. “Mackie is really nice. You guys are close. It sounds like you are with all of your team and their families.”
“I am.”
“Did you call your folks?”
“No. I guess I should.”
“Are you going to tell them?”
Donnie shook his head. “Charlie, I’m not trying to deceive them. I just don't want to worry them. Once I hear the final diagnosis from the doctor, then I'll have facts.”
She nodded, then realized he couldn't see her. “I understand. Let’s call them together.”
She called, putting the phone on speaker.
She reassured Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson Donnie was doing OK, but the concussion was taking some time to heal, and his sight was not a hundred percent right now.
Donnie kept his voice bright on the phone, and his folks seemed relieved and calmer by the time the call was done.
“Thank you for that,” he said after she had leaned forward and ended the call.
“You’re welcome. Hopefully we’ll have better news to share after your appointment tomorrow.”
“I doubt it. If it was getting better, wouldn't I see something? Change of light. Flashes. Anything?” His voice broke on the last word and Charlie instinctively reached for his hand.
“We’re not doctors, Donnie. Who knows what should be happening? You can ask that tomorrow.”
He squeezed her hand. “I’m glad you came. It means a lot to me.”
“I’m glad I came, too.”
“How long are you here for?”
“Not sure. It was a one-way ticket.”
“What’s going on with Simon? Are you going back to him?”
“No! Of course not.”
“But he keeps calling.” It was a statement not a question.
Charlie sighed. “Yes. It’s fine. I can handle him. I really don’t want to talk about him right now. I’m here for you.”
Donnie’s face tightened, mouth set in a straight line. Before he could say anything else, she steered the conversation in a different direction.
“I’m not really sure what Mackie was doing for you, so you need to tell me if you need help with something.”
“Don’t worry, I can wipe my own ass. I’m not completely helpless.” The bitterness was back.
“I never said you were.”
Silence hung between them. The man beside her was so different from the man who had rocked her world in Toronto. When Charlie placed a hand on his arm, he jolted. She squeezed gently.
“I don't know how to help you, Donnie. But I want to. Tell me what you need,” she said softly.
“I need my sight back.”
***
DONNIE SAT IN THE PASSENGER seat of his Bronco. He had never sat in the passenger seat of his own car. He didn't like it.
Last night, after Mackie left, things had been strained.
Charlie was only trying to help, but his despair came in waves.
Reality had come crashing down that evening.
Listening to Charlie, the woman of his fucking dreams, getting to know his teammate had only made him think about what he could no longer have.
He had been determined to convince Charlie they could be more than friends, that she could trust him.
Now he wasn’t going to. She deserved better than a man who couldn’t see her.
He refused to be a burden to her. To anyone.
He felt helpless. Especially after Mackie had told him about the email from Tracer.
The explicit pictures of Simon partying.
Seems the man didn't only like women. Donnie didn’t give a shit what the man's sexual preferences were, but he did give a shit that Simon had been lying to Charlie and possibly putting her health at risk.
Those were also some heated emails between father and son.
It appeared Daddy Radwell knew Charlie had called off the wedding.
Daddy was threatening to sell the business to someone else.
The old Donnie, the one who could see, would have gone and paid Simon a visit.
Let him know Charlie was off limits and to stay the fuck away.
Blind Donnie couldn't do that. He had been so angry and frustrated with himself last night, he claimed tiredness and went to bed, feeling defeated and a little sorry for himself.
This morning, he’d made sure he was up early, knowing it took him longer to shower and get dressed.
He’d felt around for a pair of jeans and grabbed the first T-shirt he laid his hands on from the drawer.
He had no idea what color he was wearing, but he must have looked alright since Charlie hadn’t said anything.
He made an effort to talk while she made coffee, and then breakfast. He was contemplating telling Charlie about Simon. Be honest. But at the thought of the pain it would inflict on her, he decided to hold off for now. Instead, they spoke more about the base, the hospital, and Sophie. Safe topics.
When it was time to go, Charlie handed him the stick, but he refused it.
Using it would be the final admission he was never going to see again.
He wasn’t ready for that. Charlie hadn’t insisted and offered her arm.
Together, they walked frustratingly slowly to the elevators and to the parking garage.
She’d typed the base address into the GPS and then they were on the move.
“I can’t believe you have an orange convertible.” He could hear the smile in her voice.
“What’s wrong with it?” he asked.
“Nothing. I just never would have thought you would pick orange. Black maybe. Or silver.”
“Maybe I like to be noticed.”
“Oh, it certainly gets noticed. Bright orange and a convertible.” The roof was off, as it normally was during the summer.
“It’s cyber orange. Do you own a car at all now?” The sun was warm, and the fresh air felt good. He missed being outside. His morning runs. A swim. Working out with the team.
“Yes. I have a Mini. It’s in Albany. I left it there when I moved to New York. Glad I did now.”
“A Mini. Yeah, that suits you. So what color is it?”
“White. Nice and boring. Plain like me.”
Donnie turned his head toward her and pain zipped through his temple. Fuck that hurt. He rubbed his forehead.
“You OK?” she asked.
“Yeah. Fine.” Shit. The pain felt like someone was stabbing a needle behind his eyes. He tried to ignore it. “Mini Coopers are not boring, no matter what color, and you are not plain.”
The car slowed. “OK. We’re at the gate,” Charlie said.
Donnie reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. “Open this, you’ll see my ID. Show this for me and tell them you should have a visitor pass waiting. You’ll need to show your ID, too.”
Mackie had called to say Sam had fast tracked a pass. His Bronco was registered here, so he wasn’t expecting any problems.
Charlie spoke to gate security, and they checked the car. Within a couple of minutes, they were moving.
“Well, that was easy,” she said.
“They know me, this car, and my captain gave them a heads up.”
“I feel very important,” she said with a teasing tone. “I see signs for Westside.”
“Yes. Follow them. There is parking at the front.”
Ten minutes later, holding Charlie’s arm after she guided him up and down curbs and through doors, they were inside Westside ER.
Technically, he should have been assigned to another doctor, but none of Onyx wanted to see anyone but Sophie, and the hospital had given up arguing with them a long time ago.
Sam had probably pulled some strings there, too.
“Donnie, right on time. You must be Charlie?” Sophie’s voice was warm and bright as he heard the click of her shoes walking toward them.
“Yes. It’s nice to meet you,” Charlie answered.
“You, too. And how are you, Donnie?”
Donnie grunted a response.
“Follow me,” Sophie said, apparently choosing to take no notice.
Still holding Charlie’s arm, he walked a little way before Sophie directed them into a room. He only knew it was a room because a door closed, and the noise of the ER disappeared.
“I’ll wait outside,” Charlie said, once Donnie was settled in a chair.
“No. Stay,” he said. “Save me repeating it all to you after.”
“Are you sure?” Hesitancy filled her voice.
“I am,” he said softly and held out his hand. She took it and he felt her sit beside him.
“OK, Dr. Swanson is going to join us shortly,” Sophie said. “But first, we’ll run some tests and do a CT scan. Has there been any change to your vision?”
“None.”
“How are the headaches?”
“They’ve eased. Yesterday, I don’t recall having one until the evening. This morning was good, but one came on suddenly on the way here.”
“Suddenly? How do you mean?”
“It was a sudden piercing pain behind my eyes. A stabbing pain.”
“And now?”
“It’s better. More of a dull ache.”
“Were you wearing sunglasses?”
Donnie frowned. “No. Why would I? I can't exactly see the sun.”
“It’s a bright sunny day. The sunlight can still affect you. Have you been outside in the sun since you left here?”
“No. Not left the condo.”
“Alright. Let’s get going on the tests.”