Chapter 54
Sabine Drew had never fractured a rib before.
In books and movies, it was passed off as a comparatively minor injury, like breaking a toe.
A medic strapped it up and told you to rest, but otherwise, it had to be endured.
What they didn’t say was how difficult it was to walk with a busted rib, especially over rough terrain, even with someone to lean on, or how much it hurt even to breathe in deeply.
By the time Sabine and Sadlier regained the rendezvous point, the pain was constant, and she was glad Sadlier was driving because she wasn’t up to it, not with the nausea—and that was before she sat in the passenger seat of his truck and was sure she felt bone scrape against bone.
The pain intensified, and she let out an involuntary yelp.
Sadlier, all solicitousness, eased the truck as gently as he could from the verge and drove slowly all the way to Bingham, avoiding sharp turns and sudden stops.
When they got to the medical center, he helped her out—which added another clockwise twist to the old volume knob of affliction—and walked her inside.
He led her to a chair but she didn’t want to sit again, so he left her leaning against the wall by the reception desk, within easy reach should she show any signs of tottering.
Minutes later, he entrusted her to the care of a nurse, who recognized him and said: “Back again so soon?”
Sabine stared at Sadlier. “You make a habit of frequenting medical centers?”
“I was here recently,” he said, “with one of the kids from the school I work at. I’m not on commission or anything.”
“That’s a relief. And you don’t have to wait: I can call a cab when I’m done.”
“They’ll have to come from Skowhegan,” said Sadlier, “and it’ll cost you. I don’t have anything else to do, and I always keep a book in the truck.”
The way he said it stung her.
“Well, if you don’t have anything better to do—”
“Now, I didn’t mean it like that,” he replied. “I’d like to wait.”
Sabine thought: He’s not an unattractive man. Unkempt, but that can be mended.
Sadlier thought: She’s a handsome woman. Kind of raggedy, but I’m not one to point the finger.
The nurse coughed meaningfully.
“Can you resume this later?”
Both Sabine and Sadlier blushed, and said “Sorry” simultaneously.