64. Chapter Sixty-Four
Chapter Sixty-Four
Kat
Ifigured it out. I made it the right way, I knew I did. I sipped mine and knew it was right. A small smile graced my lips, even as my heart rate skyrocketed. I was nearing the medical center, and I realized this was stupid.
So, so stupid.
I couldn’t do this. This was so fucking stupid. I looked down at my feet. Took a deep breath.
I could just go inside. Just wait, in the waiting room, maybe. Someone would likely mention something, maybe. Something vague. Maybe.
I walked through the door, finding it… quiet. Very quiet. I would’ve figured there’d be all kinds of people around. But there was someone at the counter, and that was it. I thought maybe it was the woman who’d helped me the other night. Sandy? Maybe?
I had two mugs of tea balanced on my sling cast, carefully holding them still with my other hand. Was it awkward? Yes. Had I walked very slowly? Yes. But I was here.
When the woman looked up, her warm smile answered my question. It was the same woman.
“Hello, dear. Kat, right?” she said just as warmly. I nodded. I started to turn, back toward the door, to flee, when she spoke again.
“Looks like you’re maybe bringing someone some tea?” she asked leadingly. I nodded again, my cheeks heating. She beckoned me with a curl of her finger, then whispered.
“He’s been asking for you, but he didn’t have his phone and we didn’t know where to find you,” she said, leaning toward me. A really tender smile crossed her face, activating all the lines that showcased the extra thirty years she had on me. I wasn’t sure what to say.
“And we couldn’t get a straight answer out of him about where you’d be, because we had to sedate him,” she said apologetically. What?! Why? I looked up sharply, almost dropping my mugs.
“What?” I squeaked. That wouldn’t be good. He wouldn’t be happy. He’d be scared and upset and-
“He wouldn’t take any pain meds, but he was having a little trouble breathing.
So, we gave him light sedation. He’s still awake but just a little out of it.
I think some tea and a little visit might make bigger strides than the sedation, but that’s just my opinion,” she confided, gesturing for me to follow her. Okay, then.
We walked past the room where we’d spent the other night, and entered the one next door.
As soon as she stepped to the side, I saw Henry lying there, still in his kit, ice on his ribs.
And some next to his face that might’ve fallen off his cheekbone when his head flopped to the side to see who had come through the door.
His hair had fallen into his eyes, and he was too out of it to push it back. But his eyes were a little glassy, and I received the biggest, softest smile I’d ever seen on his face.
“Firecat!” he called out, clearly happy to see me. A quick hand hit my shoulder.
“I’ll leave you two to it, and I’ll check back in a little while,” she said with a soft smile at Henry and a quick wink for me. She shouldn’t have bothered talking or smiling at him, because he was still looking at me with that happy smile.
This was going to kill me.
He made gimme hands at me for the tea, and I carefully put mine down on the counter, bringing his over to him slowly.
He sat his bed up a little, and it boded well for his tea drinking abilities if he could work the remote.
Then again, I thought a Brit would have to be asleep to not be able to drink tea.
I handed it over, and he took a sip and smiled at me.
“You learned how to make it!” he cried happily.
I gave him a soft smile and sat on the edge of his bed.
He slurped loudly and I laughed. I gave in and pushed his hair out of his eyes, since he had just left it there.
I grabbed my tea and settled next to him.
Once he’d sucked down half his tea, he just looked at me.
“You came,” he said softly, sounding slightly awed. I nodded, swallowing hard.
“Of course, sweetie. If I’d known you wanted to see me, I would’ve come sooner. Promise,” I said honestly. If I’d known, I would’ve been there before he was out of the car. Protocol be damned.
He shifted over in his bed, clearly struggling to do so, for me to sit next to him. I swung both legs up, slightly turned in. I shifted my mug into my sling hand and grabbed the abandoned ice, holding it up to his face gently.
“How are you feeling?” I asked him softly. He shrugged, then winced at the movement.
“It hurts,” he said honestly. I doubted he would’ve told me—or anyone—that if he wasn’t sedated.
“And you still didn’t take the meds, huh?” I whispered. He shook his head, bumping it against the ice with each sweep. He let his head fall back again, like it was too heavy to hold up for long. I just adjusted the ice position, trying to get it on the swelling reaching for his eye.
“You know why,” he whispered back. I nodded. I did.
“You came,” he murmured again, his eyes staying closed a little longer between each blink.
“I did, Henry. I’ll always come,” I said softly as his eyes stayed closed. He laid his good cheek on my shoulder, causing me to adjust the ice again. He knew I would, of course.
“I’m tired,” he said sleepily, his mug starting to tilt dangerously to one side. I snagged it and put both mugs down.
“And cold,” he whined, just a little. I grabbed the blanket from the foot of the bed and covered him with it.
Without opening his eyes, he snatched it and tried to toss it on me too with a pathetic little motion.
I giggled softly and pulled it over myself too.
That hand hit my waist next, tugging lightly.
And then a little whimper left him. I leaned down.
“What can I do, Henry?” I asked. He tugged again.
“Closer. Snuggle,” he murmured, half asleep already.
I carefully slid over so that my hip was next to his chest, his head on mine.
His arm wrapped around my middle like I was his favorite teddy bear, and I made sure his ice was still in the right place on his ribs.
It looked like it was strapped down. Good.
I felt his body finally fully relax.
“There we go, Henry,” I breathed into his hair.
“Nuhnight,” he mumbled. I kissed him on the head.
“Goodnight, sweetie. I’ll be here when you wake up,” I whispered back. But he was already asleep.
I slowly stroked his hair, methodical and soothing. He made a happy noise and leaned into my touch. Okay then, Henry. I sighed.
What the fuck was I going to do now?