He swallows hard but gives me a quiet “okay.”
Before he changes his mind, I stretch his arm out flat and tie off the tourniquet to feel for a vein. It proves difficult since he’s dehydrated, but being the pro that I am, I find a decent one. I work, cleaning the skin thoroughly with an alcohol wipe before I caution him, “You’re going to feel a pinch, okay? Breathe normally and look away.”
He nods and follows my directions.
“Pinch,” I warn before sliding the needle into the vein. He flinches as the needle pierces the skin but doesn’t shout obscenities, as is Theo’s customary response when I have to stick him.
“All done,” I soothe as I tape everything down.
He looks at my handiwork and mumbles a tired thank you, his eyes red and droopy, his face scrunched in fatigue. He’s about to pass out. Setting the drip rate for the fluids, I instruct him to lay all the way down. He does so without arguing this time.
I pull the blankets up to his chin and tuck them under his hip tight. “Get some rest. I’m across the hall if you need anything.”
He clears his throat. “Thank you.”
I nod and stand to leave. I pull the door closed, leaving it cracked so I can hear him.
I get to work cleaning up the mess in the bathroom, trying to be quiet and not disturb Cade. After wiping down the sink and tub, I gather all the towels to take them to the laundry room and set the washer before ambling into the kitchen to scrounge food for myself. I stand at the fridge for a solid five minutes before giving up and grabbing a pack of crackers. I’m actually tired too. Saving a life is exhausting.
My shabby chic, vintage sofa beckons me toward the living room. I grab the remote and a throw blanket before I flop down and make myself comfy. When I finally find a comfortable position, my phone rings out the Sunday Night Football Jingle. Something Theo doesn’t find funny. Fuck! Somebody better be on fire!
I toss the cover off, cursing obscenities to whoever is on the line. A quick glance at the caller ID says it’s none other than Theo.
Swiping right, I answer with a, “What?”
“What? What the fuck crawled up your ass this afternoon?” His tone is a little sour. Okay. So maybe that wasn’t my best greeting.
“Ugh. Nothing.” I try to add a little sweetness to my voice. “I’m tired and just sat down when you called.” I’ve missed him and I do want to talk to him but now isn’t the best time.
“Oh,” he says quietly. “Why are you tired?”
Is that nervousness I detect out of Von Bremen? Surely not. Oh. He thinks I have been up all night. Ha! Joke’s on you, Von Bremen. Theo would shit a brick and be here faster than he could undo a bra clasp if he knew I’d just been nursing my newly acquired bum back to the land of the living.
“Oh, you know, just double shifts at the hospital. Making that money!” I laugh at myself.
Theo’s quiet for so long I start to think he has hung up. A quick glance at the phone tells me he hasn’t. “Theo? Are you still there?”
“What are you up to, Ans?” His voice is accusatory and I don’t know if I appreciate his disbelief of my lie. It’s not even a lie, really. I have been working. Today, I just have been working on Cade.
I scoff at him. “What do you mean? I’ve been working, asshole.”
He “uh huhs” me, which really sets my nerves ablaze. I take a breath, ready to give him an earful when he cuts me off, his voice excited. “Did you see the game last night?”
Of course I saw it. I never miss a game but I like to make him think he’s not that important. It helps with keeping his ego contained in this hemisphere.
“Uh, yeah, I think I did. Why? Did you do something awesome?” He’s silent, obviously pouting. I try to maintain my seriousness but can’t. Theo pouting is really cute. In person, it practically makes my panties sing a little song. I giggle, “Oh! That’s right, you struck out that dicksucker, Maddox!” and squeal, earning a laugh out of him.
“All for you, baby,” he laughs.
I hate Stephan Maddox. He made some sleazy comment to me at one of the league functions last year and I had to restrain Theo from attacking him. To placate Theo, I asked him to strike his ass out next time he came to the plate. And my boy always delivers.
“Damn right. I never doubted you.”
For the next half hour, Theo fills me in on the all the gossip I have been missing in the locker room. He tells me about the rookies who have come on board and all the usual pranks they are receiving. Several of them I know were Theo’s idea. Putting hair remover in the shampoo bottles… That shit was all Theo.
I fill him in on all things hospital and the small town of Madison, which is basically a bunch of nothing. After that, I proceed to drill him on his shoulder. He tore his tendon late last season, and we have been working really hard to get him strong and ready for this new season. He assures me he is behaving and following my strict instructions. He’ll be back next week and I will feel better when I look him over with my own eyes, in more ways than one. We end the call with him promising to call me after the game tonight to talk strategy about the Red Sox.
I must have dozed off at some point because when I wake it’s dark outside. Standing slowly, I stretch the tight muscles in my back and neck. A whimpering noise is coming from somewhere close by. I open the front door and look out but can’t see much. The porch light only illuminates a few feet from the porch. Locking the door behind me, I move deeper into the house, searching for the source.
