Page 42 of Badass Alien Boss

“I’ll walk—or I won’t go,” she insisted.

The doctor smiled. “She’s feeling better.”

“I want to stay with her.”

“Of course. I’ll let you two get dressed, and I’ll alert the nurse to prepare the med-stay bay.” She left the room.

“Would you get me leggings and a tunic? Underwear, too. I can sleep in that and still be presentable walking through the hotel.”

“Not your nightie?” He dangled the transparent scrap on his finger and then retrieved the clothing she’d asked for.

“Ha. Ha. You don’t need to spend the night with me. You’ll be more comfortable here.”

“Alone? Worrying about you? No. I want to be with you.” Only the doctor banning him from the clinic could keep him away. Michaela still seemed out of breath, and her face and neck remained swollen—although the swelling had subsided some.

He left her to dress and went to talk to the doctor.

“Everything’s arranged,” Adanna confirmed.

“Great, thank you. If none of the food caused her allergic reaction, then what did? What is she allergic to?” he asked.

“I don’t know. The clinic is small. We don’t have the equipment to do a full analysis and diagnostic. I recommend she get a full medical workup when you return to your planet.”

“I’ll see that she does.”

“When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

Adanna nodded. “Until the allergen is identified, my concern is that she could have another attack at any time. She had a stronger reaction this time and did not respond to thebronchodilator and the adrenergic receptor agonistic as quickly either. It should not have taken more than one dose.”

“You are not making me feel better, Doc.”

“I’m sorry, but I must be frank. I will prepare a report to give to her physician.”

“I’m ready.” Michaela entered the sitting room. She wasslightlyless puffy, but the swelling, hives, and redness weren’t decreasing as fast as they had before.

“I took a look at myself in the mirror,” she said. “I look like a toad.”

“It’s going to recede,” he said, hoping his optimism wasn’t misplaced.

“I’m pretty confident, much of the swelling will be reduced by morning. I’ve given orders to the nurse to monitor you and deliver another injection if you don’t hit certain markers. But, as I was telling Ruyn, you need to see your own physician,” she said, and reiterated all the concerns she had expressed to him.

Michaela nodded. “I will.”

The doctor ushered them out the door and down to the first-floor medical clinic. The nurse, a silver-haired Andrian male with four arms, settled Michaela in a hospital bed in one of two patient rooms. “We don’t get many overnight guests,” he said with a pleasant smile.

“You were probably asleep. I’m sorry to disturb you,” Michaela said.

“No problem. This makes me feel useful, like I’m earning my salary.” He pointed out a call button and the monitor enabling him to watch over her. Then he directed Ruyn’s attention to a cushioned chair. “It reclines somewhat. Since we don’t have other patients, you’re welcome to take the bed in the other room if you prefer.”

“The chair will be fine,” he replied, unwilling to leave her side. He doubted he’d sleep—bed or no bed.

“By the way, my name is Jabir. I’ll check in with the doc and be right back.”

“He seems nice,” she said after he left. “I’ve caused a lot of trouble.”

“You could have died!” She’d come close to suffocating, but he didn’t want to say so. He dragged the chair closer and sat. “Saving your life is worth any amount of trouble. And that’s what they’re here for. If they didn’t want to deal with middle-of-the-night emergencies, they shouldn’t have chosen medicine as a career.”