Page 15 of Spears and Shadows (Defenders of the Light)
“Well I said that you almost dying was a slight exaggeration—”
“I don’t care if I got a splinter; I deserve to know what happened! Not to mention those things obviously had something to do with you. I was doing just fine until you appeared and then I start getting attacked at my own job. How do I know you didn’t bring those things down on me?” If Nora hadn’t been as weak as a newborn kitten, she would be grabbing Adam by the shoulders and shaking him.
“Listen,” Adam pleaded, “if I wanted you hurt, I wouldn’t have carried you two miles to the hospital. I swear on my life I will tell you what happened. I’ll tell you as soon as you’re out of the hospital. You still have a concussion and you need to focus on healing. Plus, it’s going to be a long conversation that would be better held in private.”
The sincerity in Adam’s eyes placated her despite her anger. She already felt her energy draining out of her like the air from a balloon after her brief outburst.
“Fine.” She leaned back into her pillows to sulk. “But the instant I’m discharged, I demand explanations.” She was disgusted by how easily she caved, but she felt worse than she cared to admit.
“I promise, and I’m sure you’ll be ship-shape in no time,” Adam reassured. “Dr. Coleman has been taking impeccable care of you.”
“Drew’s still here?”
“His shift ended a few hours ago, but he refuses to leave. Wants to keep an eye on you.” Adam paused. “Are the two of you…together?”
Nora’s eyes narrowed at his inquiry but found his expression politely curious. It was a question of the type she shouldn’t be encouraging from a professional partner, but they had already gotten this far.
“We were, but we broke up a few months ago.”
Adam tilted his head and, for a moment, Nora worried he was going to question her further about their relationship, wishing he would instead just let the subject drop. She was saved by a young woman in misty blue scrubs appearing around the curtain.
“Look who’s awake!” she chimed. “I’m Sheila and I’ve been your nurse today. It’s good to see you up. Let’s see how your blood pressure is doing.” She bustled into the room and pressed a button on the monitor, making the cuff on Nora’s upper arm tighten. Adam took the moment to duck out of the room, motioning that he would be right back.
“How are you feeling?” Sheila asked.
“Cold,” Nora responded, indeed beginning to shiver.
“Hmm, I’ll make sure to get you some more blankets after I finish getting your vitals.” She grabbed a thermometer off the wall and held it up to Nora, who obediently opened her mouth and put it under her tongue. When it beeped, Sheila looked at the reading with a furrowed brow.
“One hundred and two. Do you mind if I take a peek at your leg?”
Nora shook her head, and the nurse moved the blankets aside before unwrapping the bandage around her thigh. As Nora’s wound came into view, she hissed. The long gash had been closed with a line of neat stitches, but an ashy blackness was radiating out from the line of angry red. There was a white, puss-like substance oozing from the wound.
“Oh dear,” Sheila muttered. “Dr. Coleman will want to see this right away.”
She stepped to the side and pulled a small phone out of her pocket while Nora continued gaping at the gruesome looking gash on her thigh, which still throbbed angrily.
It was only a minute before Drew ducked around the corner of the room.
“Look at you, sitting up and everything!” He gave her a broad smile before his eyes drifted to her leg.
“Okay,” he muttered, rubbing his thick beard. Turning to Sheila, he said, “Let’s get a culture on that and start her on some IV vancomycin. Increase her fluid rate too.”
They moved around her room, carrying a rapid discussion about her blood pressure and something about her labs. Nora became irritated, as if she were being ignored in all of this, but she had begun shivering more forcefully now and was too uncomfortable to worry about inserting herself into the discussion. At that moment, Adam pushed past the curtain, carrying a Styrofoam cup of something steaming, adding to the small crowd of people milling around her already hectic bedside. As he moved to the head of her bed to say something to her, he caught sight of her infected wound. “Oh, that doesn’t look good.”
“Just an infection,” responded Drew as he rebandaged her leg. “We’re on it.”
Drew’s clipped tone was jarring in comparison to his usual unshakeable calm, but he appeared focused on his task, so Nora didn’t mention it. Adam’s brows pulled together and he was opening his mouth to say something, but Nora decided it was best if they left Drew alone.
“Where’s Odelle?” Nora interjected to change the subject.
Adam turned his attention back to her face.
“She had to go to work, but she’ll be back as soon as she’s done. She left some beef stroganoff in the mini fridge in case you want it.”
Nora grimaced and shook her head. While stroganoff was her go-to comfort food, her stomach twisted uncomfortably, and she realized she was slightly nauseous.
“Maybe later; I’m not feeling up to eating right now.”
