Page 35 of Finding Lexie
“Right. Sorry,” Lexie said, feeling as if she’d been chastised for some reason.
“There’s a gown over there you can change into,” the woman said, pointing over to a stack of plastic-wrapped garments. “I’m just going to step out while you change. It really is good to see you. We were all pulling for you.”
Then she nodded and turned and left the room.
Lexie didn’t move. She didn’t want to change her clothes. She felt vulnerable enough as it was. She wasn’t going to be practically naked when she met the doctor for the first time.
Shivering as the chilly temperature of the room began to register, Lexie lifted her feet and put them on the edge of the table she was sitting on. She knew she was probably contaminating the clean paper under her, but she didn’t care. She wrapped her arms around her legs and sighed.
Why being here felt scarier than anything else she’d done in the last twenty-four hours, Lexie didn’t know. Maybe because she was surrounded by strangers and had no idea what would happen next. It wasn’t a good feeling. How would she get off this ship? Where would she go? Did she still have a job with Food For All?
She didn’t like feeling so out of control of her own life.
Lexie rested her cheek on her updrawn knees. Suddenly, she was exhausted. She’d been running on pure adrenaline and bravado since the SEALs had attacked the camp out in the desert. Yes, she’d gotten some sleep in the hole with Midas, but that seemed like a lifetime ago.
Her muscles hurt, her heart hurt for Dagmar, and she was sad that she hadn’t gotten to say goodbye to Midas or his friends. She knew they probably rescued people all the time, so she wasn’t anything special to them, but this was the first time she’d been rescued. And she would’ve felt a lot better if she’d at least gotten to say thank you.
Not sure how much time had passed, Lexie jerked when the door to the infirmary opened once more. A man who looked way too young to be a doctor entered. He smiled at her and said, “Lexie Greene?”
She nodded.
“I’m Doctor Chow. I understand you’ve been a POW for a few months, is that right?”
Lexie was annoyed. It was stupid, but she couldn’t believe this guy didn’t already know.
Then, she immediately felt bad. How egocentric was she? Thinking everyone would automatically know who she was and what she’d been through.
“Yes,” she said. “But I feel pretty good, all things considered.”
He was carrying what looked like an iPad, which he lifted and begin to tap. He looked up at her after a short period of time and frowned. “You haven’t changed into a gown.”
“No,” she said. “I feel more comfortable in what I’m wearing.” And she did.
The doctor nodded, as if reading more into what she’d said. “You’re safe here,” he told her. “No one will hurt you.”
“I know,” Lexie said. Then it dawned on her what he meant. “I wasn’t raped,” she said.
He nodded again, but it was clear he didn’t believe her.
Lexie wanted to cry. She didn’t want to be here. “I wasn’t,” she insisted. “I’m tired. And hungry. And thirsty. I’m sore from hiding out all day in a hole under a floor of a shop in Galkayo. I’m cold because I’m not used to the air conditioning. But I’m honestly surprised at how good I feel. I just need a shower, some clean clothes, and a place to sleep.” It felt good to stand up for herself.
But the doctor’s next words wiped away her confidence.
“How about you let me do a complete workup and figure out what you need?”
Lexie sighed. She knew the man was just doing his job. She nodded. What else could she do?
* * *
Midas was annoyed. After they’d landed on the aircraft carrier, he’d been momentarily preoccupied talking with the Night Stalkers who’d picked them up, and when he’d turned around to escort Lexie to the infirmary, she was gone.
Mustang informed him that she’d already been led away. Then he and the rest of the team had to debrief about the mission. He’d had to explain what he’d done at the hospital, and where he and Lexie had hidden out all day. He’d listened as the rest of his team reported about Dagmar’s death and what they’d done to avoid the groups of men looking for Lexie and Dagmar.
The digital meeting with their commander back in Hawaii had gone on for three hours. Once everything had been recorded and reported and their superior officers were satisfied for the time being, Midas and the rest of the team were dismissed.
They had a few hours to get some sleep, then right after first light, they were being flown to South Korea before heading back to Hawaii. Midas was exhausted, but there was no way he’d be able to sleep without seeing how Lexie was doing.
He was sure she was fine. She was probably sleeping anyway, but leaving without talking to her seemed…wrong. It felt as if they had unfinished business. After all, they’d been interrupted right after that amazing kiss, and he hadn’t even had a chance to let her know he wanted to keep in touch.
