things have been hectic.
Bullseye gives me a nod, and Reaper gives him a curious glance, then he narrows his eyes at me. “I told you to take the next four days off.”
“And I decided my patients need me now—my family needs me now. I can take a break when I know everyone is safe.” I lift the rag off Sarah’s hand and see that it is still bleeding, and the pressure isn’t helping. “I need to get Sarah downstairs for stitches.”
Maizey is wailing now, and Badge pats her head awkwardly, staring at all of us for help.
“It’s okay, baby. I’m okay.” Sarah squats to get eye level with Maizey and kisses her forehead. “Just a little band-aid is all I’m getting, okay? I swear.”
“Promise?” Maizey sniffles, half hiding behind Badge’s tree-trunk of a leg.
“Pinky promise.” Sarah lifts her hand, curls her fingers in until all that is pointing up is her pinky.
Maizey grins and locks their fingers together, her messy hair hanging in her face as she bounces with excitement.
I open the basement door and hear the constant beeping of all the machines, and my mind wanders to my mom. Soon, real soon, she isn’t going to be up and moving around. She’s going to be too weak. She’s going to need at home care where she can—I swallow—where she can pass peacefully.
I flip on the light and change the brightness, so I don’t wake anyone.
“I want some fucking water!” Moretti throws his pitcher across the room, and it flies right by my head, smashing against the wall.
So much for not waking anyone up.
“You’ll get water when I’m done checking on my other patients, Moretti. Can you remember anything?” I ask.
“Fuck off.”
I sit Sarah down in an empty chair and sigh. “I’ll take that as a no.” I walk over to the sink and wash my hands, then put on gloves so I’m not in danger of not giving anyone an infection. I throw the bloodied cloth in the biohazard container and clean, disinfect, and numb the area for Sarah as I stitch up her hand.
“I’ll remember to kick your ass when I remember,” Moretti threatens.
“Shut up, Moretti. No you won’t.” Reaper slings the curtain across the rods so we can’t see Moretti, and he can’t see us. “Remind me to turn all these beds into private rooms.”
“Asshole,” Moretti grumbles.
“Hey,” Reaper opens the curtain again. “You better fucking know this and remember it. This asshole kept you alive when a lot of others wanted to pull the plug on you. You’re alive because of me. You’re able to be here and heal. Next time you insult me or my men, and especially your doctor, the one who kept you alive, I’ll give you a reason to be in pain once again. Am I fucking clear, asshole?” Reaper inches closer and closer to his face, seething.
Moretti turns his head, then flips to his side, acting like a child. Reaper closes the curtain again and tries to take a deep, calming breath.
“All done,” I tell Sarah and place the last piece of medical tape on the gauze. “Keep it dry, change the bandage; you know the drill.”
“Thanks, Doc.” She hops out of the chair and smiles over my shoulder. I turn around to see who she’s looking at and see Mary is wide awake, bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Sarah forgets all about me and rams her shoulder into my chest as she runs by me to see her friend. “I’m so happy to see you. Are you okay?”
“Damn, she’s a linebacker.” I rub my chest when the slightest throb starts to pulse.
“I know. Imagine feeling it when she’s angry.”
I snort at Reaper while walking over to the front of the bed line. Mary is fine. She isn’t my main concern right now. Dawn is in a bed lying next to Skirt. She’s asleep, and he’s holding his tiny daughter in his large arms.
“It’s good to see you awake,” I whisper, not wanting to wake Dawn as I check his heart rate.
“Aye.” He sniffles, running his sausage of an index finger over his daughter’s cheek. “Ain’t she gorgeous, Doc?”
Yep. A cute little potato. “Looks just like you with that red hair,” I say instead and have him lean forward so I can check his lungs. They sound a bit congested, but nothing to be concerned about it. They will clear up in a few weeks.
“You’re awake!” Sarah and Reaper hurry over to the other side of Skirt, and Reaper pats Skirt’s shoulder. Sarah