by Robin Nadler
Lila was sitting on the couch, clutching the blanket and watching him. She moved closer. “I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
“No I’m not okay, you punched me,” he said. “I think you broke my nose.”
She went into the kitchen and got a bag of ice for him. She handed it to him and sighed. “I’m sorry.”
He held the ice to his cheek. “Shit.”
She started to get angry. “You know, I asked you to leave many times. If you just listened to me, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Oh, so now it’s my fault you beat me up? Very nice.”
“I didn’t say that, but now that you mention it, yes.”
“You’re a piece of work, you know that? You are mean and biting and sarcastic and bitter. You can’t recognize someone who likes you and wants to spend time with you and instead you act like an asshole.”
“You’re right!” She yelled. “I’m a horrible person and I deserve to be alone. You are absolutely correct, score one for the handsome doctor.”
He walked up to her. “Handsome?”
She rolled her eyes. “Like you don’t know that.”
“You’ve never said it before.”
She looked at him, his cheek red and his eyes bright. “You are very handsome.”
He touched her shoulders. “And you are very beautiful.”
Her eyes filled with tears and she looked down.
“Don’t turn away, please,” he held her face in his hands.
“I have to go,” she said and stepped away.
“Go where?”
“I told you, to the rehab facility. Carrie will feed Adam and Eve and I won’t have to burden anyone. It’s what’s best. I really do appreciate your help.”
“I took the next week off to help you and I cancelled the rehab. I have supplies on the way and Susan will stop by to help you in any way you feel you need. I will stay here and you can get as angry as you want, but I’m not leaving.” He braced himself for her anger.
She looked at him and reached gently to hug him. She wrapped her arms around him and cried and he placed his arms around her as well, their bodies pressed tightly together and there was no pretense or anger.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“My pleasure,” he held her head to his chest.
Chapter Eighteen:
“Thank God you’re here,” David said as he opened the door to let Susan into Lila’s house.
The older woman handed David her things and walked in. “What did you do?”
“What did I do? I didn’t do anything. She is the most stubborn and infuriating woman I have ever met,” David watched Susan walk in and he followed her.
“Where is she?”
“In the bathroom. She should be out in a minute and then she needs fluids, but she will probably argue with that. She needs to eat, but she’ll probably argue at that. She should lie down in her bed, but she will most likely argue with that as well. I would tell her she’s a woman and I’m a man and she would argue with that.”
Susan grinned at her favorite adopted son. “And you are completely innocent in this whole argument carousel?”
He pouted as he set up the IV pole Susan brought. “I think so.”
“I see. Let me go see if she needs help.”
“Right. Better wear a bullet proof vest.”
Laughing, Susan walked to the bathroom door and knocked. “Lila? It’s Susan. Can I help you with anything?”
David waited for the screaming, but there was nothing. Susan knocked again and looked worriedly at David.
“How long has she been in there?”
“A while, but she was going to take a cool shower.”
“And you let her do that alone?” Susan glared at him.
“Like she would have let me help her with that.” He walked over and knocked. “Lila? Open the door or we’re coming in.”
“Who raised you, a barbarian? She probably feels like crap and having to put on airs for you is the last thing on her mind. Go away and let me handle this.”
David went to argue when she put her finger up, pointing at him. “We aren’t at work. You are not the boss of me.”
He chuckled and rolled his eyes before walking a few steps back.
Susan knocked again. “Lila sweetie? I’m going to come in, okay?” She heard nothing and opened the door; happy it wasn’t locked. “Shit. David, come here.”
He ran to the door and they both saw Lila passed out on the tile floor, soaking wet and wearing a towel. “Her pulse is strong, probably just exhausted. Pick her up and bring her to the bedroom.”
He watched Susan walk out and he gently gathered Lila in his arms, her body weighing almost nothing and her skin like ice. He held her to him and followed Susan into the bedroom, laying her on the bed
“Now go away.”
“What? I need to help her.”
Susan smiled. “Let me get her dressed and then I will call you back in. She deserves some dignity.”
“I’m an Obstetrician, I know what a woman looks like.”
Susan raised her eyebrows. “Lila isn’t a patient. She’s in here,” Susan touched his chest and pinched his cheek. “Now scram.”
David looked at her, on her bed, and he knew Susan was right about everything.
*******
“What happened?” Lila slowly opened her eyes. She scrambled up as she saw an unfamiliar face.
“Calm down sweetie. You remember me? I’m Susan. David called me.”
Lila looked around and felt her wet hair. “I was in the shower, but I got dizzy.”
“Yep. Found you on the floor. We need to get you dressed and hooked up to fluids.”
“I can do this on my own, you don’t have to help me. I’m sure you have a million other things to do.”
“Nope, it was the strangest thing, but when I looked in my calendar, it just said ‘help Lila’, so I guess that’s all I’m supposed to do.”
Lila smiled. “You’re not going to leave, no matter what I say, are you?”
“Nope,” Susan smiled and took Lila’s hand. “David is really worried about you. I think we should get you dressed and then all go sit out in the other room and talk.”
“I’m not sure I’m up for a lot of talk,” Lila smiled, immediately comfortable with the woman. “Especially from the woman who had me arrested.
Susan blushed, “I hoped you would have forgotten about that.”
“But it was such fun,” Lila smiled. “Besides, you were trying to protect David, and I respect that.
“Are you sure? He thinks you want to kill him.”
“I guess I just don’t understand why he cares. I think he could do so much better,” she wiped her eyes. “Pathetic, isn’t it?”
“No. You sound like David. Why is it the beautiful ones act so wounded?” Susan helped her button her shirt.
“Not wounded, guarded.”
“Stupid,” Susan said and saw Lila raise her eyebrows at her. “What? I’m just saying; you young people think you have all the time in the world to act coy and play hard to get when you could be spending your life living it.”
“I know I don’t have all the time in the world,” Lila said quietly.
Susan held Lila’s chin in her hand and looked into her eyes. “All the more reason to grab this life by the balls and go for it.”
Lila laughed at the analogy and nodded. “You make a good argument.”
Susan chuckled as she helped Lila finish with her clothes. They stood up and slowly walked into the other room.
David jumped up when he saw them and then shoved his hands in his pockets. “Is everything okay?”
“Sit down and relax, just some girl talk,” Susan said and smiled at how David’s eyes stayed on Lila.
“Sorry about the shower thing. I didn’t mean to make everyone worry,” Lila said as she sat down on the couch.
“We need to start fluids,” David said.
“The lady apologized; you can’t respond to
that?” Susan glared at David.
Lila blushed. “It’s okay. I haven’t been very nice to David.”
“Doesn’t matter. He was taught manners,” she looked at David who was setting up the IV bag.
“He is also right here,” he said and smirked at Susan.
“Well, look at that, he speaks.” She walked over and put on some gloves. “Why don’t you fix us all some food while I start the IV?”
“I can do it,” David said.
“I’m a nurse. I do the IV. You’ll just butcher her arm. Go get us food.”
Lila grinned at their obvious love for each other and she felt the vibe of family flowing through the house. David grinned at them and went into the kitchen.
******
About an hour later, Susan patched the IV line, leaving the port in place and bandaged Lila’s arm. They had eaten and were sitting in the family room, digesting. David sat on the couch next to Lila and Susan took her vitals and wrote them in the chart she had started.
“How are you feeling?”
“Better. I’m just tired,” Lila said.
“Well, sleep is best, but keeping you hydrated is key.” She looked at David. “Can I trust you to monitor her?”
“I’m not sure. I’m only a top-notch doctor. Maybe you should stay.”
“You’re not so top notch that I can’t teach you a thing or two.”
Lila giggled and they all smiled. “You are both pretty amazing.”
David felt his whole body go warm at her tender words.
“I’m going to wash the dishes and then let myself out. I’ll be back in the morning.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can wash them in the morning,” Lila said weakly.
“Nonsense. Just relax and don’t let David annoy you.”
She smiled and walked into the kitchen. David looked at Lila. “She is quite something, isn’t she?”
“She loves you. I can’t think of anything better than having someone look out for you no matter what. She also says what’s on her mind, and in this day and age, that’s a rare commodity.”
“I know. She is wonderful.”
“You deserve that. Someone wonderful,” Lila said and closed her eyes, sleep taking over. She leaned against him and slept.
He put his arm around her and held her. “We both do,” he whispered.
Chapter Nineteen:
Lila was sweating and uncomfortable and she couldn’t sleep. She got up and saw it was 3 AM. Making her way to the bathroom, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and she groaned. She looked like death and she didn’t feel much better. She splashed some water on her face and made her way into the family room. She looked in on Adam and Eve and sighed. “We are a sorry bunch, aren’t we?”
“I don’t think we’re that bad,” David said and scared Lila half to death.
“What is wrong with you? You scared the shit out of me,” she said and held her hand over her heaving chest. “Damn.”
He walked over to her and shrugged. “Sorry. I couldn’t sleep and was just watching Adam. He has some strange habits.”
“I could say the same about you,” she smiled and walked to sit down. He followed her and turned the light on, causing them both to squint.
“You’re really flushed. How do you feel?” He touched her cheek.
“I want to take a cool bath or shower. I think it will help me fall asleep.”
“No way.”
She glared at him. “Excuse me?”
“There is no way you are steady enough to stand in a shower and you might get dizzy and slip in the tub.”
She raised her eyebrows at him. “So what do you suggest?”
“I could give you a sponge bath,” he grinned.
She chuckled. “No thank you.”
“Afraid you might like it?”
“No, I’m afraid you will.”
He couldn’t argue. “So you’re against me enjoying myself?”
“By touching me? Yes,” she shook her head. “This conversation is ridiculous. I’m going to take a bath.”
He was worried. “Lila, joking aside, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I don’t care what you think. I’m hot and I need to cool off. I just want to feel better,” she knew she was being ridiculous, but she was at her breaking point with everything on her mind.
“Why do you have to be so obstinate? If you were at the rehab center, would they let you take a bath? I don’t think so. You can get as mad at me as you want, but I don’t want you to get hurt.”
She put her head in her hands and felt her tears flow. “I need to do something. I can’t lie there and just think about what is happening to me. I’m scared and I don’t like to be scared. I don’t like to need anyone and I especially don’t want to need you.”
That stung. “Oh, well, as long as you’re not conflicted about me. It’s good to know I’ve made a great impression,” he was angry as he stood up. “I think you should go to the rehab center in the morning and then you won’t have to need me anymore.”
She looked at him and shook her head. “You don’t understand what I mean. I don’t want to need you, because,” she stood up and faced him.
“Because why? I’m so fucked up you can’t stand it? I’m so annoying you just want me to disappear? I’m not good enough for you?” He yelled at her.
“No, stop, please,” she begged him. “I don’t want to need you because I have nothing to offer. You will leave and I’ll be alone and I normally I don’t care, but I like you and I would be sad if you left. I realize that’s pathetic and weak and I’m anything but,” she looked at her hands and continued. “But you make me smile and I haven’t had much of a reason to do that lately.”
He was silent. Was she finally admitting that she liked him? Was he not imagining things? Was she feeling what he was feeling? “Lila, I.”
She put her hand up and stopped him. “Don’t. I can’t do this. I don’t need to hear how you aren’t into clingy women with diseases who act like brats. I get it, but please don’t think it has anything to do with you. Please, David, I need you to know that.” She put her hands on his chest and looked up into his eyes, the brown matching hers and the tears threatening to fall from him as much as her.
She sagged against him and his arms held her. “I need to sit down,” she said softly.
He helped her to the couch and went to get her some water. She tried to take it, but her hands were shaking.
“Shit. What the fuck is wrong with me?” David spoke to himself as he grabbed his bag. He had made her exert so much energy and go through intense emotions for what? To make him feel better? He was such an ass. He grabbed his stethoscope and sat down next to her.
“Let me listen to you,” he said as he gently placed the device on her skin. Her pulse was fast and he looked into her eyes.
“I’m sorry. This is all my fault,” he said as he held her hand.
“No it isn’t. I’m the one who is so messed up, David. You’re right. I need to go to the rehab facility. I’ll call in the morning,” she lay back and closed her eyes.
He went and grabbed a washcloth from the bathroom and soaked it in cold water. He walked back to the couch and sat down, gently placing it on her forehead. “You’re not going anywhere.”
She blinked and her tears spilled over. “I’m sorry David.”
He wiped her face and cupped her cheek in his hand. “Can I tell you something?”
She nodded and watched him.
“You said something that bothered me.”
Her chin quivered. “I’m sorry.”
“You need to let me finish,” he smiled and she almost apologized again, but stopped. “You’re right. I’m not into clingy, weak women, but I don’t see any such woman here. I see someone who is so conditioned to being hurt, that she doesn’t trust herself to be happy. You figure your MS is the be-all end-all for any man when that couldn’t be farther from the truth. You have MS, I get that, but it isn’t wha
t defines you. If men have run from that in the past, then it was their loss. I am sorry you feel like you wouldn’t be enough for me. You are beautiful and intelligent and strong. You don’t take crap from anyone and Susan likes you; that in itself is a rare feat.”