Page 153 of Javier

“What’s that?” Dash asked.

“It’s a special porous foam dressing,” I explained as the doctor ordered a full dose of prophylaxis antibiotics and a tetanus shot for Javier. “It delivers electronically powered suction when hooked up to a special device to achieve sub-atmospheric pressure on the wound.”

“We’ve had success avoiding amputations and controlling the expansion of necrotic tissue with it,” the doctor added before he switched to Spanish. “Nurse, please check that the NPWT cart is on its way.”

“Come, Missy.” Thena put her arm around my shoulder and led me toward the door. “He’s in good hands. You need to drink and eat something.”

“I’m not leaving.” I shook out of her hold.

“Okay, then.” Thena gestured toward a chair. “How about you sit and take off your helmet and vest?”

I looked down at myself. I was still wearing the stuff. No wonder I looked weird to the doctor. I unclipped the helmet and Thena helped me take off the tactical vest. I immediately felt lighter. The cooler air coming out of the AC vents blew over my sweaty head. An involuntary shiver pebbled my skin.

“You need to drink something,” Thena said. “I’m going to go find you some water.”

My knees failed, so I took the chair in the corner. “I’ll be here.”

Thena went out the door but came right back. “Dash, Micah. Allen’s here and so are the police.”

“Hey, kiddo.” Dash squeezed my shoulder. “We’ll be on the other side of that door if you need us.”

“Thanks.” I slumped in my chair and prayed that Javier was going to get out of this one whole and hale.

A nurse came in and notified Dr. Alvarez that another snake bite had come into the ER.

“Busy day at work,” the doctor grumbled.

Since Javier was stable, he ordered the staff to the next room. He ripped off his gloves and threw them in the trashcan, assuring me with a grandfatherly smile that Javier was improving steadily and that the central monitoring station would alert him to any changes. He left behind a younger doctor to monitor Javier’s progress and cautioned him to apply the NPWT device as soon as it arrived.

The moment he left, I scurried up to the bed.

Several specialists stopped by to consult on a range of issues. The lab tech returned and collected new samples. This time, the blood didn’t stream from the puncture as much as before. Thena came back with a bottle of water and stayed with me while doctors came and went.

“You need more than water,” she said, after a while. “You look pale. I worry you’re going to faint.”

“I don’t faint anymore,” I said, holding on to Javier’s good hand.

She arched her eyebrows. “Really?”

“Really.” I’d felt the syncope coming on several times today, but I’d beat it every time.

“I’ll get you something to eat anyway,” Thena insisted. “What’s the Spanish word for ‘cafeteria?’”

“Cafetería.”

“I should’ve guessed that one.” She rallied me with a funny face and left the room.

The NPWT device hadn’t arrived yet. I reminded the monitoring doctor that Dr. Alvarez had wanted it here stat. Muttering something about the old doctor being a tyrant, the other doctor directed me to press the red button if anything changed and went out to hunt for the machine. With the doctor gone, it was only Javier and me in the room.

“Come on,” I whispered and held his good hand. “Wake up. Talk to me.”

The full weight of everything we’d been through in the last twenty-four hours punched me in the chest. It was a miracle Javier was still breathing. He looked so pale, so inanimate, so unlike himself. The bruise on his face stood out darker against his ashen skin. I wiped the tears from my eyes and sniffled. Without the range of his expressions, he looked close to dead.

He blinked and opened his eyes. “Hey, Angel.” His voice made my heart leap. “Why so sad?”

“I’m not sad,” I lied, gently squeezing his fingers. “Especially not now that you’re awake. You’re at the hospital. We made it. The antivenom is working. You’re going to be all right.”

“Yeah.” He looked a little sleepy from the pain cocktail they’d given him, and yet he flashed his cocky grin. “Don’t you worry, Angel. This cat’s got nine lives.”

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