Page 23 of In You
"I didn't have a bra on to take off," she whispers.
A muscle ticks in my jaw as her wet eyes rise to meet mine right when the doorbell rings. She flinches and grabs the blanket, pulling it around her, and cinching it at her neck. I can already tell this isn't going to be easy.
"I'll get it. Relax. Sit there, and pet Tink." I point at the chair. "I'll be right back. That's the doctor."
Thank God for the poodle.
Opening the door, I stand to the side as the on-call doctor comes in with her blonde hair pulled messily up in a butterfly clip, looking more than a bit tired. I paid a premium to drag her out of bed. Cost me a fucking grip, too. She meets my eyes as she crosses the threshold wheeling in a huge case behind her.
"Thanks for coming, Doctor Riviera. I appreciate it," I say, closing the door behind her. "Tamryn is just in the living room. I know you probably know this better than me, but keep your sentences short and to the point. She can't handle much dialogue right now."
She nods, shaking my offered hand with a surprisingly firm grip.. "No problem, Mr. Bowers. You know I'll take care of her. Anything else I need to know that you didn't already tell me over the phone?"
I shake my head, quickly dropping her hand. "No, doctor, anything else she'd have to tell you herself. We've only been here long enough for her to get changed and acquainted with her whereabouts. On top of her fragile mental state, I'm worried about her hand. It's causing her a lot of grief and I don't know how long it's been since she's had medical treatment."
Dr. Riviera blows out a breath, giving me another curt nod. "Alrighty, let's do this."
We walk in together, and I feel myself melting for Tamryn as her eyes get bigger and bigger the further we journey into the room. Her knees draw up to her chest just like she did in the bathroom, and she clutches poor Tink to her chest with everything in her. The only part of her visible right now is her face, and her toes.
"Hi there. My name is Dr. Riviera. What's your name?" Dr. Riviera speaks quietly as she sets her case to the side of the couch before lowering to her knees about six feet away from Tamryn.
"Camilla," Tamryn says in a small voice.
Shock fills me causing me to blink once, but I force myself to stay silent and still as I observe what's going on. I'd thought Camilla was just the false name that Calvin gave her. One to keep her true identity a secret. I don't know what's going on, and I work to keep my face neutral, wanting her to feel like someone here has got things under control. Because she obviously doesn't.
Tamryn's visibly trembling, and tears are in her eyes.
Dr. Riviera takes it in stride, giving her a gentle smile and softening her tone even more till it feels a hair away from babytalk. "Okay, Camilla. It's so nice to meet you. I'm here to look you over and make sure you're okay. Is that okay?"
After a weighted pause, Tamryn nods.
Dr. Riviera shuffles just a little bit closer and then puts her eyes to Tink. "That's a pretty poodle you have there. She seems to love you very much."
Tamryn blinks and then looks down at Tink, who's resting her head on her breast, looking content. Glancing back up, she nods. "Her name is Tink."
"That's good.” Dr. Riviera smiles. “Okay, now… can you move the blanket a little so I can see your arm? Caleb told me it was broken and that I need to check it. Would it be okay if I do? You can keep Tink in your left arm if it makes you feel better." Another pause as Tamryn nods and then lowers the blanket off her head, and then off her right arm. "May I touch you?"
This time the pause is longer. By alot.The seconds sludge by, feeling like torture. I feel my throat work hard around a swallow, and where I once thought my heart was dead. It's not. It's full of blinding grief for her. Tamryn shakes her head no. She doesn't want to be touched.
My own demons shift uncomfortably as I watch her struggle. She needs someone.
My fists clench at my side as I consider my life, and that maybe…maybe that someone could be me.
Dr. Riviera turns her head to look over her shoulder and then eyes me, wrestling my attention from my rather deluded inner thoughts. "Caleb, this might go better if you leave."
Tamryn's eyes go wide, and then her chin begins to tremble in earnest as she snaps her gaze to mine. My entire being shifts slightly at how broken she is. Holding my eyes, she shakes her head once.
Only once, but it was enough.
"Hell no. I'm not leaving,"I say harshly, making both the women look at me, but I keep my eyes on Tamryn. "I'm not leaving you, sweetheart," I choke out. It's not manly, but tears threaten to spill out of my own eyes. "I'm not leaving you alone." Tamryn's eyes do overflow, however, but I don't tear my gaze from hers. "Tamr-Camilla,"I correct myself, "please let her look at your arm. It's the only way you're going to feel better."
Tamryn's gaze slides back to Dr. Riviera, who stays kneeled patiently. She nods, and thankfully Dr. Riviera goes slow. She opens her case for a pair of medical scissors, and when she touches Tamryn to move her arm in place so she can cut her cast off, Tamryn lowers her head into Tink's neck and begins sobbing.
It's deep, guttural, and heart wrenching.
"I'm sorry, hun. So sorry," Dr. Riviera mumbles as she works over her arm.
Something stirs deep inside my chest. That tender part of me that I thought I'd beat back into submission. The seven-year-old Caleb who had his heart broken by the one person who was supposed to love and protect me.
