Page 26 of In You
"Then let's consider that one of my finer moments." He stands up and then takes a cautious step towards me. Just then, I hear a bell jingle, and then a yapping as something scrapes at the side of the bed. I frown, reluctant to take my eyes off Caleb. His eyes slide to the floor then to mine. "Would you like your friend before you take your medicine?"
My brows scrunch together."My friend?"
He nods, bending down and slapping his thigh. When he stands, I see Tink squirming in his arms, and relief floods my system strong enough to make me cry.
"Tink!"I blubber, my face breaking at the sight of the cute little dog who curled up with me in the bathroom last night.
Stepping towards me, he places her gently on the bed before pointing to the nightstand. I look over, seeing a couple bottles of medicine. Tink crawls up my body to settle against my breasts, and then licks my cheek.
Moving slowly, he grabs a bottle of medicine and then opens it. Dumping out a pill into his hand, he puts it on the nightstand, along with the bottle. "Here. Your pain medicine has about worn off, and you need to eat."
Leaning over, I pick up the medicine bottle and see Tamryn Saunders.
"That's not mine. I can't take that!" I recoil from him. "Why are you trying to give me someone else's medication?" I ask in a small voice.
He clears his throat and then takes the bottle, squinting hard at it. "Ah," he says, walking towards the door. "I'm sorry. Dr. Riviera actually set out your medicine in morning and night holders in the kitchen. I'll go get them. Be right back."
As soon as he leaves the room I haul ass out of the bed and then stumble. Once I right myself, first thing I notice, though I'm in pain, my arm doesn't throb as badly as it has been. The doctor really helped. I grab up Tink in my left arm and tip-toe out to the bathroom. I pass a little table, breathing a sigh of relief that there's no flowers.
I don't ever want to see another flower for the rest of my life.
I sit on the toilet and pee, staring back at Tink who's sitting on the rug between my feet, looking up at me with her tail wagging. "You're socute,"I whisper to her, giving her a little scratch behind the ears. "I'm so sorry your daddy is a killer."
I clean up and then go to the sink, turning the faucet on and fill a little disposable cup that I find off to the side. Taking a drink, I suck in a deep breath and then look at myself in the mirror.
Dark bags under my eyes, my hair is limp and slightly frizzy, complexion washed out. God, I look a wreck.
Opening the door, I startle when I see Caleb standing outside holding a tray of sorted out medicines in his hand. I inch out into the hallway and then take a step to the side, clutching Tink in my arm. "Here you go. Found your medicine."
My eyes flick down to the medicine neatly sorted for about two weeks.
"Oh, I don't take medicine that's not in a labelled bottle," I say matter-of-factly. Slightly embarrassed, I put my eyes to the little table. "You know, that table could really use a vase of flowers. It's so plain."
A weird, awkward-as-hell silence swells between us, and I note the openly perplexed look on his face.
I bite my lip. "Uh, can I take a shower at least?"
"Yes," he says in a deep voice.
I look down at the floor between our feet. "Thank you," I say. My eyes slide to the picture to the right of his shoulder, the one of the sea. It settles me.
He clears his throat, and then takes a step back. "I'll hang another tank on the door knob for you, and then I'll send for some clothes. Do you have any preferences? It's getting cold so…" He brings a hand up to grab the back of his nape and squeezes, and it's then I see just how tense he is.
"Please don't hit me," I say, my voice trembling. "I didn't do anything." A hot tear slips down my cheek that Tink licks up, and something like pity flashes in his eyes as he lowers his brow, and then steps to me with his hand outstretched for my cheek.
Images of him slapping me enter my mind, and I balk, heart racing.
His face flushes dark. "Wait, I'm not going to hurt you-"
I gasp and back straight up into the wall behind me, knocking the back of my head so hard my ears ring. I shuffle further down the hallway, clutching Tink so hard she squirms. A sharp bark brings me back, and I stand rather stupidly, shivering in the middle of the hall and holding Tink clutched to my chest with my eyes locked to his.
"Don't touch me," I whisper, the words ragged and raw as they rip from my throat."Do not touch me."
He takes several steps back towards the end of the hallway near the arch that leads to the den, and then leans his right shoulder against the wall, putting the hand that's not holding the little tray in his pocket.
"Take a shower, and then come to the kitchen. I know you have to be hungry. You didn't get a chance to eat late last night and it's almost dinner time. I made some fish and rice last night. Is that okay? If not, I can make somethin' else."
My stomach grumbles. I nod reluctantly, suddenly realizing I'm starving. "Uhm…can I please have something other than fish? I'm allergic."
