Page 24 of The Bad Boy's Homecoming
“Grab a chair,” another voice said.
“I’ve got her,” Levi said gripping one hand around her waist and holding her against him as he held her hand under the water, and that was the last thing she remembered.
*
When she wokeup she was lying on the kitchen counter and Dalton’s girlfriend nurse Brooke was saying soothing things.
“I can use some lidocaine but I need to know if she has any allergies.Can you get her cousin on the phone?”
“Yes,” Mrs.Hart said.
“I don’t want any narcotics,” Missy said as she tried to open her eyes.But the gnawing feeling of agony flooded back and she squeezed her eyes closed.
“No narcotics, but this will numb the area where you’ve been burned and ease the pain for a little while.Do you have any allergies?”
Her chin was chattering.“No, no, no.”
“Why is she so cold?”Levi’s deep voice sounded like he was in pain.
“She’s in shock, and in acute pain.It will pass but each time she wakes up it’s like being burned all over again.”
“Damn it, spray the lidocaine already please, Brooke,” Levi growled.
She felt the grip of a hand holding her unburned hand tighten.
“Her cousin said she has no allergies, and he’ll meet us at the hospital.”
Brooke did something with a needle near her hand and within seconds the pain began to lessen.
“Whatever that is, I need more,” Missy said.Her arms felt heavy, her body felt exhausted, but she gripped Levi’s hand.
“Missy, we need to take you to the clinic where Dalton can do more wound care, and you’ll probably need to stay the night,” Brooke said.
She just nodded.
“Oh, sweetie, I’ll stay with you at the hospital,” Mrs.Hart said from behind Levi’s body, which she realized was blocking her from rolling off the kitchen counter.
“I’m sorry I ruined book club night,” she said, her voice still sounding shaky to her own ears.
“You didn’t ruin anything, love.You just focus on getting that hand mended.”
She nodded and let more tears fall.Usually she wasn’t much of a crier, much less in front of people.But everyone was being so thoughtful.
Brooke put something else cool and wet on her hand and wrapped it lightly then set it on her chest.
“We need to keep her hand above her heart,” Brooke said to someone, but Missy just squeezed her eyes closed, trying to steady her breathing.“Mrs.Hart, I’m just going to make an ice bag.We’ll rest her hand on it, in the car, and then, Levi, you’re going to drive her right to the front of the hospital.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Once the ice bag was ready Brooke sat Missy up.“Can you walk to the car?”Missy saw the crowd of women gathered, all looking worried, and more tears welled in her eyes.It had been a long time since she’d had so much maternal care, and it was overwhelming her senses.
“No need, I’ll carry her.”Levi tossed his keys to Brooke’s son who Missy had just realized was also in the kitchen.“Open the passenger door will ya, Max?”
“Ya, cool.”
She had no energy to argue and let Levi scoop her up in his arms.His body was hard but he was gentle.“I’m so sorry,” he kept whispering to her.She just rested her head on his chest and tried not to think about how ugly the burn had been or worry about how long it would take to heal and what that would mean for her art.
After he slid her in the passenger seat, and carefully buckled her in, he closed the door and quickly got in on the other side.
