Page 49 of Homebound
Doubting the validity of his statement, Gemma switched her questions to Dr. Delano. “What do we need to do at home about his arm, doctor?”
“My nurse will write care instructions for you and supply medications. Bed rest until the fever subsides. He shouldn’t attempt to use his arm. He will need to return for follow-up procedures - it’s already on my schedule.” He offered her a perfunctory smile and left.
A nurse helped Gemma load her subdued and relaxed uncle into his snazzy vehicle and she pushed him out of the clinic and into the biting cold.
Chapter 15
Gemma’s first instinct was to avoid Simon, which made little sense. Nothing had changed between them, yet a vague sense of betrayal settled inside her chest and refused to leave. Simon hadn’t whistled or jumped with excitement at the prospect of seeing her skewered by the Obu’s “baseball bat” on the corridor floor, so kudos to him. But neither had he looked overly concerned and she felt funny about it.
But that’s where she was being unreasonable. Why should he be concerned about Gemma? He was a Rix, a foreign and different species forced into confinement on a hostile planet. Moreover, as human, Gemma belonged to the race that held him captive. He had a right to feel detached.
Resolved to keep her swelling emotions contained, she arrived to work with a steely determination to act nonchalant.
Ruby was waiting for her in the lobby.
“I heard about yesterday,” she took Gemma’s hands into her cold rough ones and held on tight. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m fine, Ruby, truly.”
“If only I didn’t go…”
“It isn’t your fault. Look at where we work. Things are bound to happen.”
“But I was the one who missed the mug in the Obu’s cell.”
“Don’t think like that. I’m fine,” Gemma repeated and changed the subject. “How’s Cricket?”
“She’s doing better. She didn’t have an attack yesterday and I think we’re in the clear for the time being. But you know what she did?”
“What?”
“She brought home a kitten!”
“Ruby, where did she find one? I thought all the stray cats died out from hunger.”
“This one isn’t feral, so we gather someone must’ve gotten tired of feeding it and threw it out. Cricket is over the moon about that cat.”
“You will need to feed it, Ruby. And it can’t eat gruel,” Gemma said with concern.
Ruby sighed. “I know, it’s a burden. But I can’t say no to Cricket, it’ll break her heart. She’s been in low spirits for months over her health. Fired twice from different jobs. We’ll have to manage.” Then Ruby brightened. “It’s a tiny little thing. Curious, into everything. Purrs! Cricket can’t love enough on her. Or him, we don’t know. We call it Jute.”
They went upstairs together talking about Jute the cat. Ruby asked after Uncle Drexel and Gemma shared her hopes of his making a partial recovery.
“That’s good. He’ll work again. Men hold their value better than us, even the crippled ones.”
The morning progressed as usual: the roll call, then the drink, and the quick cell clean-up before the yard time.
Throughout all the activity, Simon stayed seated on his cot staring at the wall, just like he did every day.
Arlo acted like the Obu’s assault on Gemma never happened and never said anything Arlo-style, like mention the beast’s flea-infested hide or his appendage. He seemed preoccupied all morning and never said anything at all, which was just fine with Gemma.
“You’re a brave woman, beautiful Gemma,” Number 34 purred at her from his cell. “You zapped that Obu right in his balls. Made me squirm.”
Gemma smiled a little. “I wish. I’m afraid I only got his side.”
Number 34 had been one of several who had watched excitedly how she frantically grappled with the male who outweighed her by hundreds of pounds of solid muscle. She liked to think that, given an opportunity, the Perali would have tried to help her but she didn’t know it for a fact. They were all predators, and she was on her own.
When the cells were unlocked for the courtyard outing, Gemma hung far back from the Obu who seemed subdued and lagging today. He didn’t even raise his head to look for her, as had become his custom. Still, Gemma avoided being in his line of sight and took a breath of relief when he cleared the corridor.
