Page 25 of Dusty and Dented
“Let me find out real quick.”He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed the medic.
“Hello?”Freud said as he answered.
“Hey,” Dagger said back.“Where are you?”
“At the club house why?”
“I have Andy, Panther’s sister.Did you hear what happened today?”
“I did.Is she okay?”
“We think so, but I’d like you to take a look at her, just to be safe.”
“Sure, when you think y’all get here?”
“We’re up in my room now.”
“Then I’ll be right up.”Freud disconnected without saying goodbye.
Dagger shoved his phone back into his pocket as he turned back to Andy.She’d sat in the recliner, her shoulders slumped and her hands lying limp in her lap as she watched him, waiting.
“He is downstairs.He’ll be up in a minute or two, then we can watch the movie uninterrupted.”
Andy didn’t say anything, but nodded.
Dagger turned and sat on the edge of the bed.Knees almost brushing against hers
“Are you okay?”
Andy nodded.“Yeah, just tired.I don’t know if I’ll make it through the whole movie, but it will feel good to start it and let it do its magic of giving me something else to think about.”
He wanted to open his arms wide, to let her bury herself against his chest.He wouldn’t even mind if she felt like crying, as long as she came to him.
Who was he kidding, he would mind if she cried, but he would let her, as long as she let him be the one who was there for her.The one she went to when she needed a shoulder to cry on or an arm wrapped around her.There were a lot of things he didn’t want to deal with, but would if she would just look up at him with those big brown eyes as if he was the only thing in the world she needed.
He was saved from the impulse by a knock on the door.Dagger got up to check who it was before letting them in because even though he was 95% certain it was Freud, that other 5% wouldn’t let him just invite them in.
When opening the door an inch revealed it was Freud, Dagger pulled the door open and stepped out of the way.
“She’s right here,” Dagger said, waving one hand toward Andy.She still sat in the recliner, but she’d straightened and didn’t look so depressed and dejected, though he could see darkness under her eyes.Was that because she was so tired or was it something more?He ushered Freud in and closed the door.
“Hello, sweetheart.It’s nice to meet you.My name’s Freud.I’ll take my best care of you, and not in the least because I was very fond of your brother.I’m sorry about what happened to him and that there was nothing I could do to save him.”Freud stepped close enough to offer Andy his hand.She shook it, then released it, letting her hand fall back into her lap.
“How about you move over here on the bed so I can get a better look at you.”Freud motioned one hand to the large bed as he stepped back and out of her way.“I heard about what happened this afternoon, but tell me what you remember.”
Dagger had heard this before.He’d asked the medic once why he did it, why he asked whoever he was working on to talk to him.Freud had told him that it made the patient feel less vulnerable.Talking, whether about what had happened or anything else, distracted them from someone looking, poking and prodding at things that were painful or embarrassing.Knowing that was why he didn’t say anything or stop the questions.Besides, she might remember something important, and if he was quiet, he might learn something.
He was fine keeping his distance and just listening until Andy leaned back and rolled away from Freud as she pulled up the back of the shirt she wore.As the thin cotton inched up her back, it revealed what should have been her soft, smooth back.But instead what it revealed was the dark purple bruise in the pattern that looked suspiciously like the bottom of a motorcycle boot.
Dagger clenched his teeth and forced himself to stay silent and standing where he was, instead of storming down to the basement and teaching Shadow and whoever his flunky was, a lesson.And giving them a few boot-shaped bruises of their own.
“Oh...” Freud laid gentle fingers along the edge of the bruise.“Someone got you good.Do you remember this happening?”
Andy shook her head but didn’t say anything.If she didn’t remember it then someone had kicked her after they knocked her unconscious.There was no reason to hurt her if she wasn’t fighting back.
Dagger flexed his hands, imagining what he would do to Shadow once he got down there and got to confront him.But that wasn’t now, and he didn’t know how long it would be, so he pushed back the rage slowly filling him and focused his attention on Andy.She was what was important now.
“All right.”Freud rubbed his hands together as he stepped back away from the bed.Andy rolled on to her back.She glanced at the medic then her eyes scanned the room, stopping when she spotted him.“You’ve got some nasty bruises, and possibly a bruised rib or two from that kick, but there’s nothing life threatening or really serious.With those ribs and the blow to your head, you’re going to be sore for a while.Not much we can do about that except deal with it.Ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain, but only in normal doses.No upping the dose because it hurts more than you think a regular dose can handle.”Freud gave them both stern looks.“As for the ribs, movement will hurt, but it will also help, if you’re not too rough.Walk, move around, but no running marathons, no lifting more than,” he made a face, “let’s go with ten pounds for now.You’ll heal fine but not overstressing it will make it heal faster.”He glanced at both of them.“Any other questions for me?”
