Page 9 of Just a Little Crush
“Is the road blocked? What about the wedding?” Even in this condition she’s thinking about others.
“My guys will have it cleared in no time, but I think most of them are coming from the South side so it will be fine. Don’t worry about it.”
“I’m embarrassed,” she says, pulling her hand away and biting her thumb. I know she’s not referring to the accident and I’m not surprised she feels embarrassed. Goody-two shoes Bec being rumbled as a smut fiend was not something I ever could have predicted would happen when I got out of bed this morning.
“You’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about. It’ll be a great story for the grandkids.”Jesus, what the fuck am I saying? Grandkids? With Bec?Suddenly it’s all I see. Me and her, Sunday lunch, an entire brood around the dinner table, young and old and happy as pigs in shit.
She stares into my eyes, and I wonder if she sees it too. Her lips part, then close, then open again. I’m dying to hear whatever she has to say, but the doctor interrupts our moment.
“So Rebecca, you’ve got a sprained ankle, a sprained wrist, and a touch of whiplash. Good news is they’re all mild cases.”
“Oh, thank god. Thank god.” I turn to face the doctor. “So nothing is broken?”
“No sir, nothing is broken.”
“You’re sure? You’ve x-rayed her? What about internal bleeding?”
“We’re sure,” he says, doing shit all to relieve my concerns. “Now Rebecca, you’ll need to keep your arm in a sling for a few days, and keep the weight off your foot for at least 48 hours. Icing it a few times a day will help with any swelling, but never more than twenty minutes.”
“Really?” Bec rolls her eyes. “That’ll be tricky. I have a shop to run.”
“Really really. The more you rest up now, the quicker you’ll be back on your feet. I’m also going to give you a soft neck collar, but this is just really for a few days. Regular painkillers and gentle movement when you feel up to it will be more effective than keeping it still, but I know it will feel a little tender for a few days.”
“OK,” she huffs.
“I’ll type up your discharge notes and a prescription for you to collect. Someone will bring you crutches and a wheelchair to take you to the main entrance. Do you have a way to get home?”
“I’ll take her,” I say before she has a chance to protest, and the doctor disappears behind the curtain.
“Renn—“ she tries to sit herself up a little straighter. “You can’t, you’re working.”
“I’m done, boss wouldn’t let me come back. I drove straight here.”
“Why?”
“I had to be with you.” Her face twists and I can’t tell if she’s happy or in pain.
“Are you sure? I can call a taxi.”
“Bec, you scared the shit out of me today. I’m not letting you out of my sight.” Her face softens and when she nods in agreement, I press a kiss to her forehead. I can’t help myself, and I can’t let anything else happen to her.
6
Rennie
“Bec,thisisridiculous.”
“Shut up.”
As hard-headed as ever, she won’t accept my help. She can’t put any weight on her ankle, yet she insists on having a go at climbing the narrow, steep stairs to her flat. She manages to jump up two steps before she stumbles. I’m right there to catch her.
“You can’t stay here,” I say. Sliding one arm around her waist, I turn her and heave her up into a firefighter’s lift. She yelps in protest, her crutches clattering against the wall. I try to ignore the fact that my arm is wedged between her legs. Legs that are currently squeezing me tight.
At the top of the stairs I set her down so she can find her keys in her bag. Sliding the key in the lock proves to be a challenge with her dominant hand in the sling. I reach out and try to take them from her, but she elbows me away, then winces at the movement.
“Let me help you.”
“I’mfine,“ she spits, throwing the door open so hard it hits the wall. She shuffles her way along the hallway and into her bedroom, but the wall takes most of her weight. I lean against the doorframe and watch as she tries to figure out how to cross the space between the doorway and her bed. It’s only a few feet, but with nothing to lean into, it must seem like an ocean.
