Page 9 of Family Bonds: Carson & Laine

“Technology is a great thing,” she said.

“It can be,” he said.

They got back to her room, the sounds of her flip-flops the only thing he’d heard when they’d made their way down the hall.

Now there were all sorts of noises, including the retching of the drunk person she’d mentioned.

She let out a yawn and climbed on the bed. “I’m so tired. I’ve been up since seven. I worked all day but didn’t open. Thankfully. But I was painting this morning. I think being tired is wearing on me.”

“You’ve been up a long time.”

“I’m sure you’re used to it,” she said.

“I am,” he said. “I can fall asleep in minutes once my head hits the pillow.”

“I’m hoping the same happens for me. I just don’t want to roll over on my hand.”

“Prop it up on a pillow,” he said. “That will help with the pain too.”

Hudson came into the room. “I know we are twins, but we stopped trying to take each other’s place once Mom figured out who was who. You’re in the wrong department.”

Laine laughed over that. “You two don’t look that much alike.”

“Not anymore,” Carson said. “My hair is shorter and I’m in better shape.”

Hudson rolled his eyes. “He likes to say that, but we know the truth.” Hudson turned to her. “No need for the casino, huh?”

“It looks it,” she said. “The other Dr. Mills was escorting me down after I thought my finger might fall off. I shouldn’t have looked at the X-rays. I thought it’d be cool. I was wrong.”

His brother grinned. “Our patient didn’t want to ride in the wheelchair. Hudson and I have wheelie races in them when no one is around.”

He and his brother were used to saying that to kids and getting them to laugh. He expected Laine to, but she didn’t.

It was odd to him when she’d been cracking jokes most of the time she was here.

“You still can’t get me in one,” she said. “Unless you drug me.”

His brother looked at him and he shrugged. “Since I’m here and already knew your finger was broken, why don’t I set it quickly and the nurse can send you out with discharge papers. I’d recommend seeing an orthopedist or at the very least your primary for a follow-up.”

“If you want to give me the name of an orthopedist I’ll do that. If there is one on the island.”

“Not sure how soon you can get in,” he said, “but you might get lucky.”

“Thank you,” she said. “Both of you.”

Carson nodded his head to leave. “Have a good rest of the night. Or morning now.”

When Carson was at the doorway, she said, “My father severed his spinal cord in an accident in college. He’s been in a wheelchair since he was twenty.”

Shit. “I’m sorry,” he said.

“It’s fine. I’ve never known him any other way. It’s just...not where I want to place my butt.”

“Understood,” he said.

He left even though he would have rather stayed or at least made sure she got home okay.

But he had a job to do and he’d go back to that. Tomorrow he’d figure out a way to reach out to her.

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