Page 11 of Fool Moon First Aid

“Pain meds too,” Ethan says, his brow furrowing in empathy. “I can smell her pain.”

“Be right back. Don’t go racing off on us, Ava.” Tyler winks at me before dashing out of the room. His flirtatious demeanor provides a welcome, albeit brief, distraction from the pain.

“Looks like a few lacerations,” Ethan observes, speaking more to himself than to me.

“Blood?” I ask, feeling a wave of queasiness wash over me.

Ethan glances back at me, his nostrils flaring slightly, as if assessing the air. “No, ma’am,” he replies, but his tone suggests otherwise. I know he’s lying, and he knows it too, but I don’t have the energy to challenge him. There’s no point in dwelling on details that won’t change my situation.

“That’s what gets to you?” he asks, a hint of a smile flickering across his typically stoic face.

“Blood should stay where it’s supposed to,” I respond, swallowing hard to combat the nausea.

“Aren’t you a veterinarian?” he teases, clearly finding amusement in my discomfort.

“Animals,” I clarify, closing my eyes to shut out the room. “Pets.”

He hums thoughtfully. “Any allergies or medical conditions we need to know about?”

“No allergies,” I respond, thankful for at least that small mercy. “I have a weird, unknown disorder discovered right after my eleventh birthday. Woke up screaming in pain.”

“Does it interact with anything?” he inquires, his voice softened with concern.

“No,” I croak out, looking up at him as memories of that time flood back, hot and piercing.

I hear the squeak of wheels approaching down the hall, signaling the imminent arrival of more assistance.

“Looks like pain meds have arrived.” Ethan tries to smile, but it’s forced. It appears as though he is trying to keep me calm.

Why?

I try to focus on the present, commanding my mind not to wander into a maze of what-ifs. Just let the paramedics do their job and get you to the hospital. You’ll be safe there and in good hands, I silently assure myself, feeling the cold floor beneath me.

“Ava,” Tyler coos as he strides into the room, his presence like a beam of light in the dim space. “Your knight in shining armor is here.” He sweeps in with a big kit, his movements graceful and confident. He kneels beside me, his face etched with concern. “Are you ready to feel better?”

“I sure am,” I hiss through the pain, trying to muster up a smile, despite the discomfort.

“I’ve got you, butterfly,” he replies, his voice a soothing balm to my frayed nerves.

“What happened to sweetheart?” I quip, finding a shred of my usual sass, despite the situation. His endearments are oddly comforting in this chaos.

He tugs on a pair of gloves, the latex stretching snugly over his strong hands, and winks at me. His blond hair falls charmingly over his forehead, and his long lashes briefly touch his cheeks in concentration. “Butterfly just seems to fit a little better right now.”

Ethan scoffs, but I’m too wrapped up in Tyler’s care to mind.

“Ah, man, don’t be jealous,” Tyler teases while carefully opening a small alcohol wipe. His gentle touch pinches the skin on my arm before he expertly slides the needle in. “There you go, baby.”

I nod, feeling a cool wave of relief emanate from the injection site. The drug works its magic faster than I expect, making my head swim in a pleasant haze. “Oh, that’s good stuff,” I murmur, feeling my body sink into a state of blissful numbness.

“Feeling good already?” Ethan snorts with amusement as he prepares the gurney. “Let’s get her up before we attend to her injuries.”

“You got it. We’ll roll on three,” Tyler says, his tone upbeat as he maneuvers the gurney into my office. “One, two,” Tyler counts, the anticipation building. “Three.”

My body shifts onto the gurney, and I let out a grunt. My senses catch something unexpected—something wet and squishy. “Is that blood?” I ask, a twinge of panic in my voice.

“Look at me,” Ethan orders firmly, grabbing my attention as Tyler secures me with practiced ease. “It’s just a broken snow globe.”

“No!” I mourn the loss, my voice stretched with emotion. “My mama got me that.”

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