Page 20 of Waiting for Gilbert

“But just the skin. It’s not like a bone is sticking out. Will you—help me get it wrapped?”

I’d rather not mess with or look at his arm again. “I’ll drive you to the E.R.”

He snorts. “We’re not going to the E.R.”

“Yes, we are. You have to get this looked at tonight.”

“I agree. Call Nickie, and she’ll see me at the clinic in town.”

“You can do that?” I snatch his cap and shake the sawdust into the trash can. His hair is matted to his head. I pull my fingers through his bangs to push it away from his face and replace his cap.

“I—” He blinks.

“Sorry, you were making a mess on the floor.” I ease into the chair next to him and pretend he’s not staring at me funny. “You can make a call and have the clinic opened for you?”

“I—” He shakes his head as if trying to wake up. “I have to. There’s no way I’m paying for the E.R. I may as well ask them to cut off my arm and use it as collateral.”

“Nobody wants your arm. A kidney, maybe. An eyeball… some bone marrow. Platelets? I don’t think there’s much else worth taking if you’re still breathing.”

He lays a square of gauze over the wound and smiles. “We’re not going to the E.R.” He digs his phone from his pocket and slaps it on the table. “Hey Google, call Dr. Brader.”

I’m amazed. “You can do that? You can… call your doctor at—” I pull my phone from my hoodie. “Two a.m. and wait—” I lower my voice to a whisper. “Are you and Nickie, like, a thing?”

He shushes me and shakes his head as Nickie answers with a singsong voice. “Good morning, dearest. Is this personal or medical? I’m assuming medical.”

“Hi, Nickie.” He throws me a glance. “You’re on speaker. Cord—CJ is here.”

“Hi, CJ! You guys having fun? Couple’a cool kids having a late-night party?”

Gilbert leans forward and clears his throat. “Nickie, I’m sorry to bother you. I’ve had an accident. I, ah, my arm went through my bedroom window.”

I gasp, and he looks at me with a shrug.

“I probably need fifteen stitches. Would you mind if?—”

We hear shuffling and keys jingling. “I’ll be waiting. Park on the side next to my car and come in the back.” She sighs. “Darren hates it when I do this, but he’ll get over it.”

Gilbert shuts his eyes. “Thanks, Nickie. Tell him I’ll play at his wife’s birthday for free.” The call goes dead, and he turns his gaze to me.

“Who’s Darren?”

“Office manager at the clinic. But Nickie is his boss.”

“Oh.”

He moves to sink and washes his hands. When he turns, dripping water on the floor, I rush to my box of cleaning supplies and hand him a dry rag.

“Thanks.” Hands dry, he holds pressure against the gauze on his arm. “Your car or mine?”

“Better take yours. My passenger seat is full.” I’d only started unloading boxes from the trunk. My back seat is packed to the ceiling, and the passenger’s is stuffed with as much as was safe for visibility.

“I can drive myself if you help me wrap it. I need to keep pressure on it though, or I’m afraid I’ll bleed out.”

I slide my gaze to him without turning my head. “Funny. What happened to ‘it’s not so deep’?” The thought of tending a gaping wound immediately makes me queasy. “I’ll drive. You keep that red stuff to yourself.Bleed out. Good grief. Besides, if she gives you anything, you might need someone to drive you home.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yep.” I almost addthat’s what friends are forexcept we’re not friends. I snort. We’re barely acquaintances. “You might need to update your tenant paperwork to include late-night drives to the doctor. It could go both ways in case I need you to return the favor.”

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