Page 31 of Marlin's Faith

“You don’t sound fine,” Marlin said cautiously.

“She can’t deal with the sight of blood, hasn’t ever been able to handle it,” Hope told him.

I kept my eyes squeezed shut and let my sister and the men handle it. Hope kept making the same soothing noises that she’d always made when Char and I were kids and it was like coming home. It was strange that that would be the thing to do it, isn’t it?

Packaging crackled and I didn’t have time to dwell on it, because the cloth lifted from my hands and was immediately reapplied with a curse.

“Hope, why won’t it stop bleeding?” I asked, and hated how my voice sounded high and a little frightened.

“Easy, no need to panic yet,” Nothing said and sounded far away like he was concentrating on something, “If I don’t get to panic, you don’t get to panic, okay, Faith?”

“Okay,” I replied automatically, and I heard Marlin chuckle. I breathed deep and my breath caught, his familiar smell of cigarettes, alcohol, and peaches reached me and had the most wonderful calming effect.

“There you go, atta girl,” Nothing murmured and the cloth was pulled from my hands. It stung and I tried to jerk, but the hands holding mine steady for whatever Nothing was doing wouldn’t give.

The back slider opened and Cutter chuckled, “What in the hell?” he remarked, “Firefly, you should see yourself.”

“No, thank you!” I blurted and was met with a track of male laughter.

“It’s the blood, blood and Faith don’t mix,” Hope explained.

“Ain’t your other sister becoming a nurse?” someone asked.

“Charity is the crazy sister,” I said and more laughter followed.

“Aaaand you are all done,” I opened my eyes and Marlin lowered my hands, the index finger on my left hand was bandaged not only neatly, but wasn’t bulky at all.

“Thank you,” I murmured.

“Any time,” Nothing gave me the ghost of a smile.

“Man, you are wasted on painting houses,” Radar groused, examining Nothing’s handy work.

“Drop it,” Nothing said shortly and gathered up packaging off the wrought iron and glass tabletop. I stared at my hand and finally dragged my eyes up to Marlin’s.

“You’ve got to be more careful, Baby Girl. I don’t like seeing you hurt,” he murmured. I startled and took my hands back from his.

“I said I was sorry,” I stood.

“Not what I meant, and you know it.”

I bit my lips together and nodded, returning to the kitchen, but I was shooed out by my sister, Radar taking up where I’d left off.

“It was a clean slice, not too deep, you should be good to take off the bandage and put a new one on tomorrow.”

“Thank you again, Nothing.”

“Don’t mention it,” he said, then as an aside, “You look good.”

“Thank you,” I murmured again, and with a look to my sister, jerked my head towards the sliding glass door. She nodded and I slipped out into the bright sun, the heat a shock after the air conditioned coolness of the house.

I turned to slide the door shut, but Marlin loomed in its frame. I nodded and made to slip down the back steps and into the sand. I nearly missed it when Marlin followed.

“How’ve you been doing?” he asked me.

I swallowed and tried to find my voice, “It’s only been a few days, I don’t really know how to answer that.”

“Fair enough.”

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