Page 62 of Betraying Bexley

Bex shrugged again.

“Fine. Let’s get this off and go take an x-ray.”

The minute the doctor cut the cast off, the pain of it being broken came roaring back. It stole Bex’s breath. She hissed when Dr. Rae threw away the cast then swallowed down her emotions when the woman came back and looked at her wrist in such a disconnected way, it was as if she read the newspaper instead. Her arm was the colors of a purple, blue, green, and yellow tie-dye starting at where the fracture began and where the swelling and bruising ended. The green-yellow hue crept in on the blues and purples, showing the injury was healing, but it wasn’t quite there yet.

“You’re sure you’re only at a two?” Worry creased Dr. Rae’s brow.

“Y-Yes.”

“You don’t have to lie to me, Bexley. You can tell me the truth. If you hurt, then I can give you some meds to help ease it. Why suffer when you can be pain free?”

“N-No. M-Medicine is for the weak.” Determination filled Bex. She hadn’t used any narcotics when she came off the drugs after her amputation and she sure as hell wouldn’t be starting then. All she knew in life was pain. Take it away from her and what did she—or who did she become?

“Medicine isn’t for the weak.” Dr. Rae sighed. “Who told you something so asinine? Who led you to believe you deserved to suffer?”

Bex lifted her chin. She snatched her arm away from Dr. Rae and cradled it to her chest. If she knew she could get away with it, she would have walked out of there without the cast. “W-Who hasn’t?”

“I’m sorry Bexley—”

“B-Bex,” she said, hating when Dr. Rae used her full name.

“Bex,” Dr. Rae said with a small smile. “I understand you more than you realize. We all care about you. The boy with Archer cares about you. Don’t you want to have five minutes of clarity?”

“C-Clarity?” Bex snorted. “What is t-that?”

“Peace then,” Dr. Rae said.

“D-Don’t know t-that word either.”

Dr. Rae gathered Bex in her arms, careful of her broken wrist, and hugged her tight. "This is peace. I'm so sorry, Bex. I wish I could go back in time, find you, and keep you from ever having to endure this mess."

The sincerity in her voice, shifted something in Bex. “Y-you can’t. N-No one c-can.”

"Oh, Bex." Dr. Rae sat back. "Let's get those x-rays." She guided Bex to the room next to her office and into a smaller area. "Did you know I was a doctor for Doctors Without Borders?"

Bex shook her head.

"Yep, best work I've ever done. It meant learning how to read radiology reports, MRIs and CAT-Scans. I miss my friend Maria the most though. Where I might lag, she came in behind me, to help me. Now, I have Joseph. He's a medic. You'd like him and his wife." She placed Bex's arm on the table then adjusted the light above the table for the x-ray machine. "They have two children. Gabby and Rhet."

Why was she telling all those things to Bex? What was the point? Alé brought her there to see people she liked, nothing more. It wasn't like she'd find her home there. She didn't have a home. She had a shit apartment, with no food, and as of that morning zero electricity. "O-oh."

“There’s also the brothers. They saved my life and Asher’s. They’re part of our bomb team. Calvin is in the process of receiving his K-9 certificate for bomb detection with our newest dogs. It’s pretty interesting.” Rae adjusted Bex’s arm and took another x-ray. “If you want to meet them or their companions while you’re here, I can arrange it.”

“Uh...” Bex glanced at the floor and gave a small shake of her head.

“No? Are you sure?”

“Y-Yes.”

“Well, we’re done here. Let’s see what the x-rays tell us.” Dr. Rae went over to the computer and pulled up the digital copies of Bex’s images. She studied each frame then grinned. “You’re healing nicely. I’d say another couple of weeks, and you’ll be good as new.”

No, Bex would never be new. She’d always be broken. “T-Thanks.”

“Don’t have to thank me.” Dr. Rae brought her over to a table that had been converted into a chair. It looked uncomfortable but when Bex sat down, she sighed. “Comfy, right?”

“Y-Yes.”

“I thought so too. It surprised me when I saw Asher had all the latest equipment in here when I first arrived. I thought because they were a bunch of overgrown men-children, the equipment would be archaic. I only wish I’d been able to use this modified chair when Sydney, Joseph’s wife, had their son.”

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