Page 5 of Road Trip
I swallowed hard. “Yeah, well, I’m just lucky they scattered before I got out of the car. They would have taken one look at me and laughed and then I would have had to bust out my superhero moves. It’s always a drag when I have to break cover.”
He chuckled again, much more relaxed now that he had backup. But then he cleared his throat. “I know it’s late, but I’d like to get your full statement tonight while it’s still fresh in your mind, see if there’s anything else you remember. I just need to get Officer Graham set up at the hospital and—”
“Yes,” I interrupted. “I’d like to go. I want to make sure he’s okay.”
Sergeant Cavanaugh smiled.“I’m sure Officer Graham will appreciate you being there.”
Kelly
“Sugar Honey Iced Tea that smarts!” I’d had stitches before, but man did it hurt getting them on your bottom.
“You’re lucky this is the extent of your stitches! Any further in on your thigh they would have nicked your femoral artery and we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
My doctor was an older woman, probably in her early fifties, and she spared no mercy when she tugged on the stitches.
“How much more?” I asked through clenched teeth.
She clicked her tongue at me. “Oh, come on, you big baby! I’ve only done seven. I’ve got about six more to do, so get comfortable.”
I wiped the sweat off my brow and tried to grin and bear it, but it seemed my humiliation wasn’t yet complete. Sergeant Cavanaugh pushed the drape aside and winced as he saw what was being done.
“Officer Graham? Ms. Mora would like to see you if you’re ready.” He’d come to see me after getting her statement and assured me her story checked out. I hadn’t been worried about her. Maybe that was naïve on my part, but there was just something about her…
The doctor stopped tugging long enough to make sure I was covered.
“Do you want her to come in?” she asked, probably since I had frozen and my mouth was hanging open.
“Officer Graham?”
They’d taken me out of there in the ambulance so quick I hadn’t had a chance to get her number or anything. I’d wanted to be sure I could thank her. Her voice had been the only thing keeping me on the level. Without her, I’d been fighting to stay calm enough to deal with my situation.
I made it clear to Sergeant Cavanaugh that if she showed up, I wanted to see her. I’d given my statement to him after we arrived at the hospital and I knew there would be follow-up, but he assured me there was time to deal with it later.
“Yeah, um, sure, I guess.” I made sure my other cheek was covered with the drape. I wanted to see her, but now was not exactly going to show my best side. I was lying on my stomach and pushed up on my elbows. I’d begged the nurse not to cut off my pants since I had nothing else to change into, but the beastly woman insisted. The CHP guys said they’d grab me some utilities, but I wished I had my own pants, bloodstained and covered with gasoline and all. Strangely, none of it mattered anymore. I just wanted her.
“Are you decent?” that little angel’s voice asked from the other side of the curtain and instantly my tension eased just a little bit.
My beast of a doctor answered for me. “He is decent. You can come hold him down, the little sissy.”
It was bad enough for my ego that this tiny woman had come to my rescue, but now she would be seeing me in all my indignity. I’d deal with it, though, if it meant she would hold my hand again.
“Hi,” she said nervously as she pulled the curtain aside. Her eyes bugged out when she saw Brunhilda sewing up my cheek. “Holy shit!” she exclaimed. “They got you in the ass, too?” Her colorful language made her even more intriguing to me. Who was this woman?
“Yeah, um…I probably bled on your seat. I’ll pay to have your car cleaned. I’m so sorry.”
“That’s one I haven’t heard yet. ‘Sorry for bleeding in your car.’ Dude. It’s fine. I have leather. It’ll clean right off. You’re a mess, though,” she said, running her thumb under my bottom lip.
Her touch gave me chills. It seemed so familiar, like she’d always touched me. I closed my eyes for a minute and then tried not to whine when the doctor dug into my wound with her industrial sized needle again.
“Quit fidgeting or I’ll sew the wrong part up.”
My tiny rescuer burst out laughing, then covered her mouth.
“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t laugh. I’d be an even bigger baby probably. Well, maybe not. You’re a lot bigger than me.” She eyed my hospital johnny and my cheeks got hot. The ones on my face.
“I know you told me your name, but—”
“Yeah, you had other things to worry about. Abra,” she said, holding her hand out.
