Page 82 of The Woodcarver's Model
“Just a dream.”
Estelle reached over and tenderly rubbed his foot.
“Look at what they’ve done to you, Robert. I should send you back to Africa where you’ll be safer.”
“I’ll be fine. Just a bit of a misunderstanding.”
Estelle snorted. “Misunderstandings aren’t supposed to end up in criminal charges.”
“You’d be surprised.”
“You’re probably right. So, have you had many visitors?”
“They let Sheila up for a short time when I was in ICU,” he replied. “She’s the vet on the island who saved my life.”
“I always expected you and dogs had a lot in common. I met her downstairs. She seems like a good person. I must remember to do something nice for her.”
“I think you two would get along.”
“What about that man of yours? Has he been by?” she asked cautiously, trying to get a sense of how Rob was feeling about him.
“No,” he said with a tone of sadness. “Strange thing was, before I was shot, I swore I saw him in the brush but apparently it was just a bear.”
“Sometimes we see what we need to see.”
Estelle’s phone chirped with an incoming text, which she checked with no reaction.
“Always on call,” Rob said with a smile. “You live for your clients. And don’t think we don’t appreciate it.”
“Don’t go making me out to be a saint. I make a bundle off some of you people. Now, enough about me. I checked with that good-looking doctor of yours and he agreed that a little stroll around the floor would do you some good.”
As if on cue, Billy arrived, pushing an empty wheelchair.
“Okay, Mr H, let’s get you into this thing so you can go for a ride,” Billy said, carefully helping Rob out of the bed and into the chair.
“She put you up to this, didn’t she?” Rob joked.
“Long ago I learned never to question a strong-minded woman,” he replied with a smile. “Now, don’t have him gone too long. I don’t want to have to call security on you.”
“What do you have against security that you would do something like that to them?” she said as she wheeled Rob out of his room.
“Lady, if you’re ever looking for another man to push around, you can put my name at the top of the list!” Billy laughed.
Estelle pushed Rob to the elevator bank.
“Where are you taking me? I thought we were supposed to stick to the floor.”
“You don’t look all that sick. Nothing a stroll in the sunshine won’t cure.”
They exited the elevator at the ground floor and Estelle paused as she got her bearings.
“That’s where we want to be,” she said, pushing him towards the rear exit.
“I think I felt safer in Mogadishu.”
Estelle pushed the automated door button and it swung open.
They exited the building into the bright sunshine of the morning. She held her course, following the sidewalk towards what looked like a green lawn, but one covered in great patches of…snow?
