Page 62 of Senseless
Doc finished quickly, placing a thick wad of gauze over her wound and winding tape around her leg tightly to hold it in place. He wiped his brow and looked at us tiredly. “Not as nice of a job as you, sweetheart. But we’re not losing you yet.”
Mari slackened her jaw, releasing my belt, which now had deep grooves in the leather from her teeth. “Thank you,” she said in a barely audible whisper, her eyelids fluttering closed.
“What now?” I looked between her and Doc. She still looked pale and was clearly exhausted.
“She needs rest and that wound needs to stay dry for a few days.” He closed her kit and kept the tools he used in his other hand. “I’ll sterilize your stuff, Mari. Don’t worry.”
I still had plenty of worry. She was slumped against me and looked close to death. “What about food? Water?” I asked Doc. “Should she eat?”
“If she’s up for it, yes.” He climbed to his feet. “But rest is most important. Her heart’s gonna work overtime to replenish the blood she lost.”
“Mari.” I leaned down, touching my forehead to hers. “We’re getting up, and I’m carrying you to my room, okay? Tell me if I hurt you.”
“Shadow…” Her lips brushed my collarbone as she mumbled my name. “Don’t…don’t leave me…”
“Never.” I slid my arm under her thighs and lifted her carefully from the ground. “Never again. I promise.”
Mari made no pained sounds as I carried her through the battered front door and trashed dining room. The others had already started cleaning up, but I barely took notice. I watched every step as I took the stairs, not wanting to jostle her body.
When we reached my room, I was about to lay her down on my bed when her fingertips curled into my chest. “Wait.”
“What?” I froze, hovering her a foot above the mattress. “Are you okay?”
“I’m…I’m all bloody.” Her tongue flicked out to wet her dry, peeling lips. “Do you…think I can…clean up?”
“I don’t care about the sheets getting dirty,” I told her. “Doc said you need to rest, and your wound can’t get wet.”
“I know, but if…if you have a tub…and can…help me.” Her eyelashes batted slowly. “I just want to wash it off.”
“Okay,” I relented, returning her to my chest and walking around the bed to the attached bathroom. I did have a tub, and a detachable shower head at that.
I paused, still holding her just over the empty bathtub. “How, uh.” I cleared my throat. “How do you want to, uh…”
“I’ll need your help undressing.” Mari’s arms went around my neck. “Let…let my good leg down. I’m gonna lean on you.”
Slowly, painstakingly, I allowed her uninjured leg to touch the floor. She kept one hand on me for support as she started unbuttoning her pants. Right away, I could see how weak and uncoordinated she was, and went to help her.
Once her clothes were off, I made sure she was stable as I bent to turn the water on. I lifted her around her waist and placed her in the tub as it started to fill. She kept her injured leg bent and hanging over the lip of the tub as she carefully sat down.
“Comfortable?” I took the shower head and ran the warm water over her skin, carefully rinsing away the dirt and blood that coated her.
“As much as I’m gonna be.” She gave a weak smile as she leaned against the edge. Relaxation—or just pure exhaustion—began to settle into her limbs.
I drained the tub once to clear the dirty water when she finished rinsing off, then refilled it so she could soak for a while.
“Do you want something to eat?” The thought of leaving her side punched up my anxiety, but I wanted her in the best shape to heal, to have the best possible chances of recovery.
I needed her healthy and well again. Fuck, I just needed her, period.
“I probably should.” Mari nodded tiredly. “Something light…I dunno. Just bread or…something.”
“I’ll be right back.” I squeezed her arm resting on the tub’s edge, then kissed her shoulder before reluctantly climbing to my feet.
In the cleaning and repairing madness downstairs, I was able to find part of a sourdough baguette, clean water, and some grapes. I was barely gone five minutes, but still breathed a sigh of relief to find Mari in the exact same position I left her. It almost would have been funny if I hadn’t nearly lost her—seeing her slouched low in the tub with her leg dangling over the edge. Jandro would have thought of some funny comment to make.
“Here.” I handed her the bottle of water first, then sat on the floor next to the bathtub.
“Are you going to feed me?” There was some brightness in her expression after all, humor in her exhausted smile that made my chest ache.
