Page 49 of Bones
“I amfine,” I growled at him.
That muscle jumped in his jaw. “What’s goin’ on?”
“I have work to do.”
“You can take a break.”
“I don’twantto.”
“Why not?” he pushed.
“Just let me work.” I could hear the edge of desperation in my voice.
“Why do you need to keep working?” He stepped closer, and the urge to flee crashed over me.
“Trey,please.” I retreated back a step.
He stopped in his tracks, studying me. “Does it help?” he asked. “Staying busy?”
I stared at him for a moment, then gave a jerky nod, my throat tight.
“Ok,” he said, surprising me. He glanced around the clinic like I’d just done, and then his face brightened. “Um, well, I was actually wonderin’ if you could help me with something?”
I waited, feeling anxious again.
“I ripped my favorite jacket pretty bad. I’ve been meaning to sew it, but well, my stitches aren’t anywhere near as neat as yours.” He glanced up at where his stitches held my head together. “Would you mind?” He met my gaze again and smiled. “You don’t have to, that’s just the first thing I thought of.”
“Yeah,” I said, “I can do that.”
He grinned, and the warmth of it made my breath catch. “I’ll ask Griz if he can grab it.”
He strode over to the door and stepped outside. I heard them talking, so apparently Griz guarded the clinic outside. When he stepped back in, he said cheerfully, “Griz is gettin’ it for me. Mac is meetin’ with Madame right now, but they’ll bring a mattress over later.”
Griz returned with the jacket a minute later. He scanned me again, but then just let himself back out. I pulled out the thread I’d found while organizing. The dark green color of the thread clashed with the brown of his jacket. I held it up to show Trey.
“This is the only thread I have.”
He smiled. “That’s fine. Doesn’t have to match.” He moved over to the sink and rinsed out the bucket he’d used to clean the floor before filling it back up with soapy water. “I’ll do the windows while you do that.”
I glanced up at the windows, surprised. He must have seen me examining them earlier. He climbed up the loft and started wiping the windows down as I sat in the exam chair and started sewing his jacket back together. I kept catching myself watching him work. He could barely reach most of the window, which meant I never would’ve been able to without climbing on something. Trey was at least six inches taller than me. Maybe more. I hadn’t grown much taller than I’d been at ten. Vulture used to call me petite, but I knew from reading medical textbooks that it was more likely stunted growth from malnutrition.
I focused on making my stitches small and neat. Sewing fabric was easy compared to sewing skin. I used to hate mending as a kid, but mostly because Ihadto do it as a girl. I’d never admit it out loud, but I ended up grateful for all that mending when I started sewing bodies back together.
Trey came back down the ladder grinning. “Windows are clean,” he said as he took the bucket to the sink and dumped out the dirty water.
I finished sewing the tear in his jacket a few minutes later and after inspecting my work, I got up to show him. Even after just a short while of sitting, my body felt stiff and sore, and I knew from experience tomorrow would be worse.
I thought I’d managed to calm myself down, but when the door opened, I jumped like I’d touched an electric fence. Trey startled at my reaction, his hand going to the pistol at his hip. Griz stopped in the doorway with a steaming mug, his eyebrows raised as he glanced between us. My face flushed hot.
“Sorry, man,” Trey apologized, dropping his hand from the weapon.
“S’alright.” Griz stepped inside and approached with the mug. “Here, Bones.”
I took it, grateful for the warmth of the cup that seeped into my icy hands, but then I realized something. “The bell didn’t ring.”
"I sweet-talked Neena into givin' me a cup early," Griz explained. "You didn't get breakfast."
I stared hard into the steaming mug of broth. Godsdamnit, I would not cry.
