Page 12 of White Rabbit
Just his presence calmed me—apparently too much, because some time during the poking and prodding, my body won the battle as I fought to stay away and I drifted off.
*
“She’s only sleeping,” I heard a voice say as I started to wake. That was the doctor.
“How can you tell?” That was my prince demanding information. I would recognize his voice even a hundred years from now.
“For one, her eye movement when I checked her a moment ago. And she flinched away from the light. Someone in a coma doesn’t do that.”
A sigh. “Alright. Is that normal? Is she okay?”
Oh my heart…
“Look, I know it seems counterintuitive but she’s exhausted. The tests wore her out and she fell asleep. Everything looks good so far. Give her time.”
“And I can take her home soon?”
“If you set up therapy for her like you did little Dinah, yes.”
Dinah? Who was Dinah? Was I just one in a line of charity cases? Or something worse?
“Already done,”Kloboucniktold him. “And then how long before we can engage in marital relations?”
Maritalrelations?
“You mean how long before you can have sex with a woman who you’d never spoken to prior to a few hours ago?”
“I mean marital relations. Withmy wife.”
Wife? Wake up, Brecklyn! Wake up! You’re in some sort of fever dream.
“Wife,” Dr. Mason asked, echoing my thoughts. “Did I mess a minister coming in here sometime?”
“You’re trying my patience again,” the man who claimed to be my husband growled.
“And we are talking aboutmypatient,” the doctor argued, staying his ground.
I heard a scuffle then the sound of a choked groan. “Fine!” the doctor rasped. “I’m in no way agreeing with you and your plans, but fine. She’s progressing well. I would posit two and a half more weeks—but only if she’s ready. Some brain injury patients have no interest in sex for a time. Wait until she’s ready.”
I heard a light thump. “I would never force her to do something she doesn’t want. I’m not a monster. Well…”Kloboucnikhuffed, sounding amused. “Not that sort of monster, anyway.”
I turned my head toward where the men spoke and forced open my eyes.Kloboucnikstood at the doorway while the doctor straightened his white coat and stormed out of the room.
My constant shadow, at least since I’d woken, turned. His bright blue eyes my mine and his lips curled into another of those smiles he seemed unaccustomed to, as if his lips didn’t know how to naturally move that way.
“Ah, you’re awake,Moya kokhána.How do you feel? Should I call back the doctor?”
I managed a short, quiet laugh. “No. I’m…” My throat still felt as if it were glued shut. “I’m okay. Water?”
“Of course. That is one of the reflexes they tested—your gag reflex. You passed, so you can have liquids.”
Did they? Mostly I remembered a lot of agitation and anxiety and being calm only when I knew he was there. But I knew they’d done a whole battery of things.
He moved to the table near my bed and retrieved a white foam cup with an angled straw.
“Sip,” he said as he brought it to my mouth. My eyes met his as I closed my lips around the straw and drew on it. A groan rolled through me as the cool liquid touched my tongue then my parched throat.
“Blyat…” he muttered, his eyes growing dark.
