Page 79 of Falling Slowly
“You didn’t deliberately throw yourself down the mountain, did you?”
“No. But I’m clumsy.”
“So am I. I once fell off a boat.”
“Drunk?”
“Yeah,” I admitted. “But you were sleep-deprived and delirious from hunger. It’s basically the same thing.”
“Where are you guys headed?” Nash called from an open window of his Range Rover. “Rubie Ridge?”
Bess’s eyebrows sailed up. “How did you know?”
“You have that… look,” he said, looking at me rather than her.
I glanced at my high-tech hiking gear. Despite all the walking, my clothes looked relatively unscathed. I probably should have rubbed some cow dung on my pants to set the tone. Bess had muddied her already worn-out leggings rolling down the hill and her sun-faded jacket had a button missing. For once, I was the odd one out.
“That clueless, out-of-towner look?” I smiled. “I need to get Bess to the doctor. Is there a clinic in Cozy Creek?”
“Sure is.”
He didn’t elaborate, but jumped out of the car to open the door, helping Bess onto the front seat. I took the backseat on the other side, urging Bess to put her seat back if she needed to.
The windy road navigated a thick forest which sucked us into its shadow. The journey felt longer than I’d anticipated.
“How far are we from town?” I asked.
“Bout twenty miles.”
“We walked twenty miles?” Bess frowned.
“We’re closer to Rubie Ridge,” Nash added.
Bess glanced at me, her eyes filled with worry. “Take us to Rubie Ridge, please. Charlie can drive me to town from there.”
I picked up my phone, relieved that the internet was working again. I quickly discovered there was one medical center, which claimed to be well versed in sports injuries—probably because of the nearby ski resorts and the constant stream of tourism. Even better, they were still open for an hour. “Let’s go straight to Cozy Creek, if you don’t mind. We need to get to the clinic before it closes.”
Nash shrugged. “No problem.”
I could see the conflict on Bess’s face, but as she locked eyes with me, I gave her a warning look. We were at the mercy of kind strangers, but it didn’t mean we had to act like doormats. She needed help, and I’d make sure that she got it.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Bess
We made it to the clinic with ten minutes to spare, and were met by a frustrated-looking receptionist.
“We’re closing!” she called us, scrambling to push a button somewhere to disable the doors.
“Good thing we made it,” Charlie countered with a smile, settling me down in a waiting room chair before he approached the counter. “You’ll get rid of us as soon as someone qualified takes a look at my girlfriend’s ankle.”
The word ‘girlfriend’ messed up my breathing pattern, and I coughed a little. I could barely see the receptionist behind the plastic safety barrier, but after a moment, I heard a rustle of paper and Charlie joined me with a clipboard full of insurance forms. “I’ll need your help with filling these out.”
I’d been bracing myself for this moment. I’d tried to divert us back to Rubie Ridge, hoping I could manufacture a miracle healing. Anything to avoid this. But Charlie had been adamant, so here we were.
I filled my lungs. “I don’t have health insurance.”
He stared at me for a long time. “But… we offer health insurance. It’s part of your contract.”
