Page 31 of Caleb
“She needs to see a doctor right away.”
“What?” she retorts. “No. I’m—”
“Fine?” I finish the sentence for her. I press her ankle softly with my index finger, and she takes a sharp breath through her teeth.
“Okay.” She rubs her forehead and wipes the excess raindrops off her eyes. She seems frustrated and annoyed.
“Hospital?” Aaron asks.
I nod. “Hospital.”
Stupide Petit Garçon
“HEY,” I SAY TO MISS MURPHYwith a stiff smile as she’s being wheeled out of the x-ray room, looking mortified.
“Hey,” she replies softly. She’s got her elbow propped on the wheelchair’s armrest, trying to hide behind her hand. She seems embarrassed about the whole situation, especially since they made her change into a hospital gown. She insisted it was unnecessary, but the nurse told her it was protocol and she had to comply. My clothes are still damp, even if they let me borrow a towel to dry the excess humidity off my skin and clothes. My tennis shoes are a lost cause.
I’m walking behind Miss Murphy’s wheelchair, and Aaron said he’d wait outside her ER cubicle for us to return from the imaging area.
Once we’re back at the ER, the technician who wheeled Miss Murphy here helps her back into her bed with the assistance of another nurse. Aaron and I wait on the other side of the curtain while this happens.
“Caleb?” she calls softly. Aaron gives me the side-eye and puckers his lips to the side. I shrug, and he waves me off, silently authorizing me to go in. He’s got a major soft spot for Miss Murphy, even if he likes to pretend he’s in control all the time. We all know she’s the one who calls the shots here. I think it’s funny how this sixteen-year-old girl has two Israeli ex-military men on a leash, and she doesn’t even know it. Or does she? I don’t think she has a clue.
“Yes, Miss Murphy?” I reply from across the curtain because it’s weird that I can’t knock on it.
“Could you step inside, please?” she says casually.
Looking over my shoulder, I silently ask Aaron for double confirmation. I don’t want to do anything that could potentially mess things up for me.
Aaron pulls his chin up again with his eyebrows brought together, so I turn around and step inside.
Instinctively, my eyes search for Miss Murphy’s injured foot, which is peeking out of a navy blue blanket she’s got over her legs. It’s even more swollen now.
“I need more coffee,” Aaron says through my earpiece, startling me somewhat.
“Go ahead.” I click back, my attention shifting toward Miss Murphy’s face. She’s got her arms loosely crossed at her stomach and a cute, soft frown in place. She’s so fucking cute even in this hospital gown. I can’t help but smile. “I’ve got this.”
“Okay. You want some?”
“Yes, please.” I take a deep breath, eager to talk to her, if only for a few minutes. “Sorry about that.”
I’m assuming there’s something she wants to tell me, so I’m waiting for her to do the talking.
“You can pull that chair closer if you want to.”
“I’m fine standing, Miss Murphy.” I smile a tight smile. “How’s your foot?”
She rolls her eyes playfully, knowing perfectly well that’s not allowed—for me to get too comfortable. It appears that Miss Murphy likes testing the boundaries. She’s a little rebel underneath her ambassador’s daughter persona. Besides, I’m actively on duty, and Aaron’s left his spot momentarily. So I need to be standing up, as much as I would love to pull that chair beside her bed and chat until we leave. I know I need to keep this conversation short and to the point.
“It—kinda hurts,” she says, pressing her lips together. “But I wanted to thank you for helping me earlier and bringing me in. I hope the injury isn’t too bad and I can recover quickly from this. I was starting to enjoy our runs.”
“I’m sure it won’t be that bad, Miss,” I say confidently. “We’ll be back out there in no time.”
She sighs.
“You can call me Billie,” she whispers.Right. I snort. “I just hate how everyone calls me Miss Murphy all the time. I’m so sick of it.”
“Doesn’t everyone at school call you by your name, Miss?”
