Page 72 of The Librarian and the Rock Star

dded. “Did anything crunch or grind when you landed on it?”

“I don’t think so.” I was trying not to think about it, attempting to push that horrid incident out of my mind, but the pulsing pain had something else to say about it.

“Okay,” she said, seeming satisfied. Rummaging around the shelves behind her, she took out a wrist brace and bandage, and began immobilizing it. “I’m almost certain it’s a sprain, not a hairline fracture, but I don’t want to take the chance without an x-ray, so I’m going to baby you. You keep the brace on for at least four days, ice the area for ten minutes every few hours, and go to the hospital for x-rays if it doesn’t get a good bit better in forty-eight hours. If anything gets worse, go to the hospital.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She laughed as she fastened the end of the fabric strip, then clamped the brace over it. “Usually I have to order people to take it easy, then twenty minutes later they’re running all over the stage like animals. But I’m sure you’ll be a good girl. Any drug allergies?”

“No.”

“On a scale of one to ten, how bad is the pain?”

“Um, I don’t know. Not that bad, I guess.”

She locked her eyes on mine, examining me intently, then gave a low chuckle when she saw how clenched my jaw was. “You’re the grin and bear it type. I respect that, but there’s no sense walking around in hell. You’re not driving or operating heavy machinery?” I shook my head.

Unlocking a large drawer, she took out a bottle, counted out a handful of huge blue pills, putting them in a little plastic pouch for me. “Can you sit up now?”

Jim’s hand was firm against my back as I did. The doctor handed me two pills, then opened a bottle of water, holding it for me. I placed the pills in my mouth, then took the bottle to wash them down. It finally hit me that I was going to be one-handed for a while. Thank goodness it was my left.

“No drinking, and no driving on these,” she said seriously, tucking the pill pouch into the outside pocket of my purse. “That double dose will wear off in around four hours, take one every four to six hours for the next day or so. And let people take care of you for a bit. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.”

Jim insisted on escorting me back to the band’s dressing room and hangout area, delivering me straight to Kelly.

“What the hell happened?” she shrieked, running to me and clutching my good arm. “Are you okay?”

I nodded. “Thanks, Jim. And please tell Steve thank you as well,” I said, shooting him a smile as he left before turning back to Kelly. “Likely a sprain, but she gave me the brace in case it’s a fracture.”

“Does it hurt?”

I shrugged. “Yeah, but do me a favor and don’t let Jack make a big deal of it, okay? He has enough to worry about right now.”

“How did this happen?” She guided me to a chair and sat beside me just as Jim returned with a plastic bag filled with ice.

“Thanks,” I said, as he nodded, leaving quickly.

I told Kelly the shortest version of the story. When I finished, she gave a heavy sigh. “Band drama. You’ll get used to it, more or less. It’s always something. I mean, it’s not usually this bad though.”

“What should I do?”

“We call a band meeting right this second and tell them everything.”

“Won’t Jack be mad that I snapped at Paul? I mean, he’s a dick, but he’s Jack’s promoter.”

Kelly looked at me as if she were trying not to call me an idiot. “Okay, honey, you need to see something clearly. Jack is infatuated with you. He would do anything for you. And Paul has always been an asshole, so that’s a no-brainer.”

She looked at me seriously. “Girl, you need to take charge of how awesome you are. I know you’re a little timid, but it’s time for you to step up.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. Kelly stared at me for another few seconds, then fired off a bunch of texts. “They’re meeting us in the side lounge in five. We can tell them everything then.”

43. Band Meeting

Jack came into the room first, smiling at Kelly and I sitting in the corner, then he noticed the ice bag and brace on my wrist.

“Oh my god, Keira.” He ran to me, practically falling into the chair on my right as he took my good hand. “Are you okay? What happened?”

---