He was a patient. An involuntary one, but what were his options here?
“I can get you to reception, and they can probably send for a medic. Not sure what the options are out here in the middle of the ocean, but I think, professional opinion only, that if we can get this cool, keep applying burn gel, top up the painkillers and ensure you keep your foot off the ground and hope for no major blisters? Then you’ll be fine.”
Another howl, as I moved the shower jets over his skin. His leg was shivering now, prickles all over his arms. At least he was dressed, and I could smell it now. The stench of alcohol permeating his skin. Sweat. Fear. All normal things.
“I need to pee,” he whined.
“You should probably try to shower.”
“Not in the cold.”
I placed the showerhead on the ground, letting the water still flow, then I got up. Soaked. Drenched, really. I didn’t mind; I’d given him almost ten minutes of cold water, done what needed to be done. The guidelines were at least twenty, but he was an adult. And I was not his keeper.
“Have a shower,” I urged. He looked like he needed one, and it would make him feel better.
Perhaps I needed one myself. Maybe not.
I walked out, leaving him sitting on the toilet seat, staring at the wall.
Perhaps if I had stopped to think, I would have made better decisions. Instead, I quickly changed my clothes, straightened the bed, and got my bag up on the top, rummaging through my first aid kit. Probably a little more advanced than needed, but I carried spares of Dad’s angina medication, plasters, Mum’s migraine medication and my old inhaler. Yeah. I didn’t really need it anymore, but things like this gave me peace. Whatever happened, I could deal. I also had a sealed bottle of medical-grade burn gel, and I measured out two pills in a plastic cup.
“Any allergies, mate?” I shouted to the closed bathroom door. The shower was off now. Silence.
“You okay in there?”
“Yeah. No. No allergies.”
“Got painkillers. Get out here when you’re done, and I’ll sort your foot.”
“I’m, like…”
The door opened. And here he was. A Greek god of a man in a skimpy towel. Like this was some kind of sitcom and I was the obvious comic relief. My jaw hanging slack, and I was probably drooling. Or maybe not.
“Come lie on the bed,” I suggested, like I was producing some kind of…porno. Him limping awkwardly, trying to walk on the edge of his heel, whining with every step. I got up and grabbed his arm, giving him the support he obviously needed. Still, everything seemed an effort. Unless he had a really low pain threshold and was pulling my leg here.
Doubted it. The tears still running were proof of that.
“I have co-codamol on prescription. Absolutely shouldn’t share it, but in these circumstances, I’m willing to give you two and see if it helps. I sit down a lot in my job, and my sciatica can be debilitating. Those little pills keep me mobile when I need it. It’ll take the edge off the pain. Have you taken co-codamol before? The side effects can be…” I stopped. Because I was not in the clinic. And he was definitely not my patient, standing there gripping that towel like his life depended on it, confliction all over his face.
“Thank you.” He let his bum land on the bed, grabbing his leg to move his foot up onto the bed. Me? The fool that I was? I took a pillow from the headboard and placed it gently under his foot, sitting myself down on the edge of the bed, two small pills in my outstretched hand.
“What if these are drugs, and you’re about to knock me out and harvest my organs or something?”
“Fair assumption.” I had to smile. “My mum is a great decoy. Lures innocent men into my claws. Don’t mind the bloodstains, the guy last night didn’t make it.”
At least he smiled as I held up the bottle of burn gel, the label clearly visible to him, and he gave me a little nod.
“You can google me,” I suggested.
“Don’t even know your name.”
“Noah,” I grumped, then had to grab his leg as he twitched in pain. Yes, the gel was cold.
“Fucker,” he gritted out.
“No, Fairweather. Noah Fairweather. Qualified doctor and all that.” I had to smile, because he was…
I was…delusional.
