“Nothing!” he grit out as he pulled out another failed needle and applied a painful amount of pressure over the gauze he pressed over the puncture. “I’ve never had this problem before, You’re sure you’ve never injected into your veins?”
“No!” I cried, but it came out wobbly as the first small sob slipped free. “Rafe!” I turned to him pleadingly. I couldn’t take anymore.
“Damn it, Barnes!” Rafe raged. “You’re supposed to be a trained fucking medical professional!”
“Rafe?” The kitchen door opened and Dio walked in, followed by Cal and Arran. “Everything alright?” Dio asked.
“No it’s bloody not. This idiot has stabbed Cara repeatedly, put her through hell and can’t seem to take a blood sample to save his fucking life, which he very much may well be doing at this point!”
“The girl has no usable veins! Despite her protests, I’m pretty sure she has injected drugs into them at some point. It’s the only explanation!” the doctor, Barnes, cried defensively.
“I haven’t! Dio…I’ve never…this was the only time…” I was almost pleading for him to believe me.
“I know,Piccola. Everything’s alright. I think me and Doc Barnes here might just need to have a little chat.”
Dio’s voice was calm and soft, soothing me and assuring me he knew the truth all at once. But then he grabbed Barnes bythe lapels of his jacket and shoved him across the kitchen so violently, the older man went flying backwards through the open door.
“Dio!” I gasped.
“Be right back.” He gave me a wink, then he walked out of the kitchen, closing the door calmly behind him.
“You should go with him!” I cried as I looked to Rafe, but he just smirked and shook his head.
“Dio’s got it all under control,” he assured me.
“Let me see your arms, gorgeous. Are they bruising?” Cal asked as he came closer on his crutches, then collapsed into the seat the doctor had vacated. Arran stepped up to his side and moved his crutches out of his way, leaning them against the counter.
“Probably,” I answered, my voice wavering. “I bruise pretty easily.”
Cal took both of my hands and pulled them towards him until my arms were extended across the counter. I’d been right, several of the points Barnes had stabbed me in were turning colours.
“Fuck! He’s butchered her!” Arran hissed.
“They said at that clinic before that I h-have tricky veins. I’ve never…not before those pills…I never touched drugs,” I defended myself.
“Hush, sweetheart. We know that. The man was just being an arse because he’s incompetent. I’ll make an appointment for you to go to the clinic tomorrow for blood tests, okay? You’ve been through enough tonight,” Rafe told me. All I cared about was that he believed me.
“How would you feel about me giving it one try, Cara? I worked in the phlebotomy walk in department when I did my last rotation at the hospital, so I’ve taken blood a few times,” Cal spoke up.
“You can do that?” I asked.
“Yeah. I wouldn’t put you through anything else tonight, but I’m pretty sure I have my finger on a meaty vein right here. I’ll just try once, no rooting around or hurting you more than I need to, promise.”
“Do it,” I nodded.
“Sure?”
“Yeah. I’d rather you do it than going to the clinic tomorrow. I don’t feel up to leaving the house after today. It’s just one more stick,” I shrugged.
“And ye think yer no’ tough, lass,” Arran scoffed.
Cal pulled on blue surgical gloves, then set out the tubes he needed to fill with blood, and everything else he required. I felt much less anxious as he wrapped the tight elastic tourniquet around the top of my arm, then prodded for the vein he had found again. When he looked up to me with a gentle smile, I felt his confidence and knew he was going to do what Doctor Barnes had failed to do, before he even started.
“Okay babe, sharp scratch,” he told me, and that was my signal to look away. I felt the sting of the needle go in, but then there was no moving it around, pulling it in and out. Cal just held it there, and I could hear him picking things up and putting them down.
“Did he get it?” I asked, opening one eye and looking to Rafe.
“First time,Gioia. Just a few moments and he’ll be all done,” Rafe told me, squeezing his hand on my shoulder. He looked as relieved as I felt.
