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“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” I got more paper towels and pressed them to the wound on my hand. I needed the bleeding to slow more before I could put a bandage on it.
“Can I come in, or would you prefer Kaitlin?”
“Why would I prefer Kaitlin?” I asked and saw myself frown in the mirror.
“She’s a girl. Some women prefer other women when they’re hurt.”
“I don’t know her,” I said.
“So, can I come in?” he asked again.
I glanced back at the mirror, but knew I wasn’t going to look better anytime soon. “Sure.”
He opened the door and had about as neutral an expression as I’d seen on him. “Are you hurt?”
I shook my head.
“Then why are you holding pressure on your hand?”
I think I gave him an unfriendly look, because he held up his hands in a little push-away gesture.
“What’d I say wrong?”
“Why ask if I’m hurt if you already know the answer?”
“That’s fair, but I already asked if you were all right, and you said yes.”
“Then stop asking me questions I’ve already answered.”
“Okay. Are any of the all-right, not-hurt parts of you needing a doctor?”
I almost smiled at his wording but fought it off. “No, thank you.”
He smiled then and stepped a little farther into the room. “Can I help you with your all-right and not-hurt hand?”
“Yes, once the bleeding slows enough for a bandage.”
“How badly are you bleeding?”
I tried to motion toward the wastebasket, but since I was using one hand to press paper towel to the other hand, it was an incomplete gesture at best. “I thought one paper towel was enough, but apparently not.”
He walked to the wastebasket so he could see what I was talking about. “That’s not bad,” he said.
“Like I said, I’m all right.”
“I think your definition of all right may not match mine.”
I smiled and shook my head. “It’ll match Ted’s when he gets here.”
“I’ll keep that in mind if either of you decides to slug it out with another shapeshi
fter.”
I sighed and looked at the floor before I made myself meet his eyes. I hadn’t been this embarrassed on a case in years. “There won’t be another time. I’ve learned my lesson.”
“Aren’t I the one who’s supposed to learn lessons when I’m working with you?”
“Don’t rub it in, rookie,” I said.
