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She rolls her eyes. “All reports indicate Doctor Mayet’s night was uneventful.”
I nod, gently, so I don’t wake Minka. “Zero problems.”
“That’s great. Doctor Tran will swing by this morning sometime. I think he’ll want to infuse her with more factor, just to be safe, and he’ll pull her bloods to make sure she’s doing okay after her transfusions. If she hits her markers and stays good all day, I’d say she’ll be discharged by dinnertime.”
“Really?” Surprise makes me twitch in bed, resulting in Minka’s brows furrowing into a line, and a soft groan rolling along her throat.
When she wakes, she’ll be in a world of pain. So I prepare myself, knowing it’s coming soon.
“She only had surgery yesterday,” I whisper. “Discharge today is too soon.”
“It’s been more than twenty-four hours,” Nicki counters easily. “Every test has come back clear. The only thing you’ll need to stay on top of is pain relief, and that…” She taps her palm to the doorframe and turns to leave, “is something patients have managed since the invention of modern medicine.”
“I’ll monitor her,” Aubree mumbles sleepily.
She remains on Tim’s lap, curled up so her butt is on one of his thighs and her feet on the other, but though his arms wrap her close, his eyes are shut.
He could be faking his sleep, but chances are, he’s not. He runs a bar, so anything before noon is the middle of the night for him.
Aubree doesn’t move in his arms. But she holds Cleary’s eyes and repeats, “I’ll take care of all that.”
“See?” Cleary winks for me, smirking when my eyes narrow. “You have a doctor coming home with you. And your patientalsohas a medical degree. I’d say you have this completely under control.”
“Doctor Cleary, you’re requested on the second floor.”
With a glance toward the hall, she says, “I’ve gotta go, I’m being paged. Everything’s gonna be okay, Detective. I know it was scary, but she’s gonna heal up good as new. It’s only a busted shoulder.”
I grunt.
I wasn’t this worried when it wasmydamn shoulder. When my surgery consisted of a doctor for the dead literally digging a slug from my flesh while I laid out on the dirt ground of an old warehouse. I didn’t panic each time Minka slapped meds in my palm, or when I turned over in bed, and pain ricocheted through my body. I trusted her to take care of me.
The problem is… I don’t trust me to gethermedical needs right.
Again, Nicki’s name echoes over the loudspeakers.
“Alright. See ya.” She gives a little finger-wave and heads into the hall before I can beg her to stay. Then she’s gone, and it’s just our weird little family once more.
Me, Aubs, and Felix awake. While Minka, Tim, and Cato sleep.
“It’s Mia’s birthday today.” Exhaling a soft sigh, Aubree straightens her spine, then rests her head on the front of Tim’s shoulder and studies his face. His lips. His well-kept beard, and the lengths of hair draped across his brow. “She’s turning four,” she murmurs. “I’d feel awful if we missed her party.”
I cast my eyes to the shopping bags on the floor. The items Fletch dropped off along with Minka’s ring.
The fucking Care Bears.
“Take our gift when you go,” I mumble. “Tell Moo it’s from us. Give her a big cuddle from Uncle Arch and tell her we love her.”
“Or…” she brings her gaze to me. “You could deliver the gift yourself. Tell her you love her to her face.” She stops for a beat and smiles. “It’ll mean more.”
“I’m not going.” I turn away and press my nose to Minka’s neck. To taste her in the air I breathe. “I’m not welcome. But I don’t want Moo to miss out on her gift or think we forgot her, so…”
“What the hell is going on?” Huffing, she crawls out of Tim’s lap so her feet hit the linoleum with a slap.
I turn my head to see what she’s doing, but I catch Tim’s burning stare instead, following her every move as she perches on the side of the bed and smacks my hip to garner my attention.
“Fletcher is your brother, Arch! Like, the best dude you’ve ever known. You’ve saved each other’s lives, and you’ve told each other all your deepest, darkest truths.”
I want to scoff, but I can’t without giving away more than I’m willing to.
