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“I hate traffic. I hate driving. I hate… I’m sorry. You should sue me. I deserve it.” To her surprise, tears were streaming down her cheeks.
Rainer came closer. “You mind if I get those tears for you, babygirl?” His voice was soft. Caring.
“I don’t mind.” She sniffed again. She could feel her nose starting to run. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m crying. I’m gonna get all snotty and yucky and g-g-gross.” She sniffed.
“No. Nothing gross about crying.” Rainer grabbed a tissue and carefully wiped it against her cheek. It was a tiny gesture, but it calmed her down. “In fact, the Doc warned me about this. He said that you would probably be more emotional and impulsive than normal for a little while, on account of your head injury. Don’t worry, though, he was very clear: he didn’t think there would be any lasting damage. How’s your leg feeling, by the way?”
“My leg?” Now that Rainer mentioned it, she could feel some discomfort in her left shin.
“It was all bruised up. Swollen. Doc didn’t think it was broken, though, and the swelling seems to have gotten better.”
“How… how long have I been asleep?”
“Well, on and off, it’s been about three days. You’re at my place.”
“All this medical equipment is yours?”
“No. The Doc’s a friend of mine. Does work for Littles at a club in Brooklyn. Doesn’t charge. I thought that might be best for you. But what do I know? Maybe you’ve got amazing insurance.”
“No. No I do not.”
She felt a wave of gratitude. Rainer had really considered her situation. He hadn’t just bundled her into an ambulance. “If I’d known that the way to get people to be nice to me was to vomit on them, I’d have started years ago.” It was a weak joke, but Rainer did her a favor and smiled anyway.
“Well, you live and learn, I guess.”
Wait. Three days? That meant her rent was due. More panic.
“What’s up, babygirl?”
“It’s not that I’m not grateful for the way you’ve looked after me — I am. But… I kinda need to get going.”
Rainer crossed his arms. “I’m afraid that’s out of the question. Doc said that you’re not going anywhere for at least another week. It’s bed rest, for you.”
“A week!? Bed rest?! What about yoga?!”
“Yoga?”
Esme was as surprised as Rainer that that’s where her mind had gone. “It helps me. With… feelings and stuff.” She didn’t want to get into how important yoga was for her mental health. She was sure Rainer wouldn’t understand. The thought of going a week without any yoga at all was terrifying to Esme.
“Well, we can do Little Space stuff?” suggested Rainer, to her surprise.
“Um… I dunno.” She didn’t know if she felt comfortable enough around him. “Sorry, I’m being such a brat. I vomit on you, smash up your bike, and you put your whole life on hold to help me.” Her head was spinning.
The rent, Esme. You need to get some money.
“Look, I’ll check with the Doc about the yoga. Maybe some… poses are okay?”
“Thank you,” she said.
Rainer left the room, and a few moments later, she heard him on the phone.
She felt something stirring in her. A need to take control.
“I believe in me,” she whispered.
“She wants to do yoga.”
The voice on the other end of the phone was incredulous. “Yoga?”
