We discuss the logistics of moving her belongings as we follow behind the girls, their screaming music blaring to ungodly levels. Most of her items we could transport fairly easily ourselves. She doesn’t own much as it is.
“Does she need that bed?” Fritz asks me, “There’s already three in the suite, plus a pull out couch.”
With a sigh, I suggest, “Perhaps there’s some storage or something? I do not think it wise to strip her of her belongings, even if she’s gaining many more. She may be willing to relocate, but do not forget that before we showed up, she clung to her independence like a suit of armor.”
He scoffs, “Of course I won’t forget. I just… I just want to make it easy for her, Cas. I don’t want to take anything from her, I simply desire to make room in her life to give her everything she deserves.”
“Yes, I know,” I assure him. “I wonder if perhaps you are thinking too far ahead. She’s on her way to the doctor for the Gods sake, we shouldn’t be thinking past the complications that will arise from the news she receives today.”
We follow the girls to a small hospital-like building, and they go inside, murmuring between themselves. The further inside they go, the less I can hear them amongst the throngs of patients and professionals.
“Should we follow them?” I ask Fritz, but he seems unconcerned about their whereabouts.
“Nah,” he swipes his hand through the air, “There’s only one way in and out as far as I can tell. No one is going to mess with them in there. Too many security guards and cameras.”
“So we just… wait here?” I ask, unaccustomed to playing protector. Ironic that my creation in this world was supposedly for one thing, just to spend my life doing the exact opposite. Only now am I finding the true meaning of my existence after all my centuries.
Fritz sighs, “We do.” And so we do. For over two hours, we sit and wait for our girl and her best friend to emerge, discussing everything we will need to accomplish within the next few weeks to settle into our life in Las Vegas.
Apparently, I will be needing a fake identification card with a surname and a made-up birthdate. Then we shall need to call Eamon and arrange to forge some sort of identity number and background so I may fit in with the mortals without drawing any attention.
When the girls finally walk back out, Belissenda has fresh tears along with a new bandage. Seeing the pain written across her face but with no physical signs on myself of it, I panic. I tear open the passenger door, ignoring Fritz’s pleas to calm down, and run over to my girl.
As gently as possible, I touch her injured, newly bandaged hand and ask what happened in there to cause her such distress.
“From what they can tell, my ulnar nerve was severed. I’ll probably never regain full usage of my third finger, but the rest are fine,” Bel mimes shoving me away before gracing me with a brilliant, though clearly forced, grin. “No biggie. They got me a prescription for some painkillers, and they’re sending me a surgeon and a physical therapist referral in Vegas.”
“Oh, Belissenda, I’m so so-”
“I’m fine, Caspian. I’ll be fine,” she reiterates, telling herself as much as she is me.
I smile, pulling her to me, “Of course you will be.You, Little Dove, are a warrior. This is but a minor setback to the wonderful life ahead of you.”
“Would the… the claiming thing fix me?” The sad hopefulness filling her eyes sends sharp pains shooting through my chest.I wish I knew.At my lack of answer, she nods, wiping away a tear, “Like I said, no biggie. Why do I need hands when I have you and Fritz to do literally everything for me?”
“You’re god damn right,” Fritz chirps, sauntering up behind me, “What do you need, my lady? I shall carry you if you so choose, or lay upon the ground to ensure its filth does not so much as touch your feet.”
She cackles at his antics, “You’d let me walk on you?”
“Oh, darling girl, I’dbegyou to step on me,” he teases, though all of us know the truth behind his words.
“Ick, okay,” Isla covers her ears before she can hear another word. “That’s enough. We have one more stop to make before you two can have your girl back.”
Fritz groans in frustration, and I nearly echo the sentiment.
“Where are we going?” I ask, drained by the anxiety of watching around every corner for another threat to Bel. I want nothing more than to get her somewhere safe, but whatever this is, she needs it.
“It’s a surprise,” Isla announces, linking her and Bel’s elbows together, “so shoo, shoo.”
BJU
Fritz
Three days.
I’ve been planning this surprise and keeping it a secret forthree days.That is exactly three days longer than I’ve ever kept a surprise in my life. But holy shit, it’s going to be so worth it.
When we got to the suite a few days ago, I instantly got to work. Not real work, obviously. I’m on an extended vacation. Seeing how I haven’t taken one in nearly a decade, they’re willing to give me the freedom I need. Itdefinitelyhad nothing to do with the pressure I put on their emotions to give me what I wanted.
