“Your normal weight is fine, I’m talking no carrying heavy objects, or holding things that you would need your legs for. Bales of hay, buckets of water. Not that I know what working with horses pertains to, but I don’t want you to do a lot of twisting and turning.”
“So, no mucking out the stalls?”
“Not until that blackness in your leg turns to at least a light purple or green and yellow.”
“Damn.” He remained silent as she left, and said a nurse would be right in. Two minutes later, the nurse arrived with papers. She handed them to Shay, and pointed out the restrictions of duties, and the instructions for the medicine. Before they could leave, the door opened and the doctor returned, and as she fitted him with the knee brace that went from the middle of his thigh to the middle of his ankle, she continued with her instructions.
“While you’re on the Oxy, you need to be monitored. I’m not saying you will, but some people experience weird things when they are on it, that’s why it’s highly addictive, and why people sell it, for the high, and the experience.”
“What do you mean by monitored?”
“I mean, your girlfriend should stay with you, monitor you when you fall asleep, stuff like that.”
The doctor and nurse left, and when Shay went to pay, he said there was no bill. “What? That doesn’t make sense.”
“I got a call when you were down in the MRI,” the receptionist said.
“From whom?”
“A guy by the name of Cole Mercury. He said because it happened at work, something called New Double is responsible.” She had looked at her notes, and Shay shook his head.
“Okay, I understand.”
They remained silent as they made their way down to the pharmacy, received his prescriptions, and made it out to the truck. After he got into the cab, Faith ran the wheelchair back inside and came back out. As she started the truck, the first thing she did was look at the clock, and realized it was going on two.
“Holy hell,” she whispered.
“What?”
“It’s two o’clock.”
“No.” He looked at the clock, and his watch. “Damn, it didn’t feel like we were in there for four hours.”
“I know.” She looked at him. “Home?”
“Do you mind?”
“Not at all.” She put the truck in gear and they were both quiet on the long ride home.
CHAPTER 9
When they arrivedat New Double, they didn’t see anyone, so Faith drove directly to Shay’s cabin. She frowned when she saw three unfamiliar vehicles there, and looked at Shay. She had to gently shake him awake, and he looked at her with a confused look.
“Someone’s at your house.”
He sat up to look, and frowned. “Those vehicles belong to Cole, Naomi, and Erin.”
“Shit, you don’t think you’re going to be fired, do you?”
“I hope not.”
She parked, and he got out of the truck. They made their way slowly to the front door, and he looked at her and took a bracing breath before opening the door and letting her enter first. By the time he made it inside, the three people stood looking at him.
“Let’s hear it,” Erin said, and he nodded, liking her no-nonsense demeanor.
He told the trio everything, and even showed them the notes from the doctor, and opened the bag from the pharmacy to prove he had medications to take. Not that he didn’t think they wouldn’t believe him, but he wanted them to see.
“Okay,” Erin said, and looked between Naomi and Cole. “Coffee?” she asked as she helped herself to his pot, but then he realized it was ultimately hers. He settled down and nodded. Once everyone had a full cup, he looked at Erin directly.
