No shit.
“We’rein the hospital.” When that didn’t seem to register, I sighed. “I visited him the other week.”
His mouth popped open. Then closed. In tangent with his eyes. That kind of thing only ever happened when someone was tripping. “Are you an angel?”
Sheesh. What the hell had he taken?
A quick glance at his chart told me the substance was unconfirmed.
“My mother doesn’t think so.”
“You must be. Currau won’t talk to anyone. Not even Rory. And that makes Rory want to cry, but she never does in front of him.”
“That’s sad.”
“Very.” He glanced at me, then down at himself as he twisted over so he was lying on a patch of floor that someone had puked on earlier. “I’m naked.”
“Well aware of that fact.” I snatched the gown one of my colleagues had failed to get him into and returned to a crouching position beside him. “I’d appreciate it if you’d put this on.”
“Where are my clothes? Did someone steal them?”
“According to your chart, you stripped of your own accord.”
He hissed. “Not again.”
Not again?
“This is a regular occurrence, sir?”
“Damn PDE5 inhibitors.”
“Excuse me?”
“No. Can’t be that. They’re tried and tested. Unless they’re reacting to the…”
His voice dropped even lower, but what I made out was definitely science talk.Chemist talk, to be specific.
“Sofia The Great agreed with my calculations. They have to be right or I’ve fucked it all up and now Dead To Me has?—”
“Dead To Who what now?” I sputtered.
“I paid her to extract Sofia, all right? I know I shouldn’t have.”
“Extract? Like a rotten tooth?”
“She’s an enemy, but everyone needs a savior.” Words bubbled from his lips. “I don’t talk to her anymore. She used to be my sounding board. I could go on our forum, but I don’t know if she’ll even answer. I went radio silent on her, okay?!”
“Okay!”
“I know, all right? I’m a bastard.” His eyes darted from left to right so quickly that I felt dizzy. “And because I always fuck up, I’msoscrewed!”
Still babbling, when he punched the floor, I snapped, “If you break your knuckles, I won’t be the one taking you down to X-ray.”
That shut him up. “But you’re an angel. I need an angel too. Maybe you can talk to Evangeline for me.”
“I’m not an angel,” I protested, and when he batted his lashes at me, I reared back in surprise.
“A sweeter soul in life too soon for death. May the angels guide her home.”
