Madi wasn’t vain, but I didn’t want her to live the rest of her life with scars reminding her of the torture she’d endured every time she looked in the mirror. Or whenever someone stared too long at her face.
How would her patients react? Would the kids unintentionally hurt her when they asked about it in the unfiltered way kids did?
“Could a surgeon could fix that?” I pondered out loud.
“Are you worried about the scars?” John didn’t hide the judgment in his voice.
Nor should he have.
I loved her, no matter how many scars she had. “No.” I explained my thinking in broken, croaked out sentences.
“Good.” He ran his hand through his greying hair. “I'll can talk to her doctor, see what he says.”
“I’ll pay for it.”
He clapped my right shoulder. “You’re a good man, Robinson.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“You won’t have to pay for it alone.”
I didn’t care if magical fucking elves pitched in to help cover the costs; I just didn’t want Madi to be haunted by the memories every time she saw her face.
My arm started to ache, which meant it was time for me to return to my room.
“Mr. Robinson.”
Just in time. The nurse approached with my ride.
“I’m ready.”
“I’ll update you after I talk to the doctor,” John said as I lowered myself into the chair.
“Thanks.” I trusted him to make the necessary arrangements.
Once I was back in bed, the nurse inserted my oxygen tube and re-connected my morphine drip.
The world faded away as soon as it hit my system.
Chapter 47
Madi
“Morning,” Matt and my parents greeted each other as they passed by.
His eyes, now more white than red, softened as he greeted me. “Good morning, Red.” His voice sounded stronger.
So did mine, thanks to the wonders of modern medicine and rest. “Morning, Robin.”
We still needed a few more days before we’d sound like ourselves again, and even longer before we could do anything requiring heavy breathing, but twenty-four hours had made a noticeable difference.
“Shouldn’t you be prepping for surgery?” I asked as he sat at the edge of my bed.
“I have another hour before they knock me out.” He reached for my hand. “You sound better this morning.”
“Too bad I don’t look better.”
“You’re beautiful. Did your dad tell you about the surgeon?”
