Chapter Five
Tuesday, March 20th
The sun warmed her face as Eleanor stretched and groaned. She ran her fingers over her cheek. “This is what boxers must feel like,” she mumbled.
“You took a big blow,” Wes said from across the room.
She jumped at his voice. “I didn’t realize you were still here. I couldn’t hear you breathing. What time is it?”
“It’s 0600. I wouldn’t leave you. How are you feeling?” The sound of his steps alerted her to his approach. “Pete is running late. He said I could take the bandages off, administer some eyedrops and let you take a shower. And then I’ll need to rebandage your eyes. I’ll be right there; I’m going to wash my hands.”
She heard the drapes slide across the rod. She felt his body heat around her and inhaled a whiff of his cologne.
“I’m going to cut the bandages.”
Her breath caught as she opened her eyes. Even with blurry vision, Wes looked like he climbed from the pages ofGQmagazine. His suit seemed cut specifically for him. His dirty-blond hair, cut in a low fade, was combed perfectly, and his smile was brighter than the sun.
“Look up.” He placed two drops in each eye. “Okay, give me the scale. How are you feeling?”
“Do, re, mi, fa, so.” Eleanor smiled. “Truth? They say there are two hundred six bones in the body. Well, they all hurt.”
“I’ll give you some more Toradol, and I’ll send someone upstairs to help you shower and dress before I rebandage your eyes. Pete will be here shortly to take you to the hospital to see the ophthalmologist and have a new CT scan.”
“Wes, I can’t stay here. I have my orientation, a program to set up, horses to greet and staff to get acquainted with,” Eleanor protested.
“Ellie, let’s see what Pete says. I won’t, and I can’t, let you violate medical orders. Let’s see where you stand. I had someone bring up a suitcase from your car. I hope it has what you need. If not, I’ll make sure you get what you need. Sit for fifteen minutes. I mean it.” Wes tapped the tip of her nose.
* * *
The elevator opened. “Ellie?” Nadia Rostivich, one of the equine therapists, sat beside her. “What happened?” She touched her face.
“On my way to work, I skidded off the road. Mr. Crockett found me. He’s a paramedic too,” Eleanor sighed.
“Mr. Clarke said I needed to help you shower and get dressed.” Nadia offered a hand.
Eleanor blinked, attempting to clear her blurry vision. She swallowed back the bile rising from her loss of equilibrium. She grasped Nadia’s arm and stood still, finally managing to stand and walk without falling over.
“I feel useless. Everything hurts.”
Nadia helped her to her suitcase. She opened it and removed a pair of jeans, a green sweater, a bra, panties and a pair of thick socks. Running a hand through her hair, she grimaced. “Damn,” she fretted about the egg-shaped bump beneath her fingertips. “I need my Wellies.”
“Let me get you into the shower and see you dressed. Then we will find your boots.”
Eleanor sat on the shower bench and enjoyed washing yesterday away. Turning off the spray, she felt stronger-legged and didn’t call Nadia to help her dress. She didn’t need to see her body either.
“There you go. I bet you feel better after that shower.” Nadia smiled.
“Yeah.” Eleanor looked around. “Nadia, how big a house is this ifthisis a guest room?”
“You must have really blasted your head. This is the master bedroom, Ellie.”
“We didn’t do anything, I swear,” she panicked and blushed. “The clinic, it wasn’t open. He woke me up every few hours and gave me pain meds. It must have been easier for him if I stayed here.”
“Who cares if you did? You’re both adults.” Nadia shrugged.
The elevator opened again. “Hey, Nadia. Ellie, we met last night; I’m Ken. I’m also a paramedic. Wes asked me to bandage your eyes. He had to take a call.”
Eleanor swallowed nervously. “Okay.”
