Still slightly unnerved by the situation, Heather entered the building cautiously. The building’s purpose became immediately apparent as she crossed the threshold. Six cots had been arranged in mirrored rows, three on either side of the compact room. Two doors had been set in the wall across from her, oneat either end of a long counter. There was a neat row of cabinets above and below the counter.
“Raphael found out that you’re a PA and he’s anxious to work with you,” Gabriel told her.
“The cats have a medic named Malik. We’ve always been envious,” Patrick looked at her and smiled, “until now. We think you and Raphael will make a powerful team.”
“This is wonderful.” Emotion clogged her throat, making it hard to speak. “I hope my skills are never needed, but I’d be honored to help.” They had no idea how much this meant to her, how important it was to feel useful and needed. She looked at them through tear-blurred eyes and reconsidered. They were staring back with warmth and affection. Clearly, they knew.
They led her down the aisle separating the cots.
“This is the part that took so long,” Patrick explained as he pushed open one of the two doors.
A treatment room, complete with an adjustable bed and boom-style lighting was situated beyond the door. There were even cupboards and drawers for storage and organization. Heather felt a smile spread across her face. “This is amazing. There are a lot of things that are easier to treat without an audience.” The wooden walls looked as if they had just been milled and Patrick’s comment echoed back to her. “Did you guys just build this?”
“We had help, but both of the exam rooms are new,” Gabriel explained.
She went to the other side of the clinic and found an identical room.
Gabriel followed but allowed her to explore. “The second room was probably overkill, but we decided to complete both while we were at it.”
She opened the cupboards and pulled out the drawers. “This is unbelievable. I’ve always dreamed of having my own practice.”
Patrick chuckled from the doorway. “This was a hell of a way to get one.”
Overwhelmed with joy, Heather threw her arms around Gabriel and hugged him as hard as she could. “This is your best surprise ever.”
He laughed and kissed her.
She turned to Patrick then and hugged him just as hard. “Thank you for doing this. You can’t imagine what it means to me.”
He pushed affection into her mind as he assured her, “I don’t have to imagine, and the expression on your face is all the thanks we need.”
CHAPTER 7
Gabriel felt a smile part his lips five nights later as he watched Heather embracing Claire. The females had been parted for less than a month, but the weeks had been filled with danger and conflict.
“It feels like forever since I saw you last,” Claire said, echoing his thoughts. “Has it really been a few short weeks?”
“Weeks, yes. Short, no. Everything about Rydaria is challenging,” Heather responded as she stepped back.
“Dinner is not quite ready,” Raphael told them. “Why don’t we sit down and have a drink.” He ushered them into the living area.
This cabin was identical to the one Gabriel shared with Patrick. The bedrooms were off to one side, the main living space on the other. A loft was situated above the bedrooms with storage shelves arranged at the far end. The cabins had been built one after the other when the brothers decided to separate and choose their own seconds.
They borrowed chairs from the table so everyone had a seat, but they were soon arranged in a semicircle facing the fireplace.Victor passed out drinks as Raphael asked, “Has there been any response to the signal?”
Gabriel shook his head. “Not yet. It could take a while. Even if someone picked up the signal it would take time for them to respond. This planet is secluded.”
“Hurry up and wait,” Victor muttered. “That’s Rydaria’s favorite game.”
“Have you determined our exact location?” Patrick wanted to know. He sat on one side of Heather while Gabriel sat on the other.
“I’ve developed an educated guess, but an exact location requires information I can’t access.”
“The middle of fucking nowhere is where we are,” Raphael grumbled. “Dreams of being rescued are a waste of energy. Rydaria is our home whether we like it or not.”
Gabriel glared at his brother. They might have called a truce for the time being, but the fundamental disagreement remained. Raphael had accepted the inevitability of life on Rydaria, while Gabriel intended to fight against it until the day he died.
Rather than provoking Gabriel further, Raphael looked at Heather. “The past few days have been mercifully quiet, but the expanded clinic will be a godsend if we’re subjected to another attack.”
