It’s only when it hits my mouth that I realize it is blood, not some creepy crawly.
I’m not a fan of blood. A second after this thought crosses my mind, the lights go out.
TWELVE
LILY
As I sit next to Tyler, who’s tucked up in my bed, I’m still in a state of shock.
First, he’d come close to knocking himself out by falling down that stupid hole. Second, he’d driven his forehead into a nail sticking up through a floorboard.
But, most shocking of all, was when after whispering, “I don’t like blood,” his eyes had rolled back in his head and he’d slumped forward.
This had the old guy tossing Tyler casually over one shoulder and carrying him back here. After a whistle of appreciation, and, “Nice digs,” he’d dumped Tyler unceremoniously in the middle of my bed, and left me to it.
Not for the first time do I thank my propensity to over-prepare. The first aid kit I’d retrieved from my car had proved itself well up to the challenge of cleaning Tyler’s forehead.
Half-a-dozen antiseptic wipes later and I could see there was no need for stitches, with the nail having caught Tyler just above the eyebrow. This meant a lot of blood, but not a lot of physical damage. A wound closure strip and a bigger bandage over the top to keep it clean saw him almost as good as new.
“Lily, I can’t stay here. I need to get back to the house. Sheesh, I still can’t believe…”
Blast, I was afraid he’d be like this. Embarrassed that he’d fainted in front of me.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Lots of people faint.” I’d seen it often enough during my years as a dental hygienist. Big powerful guys coming in, and as soon as I got near their teeth, it was all over.
I’d learned over the years that rather than panic, I should get on with it, taking advantage of their state. Perhaps not ethical, but far quicker than waiting for a sedative to kick in.
“It’s not that. You shouldn’t have touched me in front of the others.”
I stop tidying the blanket across his broad chest. And at that moment, I’m back at the dental surgery. I’d been busy cleaning up after a patient when Mitchell started berating me for having the audacity to kiss him on the cheek in passing.
Of course, that was toward the end when I was the only one at the practice who didn’t know he was having an affair with his dental assistant.
I take my hands away from Tyler as if burned, and stumble to my feet. “I’ll ah, I’m… I need to head into town for, um, something.”
Not giving him time to react, I grab my purse off the hook next to the door and escape. In my favor is that with him having so recently smacked his head into hardwood floorboards, he’s slower than he usually would be. I’m therefore away before he can catch up.
A quick glance in the rearview mirror is enough to see him standing in the middle of the road, unsteady on his feet. I’m close to slamming on the brakes and returning when one of the Hendrick brothers joins him.
He’ll be okay. And anyway, hadn’t he just said I shouldn’t touch him in front of the others, like I was someone to be ashamed of? A quick swipe at my eyes allows me to see where I’m going and I hit the gas, although I soon slow again.
Where am I supposed to go? There’s nothing for me back in San Francisco other than a few belongings in storage. I’ve been driving in circles for ten minutes when I pass the Rose Haven Retirement Home.
If Nanna Dot was still alive, I could talk everything through with her. Soon enough, my tears blind me to the point I need to pull over. Damn, but I miss her.
Even if I wasn’t the best granddaughter in actually visiting, we’d often caught up on a video call. And while she’s no longer around, I’ve got the next best thing.
The hug Alice gives me in the reception area of the rest home is enough for the floodgates to truly open. I haven’t cried this hard in ages, even if I’m not sure what I’m crying about. The divorce, losing Nanna Dot, or Tyler being ashamed of me?
It’s a tossup, with all of them fighting for supremacy.
“Oh Lily, you really are in the dumps, aren’t you? Come on my dear, let’s go to my room and have a cup of tea. That’s the ticket.”
Much as tea appears to be a panacea to the old and infirm, I’m all for it this morning. When I’d made my mind up to visit, I’d backtracked and picked up some caramel-topped cookies.
As a trained dental hygienist, I should know better, especially with them also banned by management because of the damage they can do to dentures. It’s for this last reason that they’re buried deep in my purse.
“And so he wants nothing to do with me!” This last ends on a wail that has me grabbing yet another tissue from the family-sized box that sits on the small occasional table between my and Alice’s chairs.
