“Fuck,” Vero curses, and Dr. Walsh raises his hand to quiet her.
“Despite how terribly Rosa feels, I don’t think it’s as bad as others who go through withdrawals,” he murmurs. “As you said, you’d be able to feel if this were fatal. She’s going to have a couple more rough days ahead, but I can at least help make it easier.”
“What’s going to be in the IV drip?” I ask suspiciously. Yes, he’s been good to me of late, but I still have the right to ask questions, dammit.
“Saline, anti nausea medicine, B-complex vitamins, and electrolytes,” he replies easily. “It’s simply to ease the symptoms.”
“Okay,” I agree. “Ugh, I’m going to need help getting to the bathroom.”
“Not a problem.” Vero begins to move toward me, but Pablo scoops me into his arms and rises from the bed instead.
“I would complain that I’m heavy, but know it wouldn’t be true,” I grumble, my head on his shoulder.
“No it wouldn’t,” he murmurs. I focus on breathing in his sweet scent while the room spins, and I close my eyes with a small whimper.
Moving, slowly or otherwise, is ill fucking advised.
“I know this sucks,” Pablo whispers. “I’m sorry. Verona, do you need help?”
The last question is asked slightly louder for Vero’s benefit and I open my eyes to find her looking hesitantly at me.
“It’s fine,” I mutter. “So many people have seen me naked at this point, I don’t think I have any modesty left.”
“It’s not a matter of whether or not you have modesty. You can take approval away from people seeing your body at any point and time,” he says. “I think you might have vomit in your hair though.”
“Ugh,” I groan. “Okay, you can help.”
“Are you wearing a bra underneath this shirt?” he asks.
“I don’t think so. Ugh, am I wearing underwear? I didn’t undress myself.”
“You’re wearing underwear,” Vero says, hiding a smile. “Let’s get you clean, sweet girl.”
Between the two of them, they’re able to sit me in the tub in my underwear to help me get cleaned up. Pablo washes my hair, Vero washes my body, and she rushes to the bedroom afterward to grab me new clothes.
“Dr. Walsh changed the sheets,” she whispers, eyes wide as Pablo helps me stand so she can dry me off.
“Is he an awful person?” Pablo asks. “I only heard a handful of things.”
“He worked for my father, and they’re all terrible people in my eyes,” I grunt.
Once I’m dry, in new pajamas, with my teeth brushed, Pablo scoops me back up into his arms because my legs are threatening to buckle on me. Honestly, the tooth brushing sapped the rest of my strength, but it had to be done.
My sheets are clean as Pablo lays me down, and Dr. Walsh works quickly as he puts in the IV.
“Rest while you can,” he murmurs. “Sleep is going to be the best way to get through this.”
My eyes are already heavy, and I’m aware of Pablo pulling me into his arms as Verona finishes speaking to the doctor and thanks him for coming.
“If she’ll allow me to be, I’d like to become her personal physician,” Dr. Walsh murmurs. “I know she may not trust me yet, but I don’t want to be paid. I don’t know when my moral compass went so astray, however, the day I was called to reattach the fingers of a rapist and sew a tear…It’s when I knew I had hit rock fucking bottom, Verona.”
“We aren’t going to be your redemption, Doctor,” Vero says coldly. “I’ll speak to Rosa when she feels better, and she can decide if she wishes to assuage your conscience.”
My eyes slide all the way closed, and Pablo holds me tightly, his fingers massaging my aching scalp.
“I’ve got you,” he murmurs. “Whether you like it or not.”
I drift off to sleep before I’m able to ask if that’s a threat or a promise. With my luck, it could go either way.
