Page 100 of Hash

“How are you feeling?” he asks as he opens the bag, taking out a few things.

“I feel a tiny bit better now. When I first woke up a few hours ago, I felt like I had been run over by a car. Hash gave me some pain meds, and now it only hurts really bad if I move too fast or do any weird movements. It’s more of a dull ache now.”

Doc nods along as he makes his way over to me. “I’m going to check your vitals and look you over. Have you had any dizzy spells or felt faint?” he asks as he moves the stethoscope along my back and chest.

“My vision got really spotty, but I think it was just because I sat up really fast in bed. Besides that, no.”

Doc hums. “Probably. I’d still like to err on the side of caution and have you not doing a lot of anything for the next few days.”

“Are you putting me on bed rest, Doc?” I joke.

“I am.” He smiles. “I need to feel your cheek, okay?”

I suck in a breath, knowing it’s going to hurt like a bitch. “Okay.”

I set Cormac down between me and the wall as he wiggles around. Doc’s hand gently presses along my cheekbone, making me wince and grit my teeth as I hiss.

Owe.

Holy shit, it hurts.

“I know it hurts. I’m sorry,” Doc says, sounding professional and not really all that sorry as he continues pressing around my face.

He pulls out a tiny flashlight and holds it up to my face, angling it slightly away from eyes.

“Good, your pupils are dilating,” Doc says as he clicks it off. “I don’t feel anything out of place in your cheek, but the swelling is still pretty intense. You’re up and alert and seem to be talking normally. Have you had a hard time remembering what happened last night or memories you should remember but can’t?”

“No,” I answer.

Everything is crystal clear, unfortunately.

Doc moves to put his things away in his bag before turning back to me. “Well, I told Hash last night I wanted to do an MRI to be sure nothing was wrong, but I think I’m going to hold off until the swelling goes down and see how you do from there. Unless you would rather have it now, I can have it arranged.”

“I’m okay with waiting.” Nothing sounds more miserable than being in a hospital right now.

I’m not about to go anywhere where that man can find me again. I don’t even know who he is, and he found me once. I highly doubt that, with the way hospitals let people walk all around, it would keep him out.

“Perfect,” Doc says as he walks toward the door. “If you change your mind, Hash knows how to reach me. I’ll be back tomorrow to check in on you.”

“Thank you.” Once again, I try to smile.

Doc nods before slipping out of the room.

I slide back on the bed until my back is against the wall as I watch Cormac play with his pacifier.

I should be lying down, but I’m starting to feel a little restless. Picking Cormac up, I set him down in the pack n play.

“Mama just needs to go to the bathroom really quick, baby. You won’t even know I’m gone.”

Cormac doesn’t acknowledge me as he occupies himself with some soft toys he finds as I make my way into Hash’s bathroom.

I flip on the light and walk straight to the toilet, not having the balls to look at myself yet. I know it’s going to be bad. By the time I’m done doing my business, I wash my hands without looking up.

Okay, I need to do this.

I suck in a deep breath as I look up. My mouth drops as I take in my reflection staring back at me.

The entire right side of my cheek and underneath my eye is a nasty combination of black, blue, and purple. The flesh is so swollen it looks like I’m retaining water.