When I returned, Claudia said she had received her discharge papers from the nurse. I was ready to go and so was she.
She sat on the bed as I grabbed her bag of clothes, hoping now that we had been cleared, we could leave.
“Don’t get dressed, yet,” the nurse warned as she peered in from the entrance.
“I thought we were clear to leave?” I asked.
“Not until the doctor does his final checkup,” she replied.
“When is that?”
She shrugged.
“Any time from now up until an hour.”
I dropped the bag on the bed, contemplating whether to just walk out. We had already been here too long.
When the nurse walked out, I grabbed the bag and pulled out her clothes. “How do you feel, sweetheart?”
“I feel fine.”
“Then, get dressed.”
She glanced at me as I pulled closed near the bed. She took out a bra and blouse.
“You need any help?” I asked, grinning sillily.
Claudia smiled shyly. “I think I can handle this, handsome.” She threw the bag at me.
I moved away to give her privacy and sent Michael a text to give him an update.
When I returned, Claudia was pulling at her bandages, standing near the bed in her underwear. I froze, unable to take my eyes off her, trying to fight the urge to view her completely undressed.
“John.”
I don’t know what she heard first: my inner voice or the noise I had made when I had stepped from beyond the curtain. I noticed what she was looking at.
“It’s gone. I thought I might have been imagining things, but it’s gone.” she said excitedly.
I examined the area where her surgical cut should have been. There was nothing.
Claudia looked at me in awe and I stared back.
A few staples had dropped and were sticking to the bandages.
“How?” she asked, baffled.
“Either this doctor is very good or your abilities have healed you. I heal quite quickly, as a matter of fact,” I told her. Could I have given her that ability, as she’d given me the ability to read thoughts? Whether or not I had, it suddenly worried me.
“Get dressed,” I said urgently all thoughts of seeing her sans-underwear gone … mostly.
Claudia quickly pulled up her pants and grabbed her bag.
“We have to go. If the doctor sees that, he’s going to have questions. And I don’t think we can give him any answers.” I pulled open the curtain, nearly running into Dr. Spencer.
“Going somewhere?” he grinned, a long lock falling over the side of his face as he tilted his head.
“I think we’re fine, doc. Claudia and I are in a hurry. I’m sure there are more patients needing your assistance.”
“Claudia is my patient and I take care of all my patients. Mr. Slater, please take a seat. This will only take a moment.”
John, it’s okay. I trust him. She squeezed my hand.
I moved aside as Claudia took a seat on the bed.
“I see you’re already dressed?”
“I thought I could just leave. I’ve been discharged, haven’t I?”
Dr. Spencer laughed. “Yes, darling, but not until I give the final okay. I believe Nurse Janice said I was coming in to see your stitches. I need to make sure nothing is infected. Can you lay down for me?”
Claudia did as asked and lifted her blouse. I watched with a keen eye as he examined her; he was obviously aware because he glanced back at me and smiled. He wasn’t afraid, at least not yet, but he didn’t know John Slater.
John stop, Claudia silently lectured. I don’t see any malice in his mind.
Fine, but I’m not taking my eyes off him.
Dr. Spencer removed the bandage very carefully. With the time it took, I was thinking that he already knew something. For a moment, he just stared.
His mouth dropped open and his brow creased.
I wanted to poke some fun and ask if something was wrong, but that would have shown knowledge that I knew something had occurred. So, I said nothing.