Tia’s eyes snapped open at the sound of footsteps. Her room was dark, too dark. It was night, so it had to have just been a nurse, but why wouldn’t they identify themselves? She blinked trying to adjust to the light level and held her breath to hear any sounds better. But there was nothing. Had it all been a dream then? It had seemed so real.
As she exhaled, she wondered if she would face this the rest of her life. Would she always be jumping at shadows and feeling like she was being watched? Jordan had said it was over, but what if it wasn’t? What if someone was still out there? What if Rico came after her? What if there were more people involved in the meeting than who Jordan arrested? Would she ever be safe?
She was still tired when the sun woke her the next morning. That certainly hadn’t been her best night of sleep, and the responsibilities of the upcoming day wore heavy on her. If she got released, she needed to find a place to stay at least until her foot healed. Though Brody had said she could fly, trying to maneuver travel with a cast didn’t sound appealing at all. Besides, she was in no hurry to get back to her life. Plus, she would need to contact Jordan about his job offer. Tia hoped to return to writing one day, but until she got back on her feet, she needed a job that provided consistent income.
“Are you ready for your final evaluation?” Brody asked entering the room.
“I should say yes, right?”
“Most people can’t wait to leave though I think it’s mostly to get better food,” he said with a smile.
“Well most people don’t have people trying to kill them either.”
“Did something happen?” Brody’s voice oozed with concern, and his eyes raked over her as if looking for injuries. “Jordan said it was over.”
Tia shook her head. “Just a dream. I know he said it was over, but I don’t feel like it is, and I feel it will be worse out there. I certainly won’t have you to protect me.” She had meant for the words to sound light - an attempt at humor - but they hung heavy in the air.
Brody set his clipboard down on the table and approached her side. His eyes grew serious as he picked up her hand. “About that, Tia. I’m kind of a mess, and I’ve probably forgotten how to date, but I can’t stand here and say I don’t care about you. And as much as I don’t know what the future holds, I’d like to see if there’s a future for us.”
Tia’s mouth opened, but she couldn’t form the words she wanted to say. She had hoped he felt the same as she did, but he’d been impossible to read accurately.
“I can’t promise any more Superman stunts, but I’ll try my best to protect you.”
“Did you hurt yourself badly?” she finally managed.
“I’ll have some good bruising on my left side where I hit that corner,” he pointed to the area that jutted out due to the bathroom, “but nothing that won’t heal with time. Now, what do you say we get you looked at and get you out of here?”
Tia nodded and chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything more.”
Brody decided to start at the top and checked Tia’s head first. As his fingers touched near her stitches, he couldn’t help but wonder how touching the rest of her face would feel. He let his eyes wander down her slender cheek bones and to the curve in her neck before clearing his throat and forcing his focus back to her wound. “This looks good. You ready for the stitches to come out?”
“I suppose.” Her eyes flicked up to meet his gaze. “Does it hurt? I don’t think I’ve ever had stitches before.”
“Not generally. Most people say it tickles, but I did have a patient once who healed rather quickly and her skin grew over her stitches a little.”
“Oh great, thanks for sharing that.”
He smiled down at her and squeezed her arm for reassurance. “I’m sure that won’t be your case. You’ve had enough issues to deal with.” He crossed to the medical cabinet and pulled out a pair of scissors before returning to her side. With a quick snip, he popped the first string holding it all together and then tugged on it until the rest came out. “All done. Did it hurt?”
Tia’s face scrunched as if she were deciding. “I guess not, but it didn’t tickle either. Is the scar bad?”
Brody pressed around the red puckering to make sure it was holding before answering her. “It’s a little red right now, but that’s to be expected. It will fade and eventually you’ll just have a tiny white line. Besides, scars build character.”
“I guess I’ll have a lot of character then,” she said with a chuckle.
He checked her eye next. The colors had faded to an ugly yellow brown, but she could open it fully, and nothing else appeared to be damaged. The cuts on her face and arms were almost healed as well, so he moved down to check her foot. “Can you feel this?” he asked touching her toes.
Her smile was wide as she nodded. “I can.”
“Good, and how about the pain today?”
“Not bad although I assume I don’t get to take the good stuff with me when I leave?”
He chuckled as he checked off her progress on the chart. “No, but I’ll get you a prescription for some stronger ibuprofen than you can get over-the-counter just in case. I want Dr. North to check your foot as well, but it looks like you’re cleared to go unless she says otherwise. You won’t be able to drive though. Do you have anyone who can pick you up?”
Her face fell and understanding filled her eyes. “I don’t. I don’t have a car or a place to live yet.”
“Hey, it’s okay. I’ll call Jordan and see if he can help you out. If he’s busy, you can stay here until I get off and I’ll drive you wherever he sets up for you.”
“Thank you. I promise I won’t always be so needy.”
He picked up her hand and squeezed it. “We all need people, and I’m happy to help. You just relax and enjoy your last day. I’ll take care of the rest.”