“That’s the sign of a good wife.” The nurse turns back to her computer. “You should keep her around.”
I turn toward Cora and say, “I plan on doing everything I can to keep her around, even if it means begging and pleading.”
Cora looks up, her expression unreadable as her eyes search my face. “Smart man,” the nurse says.
The next few minutes, we go over my multitude of injuries, how they’re doing after a week, and then the nurse stands, guides her computer cart to the door, and says, “Dr. Frederick will be right with you.”
After the door shuts behind the nurse and I’m left alone with Cora, I say, “They always say they will be right with you, but it’s like half an hour later.”
Cora doesn’t say anything. Instead, she stands from her chair and starts to pace.
“Everything okay?” I ask her.
Her attention flashes to me. “It’s not going to help if you lie about how you’re feeling, Pike.”
“I wasn’t lying. I really wasn’t feeling too much pain today.”
“But you were the other day. We need to make sure we give the doctor all the information.”
“So you can be on your own way. I know, Cora.” I glance down at my hand, the hand that was just gripping Cora’s thigh. How I wish she was still sitting next to me.
“This isn’t easy for me, Pike,” she says, pulling my attention.
Vulnerability laces those stunning eyes, and I wonder what she means by that. Is it not easy because she still has feelings for me when she doesn’t want to? I can practically hear Killian’s voice saying, “Yes, she still has feelings for you, you nob-head.”
“This isn’t easy for me either,” I say. “I can’t stand the fact that I have to rely on you, depend on you to help me out, but I can’t thank you the way I want to.” The words fly out of my mouth before I can stop myself. “Do you think I like sleeping on the couch when I know you’re upstairs, by yourself? Do you think I like having silent dinners with you, when all I want is to ask how you are, talk about your day, pick your beautiful mind?”
“Pike, don’t.” She shakes her head, tearing her gaze away.
But I don’t stop.
“I want to cuddle with you and watch some stupid show that we joke and laugh about. I want to be able to look you in the goddamn eyes and tell you how I’ll spend every last waking hour of my life trying to make you happy, trying to make up for what I did.”
“Pike.” Her eyes well and she turns away.
“I want to tell you how emphatically in love I am with you and how that feeling is never going to go away. My love for you, Cora, will never fade.”
The rap of knuckles hit the door right before it opens. “Hello,” Dr. Frederick says, completely blowing up my confession.
What happened to the half-hour wait?
He looks between the two of us and asks, “How are we today?”
“Good,” I say, my eyes on Cora. “A little sore the other day, but feeling pretty good today.”
“Great to hear.” Dr. Frederick glances at the exam table and then back at me. “Gimpy couldn’t get up on the table?”
He lightens the mood with the nickname, so I chuckle and shake my head. “Didn’t even attempt to make a fool out of myself.” I glance at Cora. “Trying to save some face in front of the lady.”
“Ah, I can understand that.” He takes a seat on the rolling stool and clasps his hands together, facing me. “Shall we begin with the exam?”
“I’m ready when you are.”
For the next ten minutes, Dr. Frederick asks about any headaches, blurry vision, if there’s any pain in my right leg, and goes over my lacerations. He removes the stitches from my head, but not from my arm just yet. He examines my wrist, since it’s in a removeable cast, and then takes a look at the road rash on my face, which is healing rather nicely thanks to the globs of Neosporin I’ve been putting on it.
With one leg crossed over the other, Dr. Frederick says, “Everything looks to be healing well, except this wound on your arm. It’s not looking as healthy as I would hope. Then again, it was a major gash. Try not to move that arm around too much. I fear you’re delaying recovery if you’re attempting to do too much. Come back in a week so we can check on it again.”
Cora gives me a quick look and then turns away.
“Keep up with your pain medication, if and only if you still need it. And you’re clear to submerge your body under water now for baths, but not your leg in the cast. It might be difficult, but thankfully you have your wife to assist you.”