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." She looked him over, took his vitals, and had Sean put his handnext to the bruises."Mr.Dempsey, your hand is of average size.These bruises are very far apart.Too far foryou to have grabbed him.Otherwise you look very healthy, Mr.Foster.""Thank you." Gabe kissed Sean who still hovered."I am.He takes good care of me."She moved down her clipboard."What medications are you currently taking?"73"Just a few." Gabe climbed down.She watched him hand-walk to the bathroom, looking abit ill.After a moment, he returned on the skateboard, carrying the three bottles in for her toexamine.Sean understood he was trying to prove he had full access to his own medications.She made notes of the labels and the dosage and the number of pills."Mr.Foster, thankyou.Mr.Dempsey's attitude had us quite worried."Sean breathed out slowly."You knock on my door and tell me I'm hurting the mostimportant man in my life and yeah, there's going to be attitude.""He's very protective." Gabe kissed him under the chin."Medication, check.What about money?""We never have any," Gabe said, laughing."Seriously, we have separate accounts, andwhoever has money on his EBT card buys groceries.""I can show you the finance program," Sean offered, less tense now."That won't be necessary.Tell me about the pack." She made a couple more notes."Sean made it for me.I love it.We can go places I couldn't get the chair.""So it is voluntary.""Absolutely.He can't always carry me.On his high-pain days, I use the chair.We've beenusing the chair more since it snowed, because it's more stable."She nodded again."That was what we heard from the girl at the market and the nurses atthe clinic."Sean and Gabe exchanged disturbed looks."You've been talking to everyone," Gabe said."We always do.Too many abuse victims don't give us the truth.Everyone says the samething.You're crazy in love and happy as birds.You're good for him, he's good for you andeveryone around you is happy to see you coming."Sean breathed out.Gabe patted his hand."Well, we really are.I hope that's obvious.""It is.I can tell.We'll file this as unfounded." She tucked the clipboard into a purse thatwas almost a tote-bag."However, you can expect a random follow-up in four to six weeks."Gabe smiled at her."Okay."Sean got up."I apologize for giving you a hard time.Would you like me to see you to thelobby?" He opened the door for her."No, thank you.Have a good morning, gentlemen." She walked off, briskly, her heelsclicking on the fading tile of the hall.Sean breathed a sigh of relief as he shut the door."That went better than I dared to hope.God, you're good."Gabe climbed up on the sofa and patted the seat beside him."We're good." He kissedSean's temple when Sean sat down."I know how easy it is to get railroaded once someone makes up a lie, and someone elsehas a reason to make it stick."74"Some people seem to have too much time on their hands.""I bet it was Woods.I just hope they're giving him as much hell or more.""We can always hope." Gabe kissed him again, on the mouth this time, lingeringly."Backto work? Or could I have more of that 'gods, you're good' talk?"Sean kissed his nose."Back to work.I'll tell and show you how good you are after dinner.""Oh good.I sense good fortunes for every caller until then." Gabe snuggled up for asecond and then slid off the sofa, back to the phone and his cards.Sean went back to his writing, wishing he could plan something evil for Woods.Hesettled for just making the nurse into an ogre and letting the villagers hack him to pieces.He got up about four to start dinner.Macaroni with chicken and broccoli was always ahit.Gabe caught a last call.Sean kept cooking noise to a minimum.He set the food on thetable and drew a question mark in the air.Gabe rolled his eyes and pointed to the receiverwhere he wasn't saying much at all.It was nearly half an hour more before Gabe got off the phone.Sean reheated the mealthat had gone cold in their chilly kitchen."Long one, babe.That'll look good on the check."Gabe shook his head and sighed."I wish she hadn't made it so long.Her son's in Iraq, acombat zone, and she's desperate for reassurance."Sean ladled out the macaroni."And living with me can't make you paint too rosy apicture.""I just.I feel guilty about taking her money.That's over a hundred dollars she'll pay theservice.I wish I could tell her something but the cards just aren't showing me anything [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]