coughed as the medication filled her lungs.
“And again.”
But it worked and breathing became easier.
Another voice floated through the darkness surrounding her. “Hi, Eden. It’s Dr. Parker again. David asked me to come back and check on you. Next time go to the doctor before you come down with pneumonia.”
Eden struggled to open her eyes. The owner of the new voice looked more like a cowboy than a doctor. Definitely sick, her mind told her. She agreed with the cowboy. The slight movement caused another paroxysm of coughing that left her gasping and breathless. She took another puff on whatever medication the cowboy offered her.
“It’s OK, just lie still. Nod or shake your head in reply. OK?”
Eden nodded.
“I want to listen to your chest and take your pulse.” His touch was gentle and she coughed when he asked her.
She wasn’t sure when he left or when she woke again. All she could hear was David’s loud, angry voice in the hallway.
“Put the gun away,” David said. “She’s not a cop, and if she is, I’ll deal with her. She’s my problem.”
****
David sat beside Eden’s bed. She seemed to be better, cooler at any rate, and had slept better than she had done in five days. She wasn’t as breathless anymore either. The bed creaked and he glanced up from his paper to see her lying on her side, looking at him. He smiled. “Hello. How are you doing?”
“Thirsty.” Her tongue ran over her dry and cracked lips.
He picked up the glass of juice and offered it, holding the straw in place for her.
She took several long sips. “Thank you. How long was I asleep?”
“Better part of two days.” He put the glass down.
“And this guy hardly ever left your side,” Jackson added from the doorway. He crossed the room, holding out a hand. “Dr. Parker.”
“I remember your voice, but I thought you were a cowboy.”
David laughed. At least Jackson was finally using the key under the front door mat. But now Eden was recovering, he no longer needed to keep it there. “That’s a good one. I call him a quack, but cowboy is even better.”
Jackson rolled his eyes. “Go make the lady some soup while I check her over.”
David nodded and headed downstairs. Marc was still staying with Eden’s parents. Almost a week was a long time for Marc to be out of his sight, and even though someone was keeping tabs on the house, he’d be a lot happier when Marc was home. He emptied a tin of soup into a pan and turned on the gas underneath it. It didn’t take long to heat and he tipped it into a mug, before taking it upstairs.
His phone rang as he reached the bedroom. “Painter.”
“David, it’s Adam.” His solicitor sounded stressed, which was unusual.
“Hey, Adam. What’s up?” David set the soup down next to Eden. She was sitting propped up against several pillows; Jackson sat on the edge of the bed next to her, writing up her notes.
“Tomorrow, two PM. Valhalla.”
The words sent shock waves running through him, almost physically knocking him backwards.
“Valhalla?” he repeated. “Are you sure?” He’d waited so long for this, he wanted to make sure he’d heard right.
“This comes from the top. Don’t be late.”
“OK. Two o’clock. Thanks, Adam.”
“Don’t thank me. Just be careful.” The line went dead.
Jackson looked up as he put the notes in his bag. “Sounds intriguing.”
“Not really. It’s just work. Thank you for treating her.” David tried to brush off the comment, excitement setting his nerves alight.
“Well, you’ll be pleased to know, that Eden is recovering nicely. Her chest sounds clear now. The strep is much better. A couple more days and she’ll be raring to go. It might be an idea to see if the grandparents can handle Marc for another day.” He pointed at Eden. “And I want to see you in my office in a week.”
“I’ll make the appointment. Thank you, Doctor Parker.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see myself out.”
David sat on the bed
“And again.”
But it worked and breathing became easier.
Another voice floated through the darkness surrounding her. “Hi, Eden. It’s Dr. Parker again. David asked me to come back and check on you. Next time go to the doctor before you come down with pneumonia.”
Eden struggled to open her eyes. The owner of the new voice looked more like a cowboy than a doctor. Definitely sick, her mind told her. She agreed with the cowboy. The slight movement caused another paroxysm of coughing that left her gasping and breathless. She took another puff on whatever medication the cowboy offered her.
“It’s OK, just lie still. Nod or shake your head in reply. OK?”
Eden nodded.
“I want to listen to your chest and take your pulse.” His touch was gentle and she coughed when he asked her.
She wasn’t sure when he left or when she woke again. All she could hear was David’s loud, angry voice in the hallway.
“Put the gun away,” David said. “She’s not a cop, and if she is, I’ll deal with her. She’s my problem.”
****
David sat beside Eden’s bed. She seemed to be better, cooler at any rate, and had slept better than she had done in five days. She wasn’t as breathless anymore either. The bed creaked and he glanced up from his paper to see her lying on her side, looking at him. He smiled. “Hello. How are you doing?”
“Thirsty.” Her tongue ran over her dry and cracked lips.
He picked up the glass of juice and offered it, holding the straw in place for her.
She took several long sips. “Thank you. How long was I asleep?”
“Better part of two days.” He put the glass down.
“And this guy hardly ever left your side,” Jackson added from the doorway. He crossed the room, holding out a hand. “Dr. Parker.”
“I remember your voice, but I thought you were a cowboy.”
David laughed. At least Jackson was finally using the key under the front door mat. But now Eden was recovering, he no longer needed to keep it there. “That’s a good one. I call him a quack, but cowboy is even better.”
Jackson rolled his eyes. “Go make the lady some soup while I check her over.”
David nodded and headed downstairs. Marc was still staying with Eden’s parents. Almost a week was a long time for Marc to be out of his sight, and even though someone was keeping tabs on the house, he’d be a lot happier when Marc was home. He emptied a tin of soup into a pan and turned on the gas underneath it. It didn’t take long to heat and he tipped it into a mug, before taking it upstairs.
His phone rang as he reached the bedroom. “Painter.”
“David, it’s Adam.” His solicitor sounded stressed, which was unusual.
“Hey, Adam. What’s up?” David set the soup down next to Eden. She was sitting propped up against several pillows; Jackson sat on the edge of the bed next to her, writing up her notes.
“Tomorrow, two PM. Valhalla.”
The words sent shock waves running through him, almost physically knocking him backwards.
“Valhalla?” he repeated. “Are you sure?” He’d waited so long for this, he wanted to make sure he’d heard right.
“This comes from the top. Don’t be late.”
“OK. Two o’clock. Thanks, Adam.”
“Don’t thank me. Just be careful.” The line went dead.
Jackson looked up as he put the notes in his bag. “Sounds intriguing.”
“Not really. It’s just work. Thank you for treating her.” David tried to brush off the comment, excitement setting his nerves alight.
“Well, you’ll be pleased to know, that Eden is recovering nicely. Her chest sounds clear now. The strep is much better. A couple more days and she’ll be raring to go. It might be an idea to see if the grandparents can handle Marc for another day.” He pointed at Eden. “And I want to see you in my office in a week.”
“I’ll make the appointment. Thank you, Doctor Parker.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see myself out.”
David sat on the bed
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