Give Me a Reason by Lyn Gardner

o’clock.
    “Shit,” Laura said, looking at her watch. Aware that Toni
always left at four, Laura had two choices. Drive to the woman’s flat to check
up on her or wait until the next day. As she weighed her options, she heard a
light tapping and looked up to see Toni standing in the doorway. In an instant,
Laura’s face brightened. “Hiya, Toni.”
    “You’re working late,” Toni said, walking into the room.
    “Apparently, I’m not the only one.”
    “Actually, I’ve been done for a while. I was just waiting for
the halls to clear before I came downstairs.”
    Toni didn’t visit the first floor unless it was to exit the
building at the end of the day or to grab a smoke, and Laura knew it. Toni
Vaughn had a routine, and it never, ever changed. Eyeing the woman, Laura asked, “What’s up?”
    Shuffling her feet, Toni looked at the floor. “Kris...um...the
woman you met the other night in my flat. She’s still out of town, and
I...well...I don’t have any bandages at my place. So...so I was wondering if I
could borrow that first-aid kit for the night. I’ll...I’ll bring it back
tomorrow. I promise.”
    “You haven’t changed the dressing since Saturday?” Laura
said, getting to her feet.
    “No, I mean yes, but not...not properly.”
    Confused, Laura strode across the room and glared at Toni,
defying her to say a word. Unbuttoning the cuff of her sleeve, Laura pushed up
the material and her nostrils flared. “Are you completely mad!” she barked,
seeing the washcloth being held in place by duct tape.
    “I didn’t have any bandages—”
    “You had my bloody number!”
    “I didn’t want to bother—”
    “Jesus Christ!” Laura shouted, pointing to the sofa. “Sit
down.”
    “Look, if you just let me borrow—”
    “I said sit down !” Laura
said, before turning on her heel and stomping out of the room.
    “Christ,” Toni said under her breath as she hesitantly sat on
the couch. She had never seen Laura MacLeod that angry before, and as she
waited in silence, Toni hoped she’d never have to see it again.
    Returning with the kit, and her blood pressure now well
within the range of normal, Laura sat down. Attempting to be an obedient
patient, Toni had rolled up the sleeve of her faded blue shirt, and this time,
when Laura saw the shabby brown washcloth taped to the woman’s arm, she
snickered. Carefully cutting away the tape, Laura quickly discovered that Toni
was telling the truth. Even though the bandage was indeed crude, the wound was
clean, dry and healing.
    As Laura worked, Toni’s eyes wandered, and seeing faint,
greenish-yellow bruises on Laura’s wrists, she asked, “Did I do that?”
    Looking up, Laura followed Toni’s gaze. “Oh, yeah, but it’s
okay. They’re almost gone.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “You were in the midst of a full-blown panic attack. You
didn’t know what you were doing. It’s fine.”
    “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
    “I know you didn’t,” Laura said softly. Sitting back, she
tossed the scissors in the case. “Well, there you go. All finished.”
    Surprised to see that her arm was already freshly bandaged,
Toni carefully pulled down her sleeve as she stood up. Noticing files scattered
all over Laura’s desk, she said, “I guess I should let you get back to work
now.” Reaching the door, she turned around. “Miss MacLeod?”
    “Oh, Toni, please call me Laura.”
    “Um...I just wanted to say thanks for...for helping me.”
    “You’re quite welcome, Toni.”
    “And about your idea for dinner.”
    “Yes?”
    “I’m sorry, but...but that’s not something I can do,” Toni
said in a whisper. “I’m sure you understand.”

 
     
     
    Chapter Seven
     
     
     
    “What’s that?” Toni asked, seeing a package she didn’t
recognize as Kris put away the groceries.
    Inwardly, Kris groaned. Without turning around, she said
quietly, “Oh...um...just some new biscuits. They were on sale. I thought you
might like to try them.”
    “Oh,