Page 53 of April’s Fool

I nod and sink deeper into my pillow.

“Now, you want to answer my question about you hurting?” he prompts.

“My throat.” I wince, having already talked too much.

“Let me see if they’ll give you something for it,” he says, pressing the nurse call button.

Only a minute or two passes before a guy in blue scrubs enters the room. I stiffen slightly until he smiles.

“Well, it’s good to see you’re awake now. You’ve had this man here ready to bite everyone’s head off. I wouldn’t mind it, but I don’t think my husband would appreciate it. I’m Timothy,” he says, introducing himself as he comes closer.

“She says her throat hurts. Is she able to get anything for the pain yet?” Fool speaks up for me.

“Let me check with the doctor and get her in here. I know the toxicology report has just come in,” Timothy answers with a nod. “I’m just gonna grab your vitals really quick while I’m in here. Are you warm enough? Need another blanket?”

Honestly, I wouldn’t mind another blanket, so I nod in agreement. I definitely need to stop using my voice right now. The little talking I did made the fiery pain worse.

“I’ll get that for you in just a sec.” Timothy continues talking, treating me not like a patient but like a friend as he checks my vitals and then gets me a blanket. “I’ll track down your doctor and see what she says.”

“Appreciate it,” Fool thanks him for both of us.

When Fool brings his gaze back to me, he retakes my hand. “I might as well admit it now, before he comes back. Timothy is the only nurse allowed in here. I refused to have any of the women in here or any men who weren’t gay.”

I cock a brow, not understanding him.

“The nurse who was in here at first hit on me, and I got pissed. I told the doc to get someone who knew how to act professionally and wouldn’t make you uncomfortable when you woke. Timothy, the doc said, would be the best. I’m not so sure about that, though.”

I smile at him and shake my head.

Moments pass before Timothy comes back into the room with a woman behind him. She’s got gray hair pulled back into a slick ponytail and gentle eyes.

“Mrs. Underwood, it’s good to see you awake. How are you feeling? Can you feel your limbs?”

“Her limbs?” Fool questions.

Other than a slight movement of my head, I hadn’t even tried to move the rest of my muscles.

“Yes, the report said she had a high dose of a paralytic in her system,” she explains, then continues going over the symptoms. How it could take days for me to regain my equilibrium fully. “Can you try to move your toes?”

I try to focus my attention and barely manage a twinge, but it is something.

“That’s good. It should be fully out of your system in a few more hours. Now that we know what was administered to you, we can finally provide pain relief. You were lucky your attacker didn’t crush your windpipe. You’ll want to take it easy with talking for the next few days to a week, maybe longer. The bruising will fade in time, but nothing is broken.”

“Thank you, Doc,” Fool remarks, giving my hand a squeeze. “When can she get out of here?”

“I’d like her to stay overnight, and we can release her in the morning, so long as she’s showing more motor skills.” Her eyes were on me the whole time. “You’ll want to follow up with primary.”

I give a jerky nod and swallow.

“Also, the police are still waiting to talk to you. I’ve told them you won’t be able to talk much. They understand this, but of course they still have their procedures to follow, as I do.”

I didn’t want to talk to the police. What exactly could they do, anyway?

After Timothy quietly administers something through the IV for the pain and then follows the doctor out of the room, I shift my gaze to Fool.

“It was Samuel,” I breathe out softly, hoping it wouldn’t hurt. It didn’t. Perhaps the meds they just administered were taking effect.

Fool’s eyes flash again, this time with murderous rage, as he leans in toward me and speaks in a low voice. “He’s going to pay for this. All of it.”