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Xavier sighed. “Sweetheart, this is still serious.”
“But I don’t have a heart condition or anything.”
“Yes, but stress and anxiety can all impact your health negatively. You need to take this seriously. Stress can kill you prematurely. You collapsed the other day. I wish you’d consider speaking to someone, there are things that can be done—”
“I don’t want drugs.”
“There are other ways,” he soothed. “Techniques you can use to help. Running until you’re at the point of exhaustion and collapse isn’t a good coping technique.”
She sighed, but looked unsure.
“Can we table that for the moment?” Ed asked. “Is there anything else we can do?”
She sent him a grateful look. Oh, if only she knew that he intended to revisit the therapy idea. But after he’d talked to Xavier about who he would recommend and done his own research. Then he’d talk her into going. Because she was going to get everything she needed. Even if he had to use a bit of gentle pressure.
Or not so gentle pressure. But he’d use that as a last resort. With Georgie, he needed to tread carefully until she trusted him more.
“Anything to help her relax. Exercise is good, but not to the point of exhaustion. Something like yoga or Pilates might help. Sleeping and eating right is imperative. A good diet. Plenty of rest. But it can be hard to sleep well with anxiety. Naps are a good idea. Particularly as it sounds like you haven’t slept well in a while.”
“Darn it, you weren’t supposed to back him up,” she grumbled.
“So keeping her relaxed and her mind off negative thoughts,” Ed reiterated.
“Right. If you can think of ways to do that, great. Also cutting down on caffeine. That won’t be helping the heart palpitations or the headaches. Drink lots of water. Did you fill the ‘script yet for her iron tablets?”
“No, I was going to go out and do that soon,” Ed replied.
“Try to take them with vitamin C to aid absorption. They can upset some people’s stomachs, so just watch out for any nausea, constipation, or vomiting.”
“Xavier!” she protested, going bright red.
“I’ve got to know what to look for,” Ed told her firmly. “It’s my job to keep you safe and healthy.”
“I’ve been doing that myself for over twenty years.”
He thought it probably wasn’t prudent to remind her that she’d just ended up in the hospital because she’d collapsed. And that she was underweight and stressed.
“Call me if you need me, all right?”
“Thanks, man,” Ed told him gratefully, putting him off speaker and holding the phone to his ear.
“So I’m no longer an asshole?”
“Nah, you’re always an asshole,” he replied. “Gotta go. Got to take care of my girl.”
“I’m glad you’ve found her. I’m off speaker?”
“Yep.”
“There’s a prescription for sedatives with her discharge papers. She’s not keen on taking them, but if she’s having real problems sleeping she might need to.”
“Got it. Don’t worry I’m going to take good care of her.” He stared down at Georgina as he told Xavier that.
“Never doubted you, man.”
He ended the call then put his phone down. She tried to smile for him. “See? Nothing that bad.”
“Bad enough, Georgie-girl.”
