Damien looked down at me. “You understand him?”
I nodded, but the movement caused me pain, so I stopped. A nurse came in and asked me a million questions then asked me to sign something to allow me to be sedated by an anaesthesiologist. Damien was so mad that I signed the form without reading it, but I didn’t care. My face throbbed, and my head overall felt like a dead weight on my shoulders. I just wanted to go to sleep. Damien held my hand as a nurse stuck a needle in my arm and set up an IV.
I was moved to the operating theatre where I had to strip out of my clothes and put on a disposable gown. Once the nurses confirmed I had no food or water since early in the morning, they wheeled my bed into the operating room. Damien kissed me and told me he’d ring my parents as soon as he got back to Dominic and Bronagh who were still in the A&E Department. I was brave for him because I could see how worried he was for me, especially when the nurse had to clean up blood that dribbled from my mouth.
Once inside the operating room, things moved fast and before I knew it, I was asked to count back from ten. I think I made it to six before I was gifted with darkness. Sweet, painless darkness.
One week later…
“You have a visitor.”
I groaned and turned over, putting my back to Damien.
“I said no visitors,” I grouched. “How stupid are ye’ not to comprehend that?”
“I must be very stupid for putting up with your nasty attitude this past week.”
I grunted. “No one asked ye’ to put up with it.”
“Wrong,” he replied. “Your mom did because she said she was gonna slap you silly if you snapped at another person while you healed.”
“I wouldn’t snap at people if they didn’t do stupid stuff.”
“You made Alec cry when you yelled at him.”
“He made ‘imself cry,” I scowled. “Who thinks chocolates are a good gift to bring someone who can’t fuckin’ eat anythin’?”
“He had good intentions,” Damien replied. “Now he won’t come back here unless you give him a formal handwritten apology.”
“He’ll be waitin’ until hell freezes over if that’s the case.”
Damien sighed, long and deep.
“I want a cup of tea, Damien,” I stated. “I wouldn’t be so grouchy if ye’ just gave me what I wanted.”
“You can’t have hot liquids until your stitches are fully dissolved and your wound is healed so no tea.”
“You’re a real arsehole. I hope ye’ know that. This is why I haven’t had sex with ye’ in a week.”
“Jesus,” a voice from the hallway sounded. “I’ll just come back another time. She sounds like … like the old Bronagh.”
I froze. “Is that Gavin Collins?”
“No,” Gavin replied from the hallway. “It’s not me.”
Damien snorted. “It is him, and he came to see you, so get up.”
“Or what?”
“Or I’ll make you get up.”
I didn’t move, and when Damien moved and pulled my blanket away from my body, I sat up in a huff.
“I’m up,” I snapped.
He rolled his eyes over me. “You need to shower.”
“You need to piss off,” I countered. “Me face is killin’ me.”
“Get up,” he ordered. “I need to change the sheets.”
I rolled my eyes as I put my face in my hands and groaned. I was an irritable monster, and I knew it, but every little thing Damien did annoyed me. Every little thing everyone did annoyed me. My friends and parents stopped coming to see me three days ago. My own mother refused to see me until I lost my attitude. A cup of tea would make me feel immensely better, but Damien refused me that. Seven long days it had been since I last had a cup of tea, and I was going through severe withdrawals. It was what fuelled my rude behaviour.
“I can’t stand ye’,” I said to Damien. “Not even a little bit.”
He swatted my behind as I got up and passed him.
“I’m five seconds away from throwing you out of the damn window, sweetheart.”
“Ha! Ye’ aren’t strong enough to pick me up and throw me out the window … Ye’ aren’t Nico.”
I knew I would hit a nerve with that, and from the glare Damien shot my way, I knew he would get me back for it in some shape or form. I left the room, and when I saw Gavin in the hallway, I scowled.
“Hello to you too, Alannah.”
I ignored him as I leaned my shoulder against the wall.
“Have ye’ thrown water in another pregnant woman’s face lately?”
“Yeah,” I lied. “That’s me thing. I prey on the weak and vulnerable.”
Gavin snorted. “I miss ye’.”
“Don’t let the midget hear ye’ say that,” I grunted. “She’ll skin me alive.”
“Alannah.” Gavin sighed. “Kalin doesn’t hate—”
“Yeah,” I cut him off. “She does. Anyone with eyes can see it; she hates that we’re friends. She doesn’t care that you’re Bronagh’s friend, just mine. I don’t care, though. I don’t need ‘er to be me friend. She’s a hobbit-sized demon.”