I shrugged. “Six months, give or take the month I was in the hospital.”
“Are you married?” the doctor asked.
“No,” Hannah said. “We live together—right now we’re staying at my sister’s house for security reasons. It’s a long story.”
Kathy nodded. “Tell me the five-minute version so we can focus on what’s really going on here.”
Hannah and I took turns explaining about Li Na Zhao, Paragon, and what happened when I was shot and Hannah was taken prisoner.
“So…you two are only living together out of convenience, for safety purposes?” Dr. Kathy asked.
“No,” Hannah said.
“Yes,” I said at the same time.
Hannah looked at me sharply. “That’s the only reason?”
I could feel my face redden as both she and the doctor watched me. “Uh…”
“What will you do when the safety threat passes?” the doctor asked.
“I’m buying a new house.” I smoothed my pants, which were already smooth. “I sort of just gave my brother my old one.”
I was going to ask Hannah to move in with me, but her sister made me feel like a moron?
“Let’s change direction for a moment,” Kathy said, letting me off the hook. “I want to talk more about what happened. Where were you held when these men had you?” Kathy asked Hannah.
“We were in Oakland, only I didn’t know that until afterward. They never let me outside.”
“What other sort of rules did they have for you?”
Hannah looked taken aback that the doctor was talking about this so soon. “Uh, nothing, really.”
Kathy waited, watching her.
“They just kept me in a room. They didn’t feed me much or talk to me. They let me watch television, though, which was good. I think I would’ve gone crazy without General Hospital.”
Hannah smiled at the doctor, but the doctor didn’t smile back.
“What else did they let you do?” she asked.
“I got to Skype my sister a few times. And they let me have vodka once or twice.” Her face reddened slightly.
“Hold that thought.” Kathy turned to me. “Wesley? What about you? What have you been struggling with?”
“It’s been hard not being able to work,” I admitted. “And I didn’t like feeling like I couldn’t take care of myself.”
“That’s hard for you?”
I shrugged. “My parents are both dead. I’m a marine. I’m sort of used to being a lone wolf. But Hannah’s been wonderful. She never makes me feel bad or that I’m bothering her when I need something.”
“Why would she?” Kathy asked. “You did get shot trying to protect her, after all. She’d be a total bitch if she made you pay for your injuries emotionally, too, don’t you think?”
I coughed. “I guess so.” It appeared that Kathy, with her clogs and her offers of tea, didn’t mince words.
“But I wouldn’t do that, and Wes wouldn’t be with someone who treated him like that, so it’s sort of beside the point,” Hannah said.
Kathy smiled at her. “Agreed. But Wesley was praising you for this, and I wanted him to see what he was really doing.”