“I’m okay,” I mumble. “Enzo wouldn’t let me look in the mirror and I’m too scared to even look in my phone camera, so it must be bad.”
She laughs. Betsie is an older nurse, small in stature with kind brown eyes and grey hair tied into a bun. She’s lovely and the kind of nurse you want on your case. She’s the old school type who listens when you talk and takes care of you when you need. She’s one in a million.
“It’s not great, dear. I have to agree, I probably wouldn’t advise looking in the mirror. Your entire face is swollen. Speaking of, have you been able to drink much water? You’re not having difficulties swallowing?”
I shake my head. “Surprisingly, no. I’m managing okay.”
“You be sure to let us know if that changes, sometimes the swelling can set in and cause more problems. Dinner will be here soon, chew small pieces and eat slowly. I’ll give you some more medication and bring you something cool for your face, I know it’s incredibly uncomfortable with that level of swelling. We’ve given you steroids to help your body break it down, so hopefully the swelling will start to ease soon.”
I smile at her, at least, I think I do. “Thanks.”
“Is that dashing young man of yours coming back tonight?”
Dashing.
A word that should be used just as much as it was in her time, I’m sure.
Such a great word.
“Oh, he’s not mine ... I’m actually from the ranch retreat out of town.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh, the one where that boy was killed?”
I nod. “The very same. Though, trust me, it’s perfect out there. No amount of murder could take away from how amazing it is.”
“I have no doubt, I saw the photos and they were incredible. Well, make sure you take care of that man, he’s into you.”
I laugh, waving a hand. “We’re strangers, he doesn’t even know me.”
“Could have fooled me.” She winks, and then leaves the room.
A moment later a woman wheels in my dinner. She looks up, and when she sees me, she does a little jerk backward. I’ve taken her by surprise, that much is clear by the look on her face.
“It’s okay, I don’t have some weird and rare condition, I got attacked by angry wasps.”
She smiles, but I can see she’s still struggling to take in my appearance. It’s only making the desire to look that much stronger.
“Poor dear,” she says, bringing in my tray and placing it down.
Then she’s out of there.
I can’t help it.
I have to see.
I pick up my phone, turn it around and take a photo. Then, I look at the photo.
My mouth drops open.
Nothing could prepare me for the horror that stares back at me.
If Frankenstein and the Michelin man had a baby, and that baby grew up, that would be me. My face is round and so puffy my eyes are slowly being pushed into tiny slits, my nose looks like it has been swallowed up by my cheeks and my lips seem as though they’ve had an overdose of lip filler. My skin is patchy, and I look like I’m going to just burst at any moment. Like an over inflated balloon that is on the brink of exploding.
My god.
Someone make it stop.
I slam the phone down.
This is bad.
Oh god. Enzo has seen me like this.
No.
Oh my.
What am I going to do now?
9
“I’m not sure I want to ask what you’re doin’ but ...”
I look to Enzo, and the pillowcase I’ve shoved over my head and cut two eyeholes in wiggles as I do. I begged nurse Betsie to give me an old pillowcase they didn’t need, then she helped me cut two holes for my eyes and one for my squished-up nose so that I don’t terrify everyone that comes in here. I actually look far more terrifying now, but I can’t deal with Enzo seeing me like that for a second longer.
I’m scaring myself.
“You can’t see me like this, I look like a swollen monster.”
“Told you not to look,” he murmurs, walking over and sitting on the end of my bed after placing my bag down.
“I can’t believe you saw me like that, I look hideous.”
He grins. “It’s not so bad.”
“You’re a terrible liar and you’re not going to see anymore of my distorted face.”
“So you’re wearing a pillow slip? Because that’s incredibly attractive and definitely not fuckin’ weird at all.”
I scoff, even though he probably can’t see it behind the pillow slip. “Anything is better than this face.”
He steps forward, reaching for the pillow slip. I swat his hand away, but he catches my wrist and stops me. Then, he reaches for the slip again, pulling it over my head. I clench my eyes shut, which isn’t much of a feat considering my eyes are already squashed so close together I’m struggling to see.