Saving Della Ray

“Do you have anyone who can stay with him?” I asked. “I need to be at work.”

“We don’t,” the other man said. “But he should be okay. After a proper rest, he should be able to move around, at least a little. I’ll be back soon to check on him.”

“Instruct me on his medicine and care,” I said to the doctor.

Both men turned to gaze at each other.

“I owe him,” I explained. “I’ll help Gage the best way I can until he gets better.”

Now they looked at each other worriedly. Then the man who had come in with the gun spoke, his voice harsh, “Don’t ever call him Gage again. Call him Bone. And don’t tell anyone else his name either. No one. Do you understand?”

“Okay,” I said quickly.

I was given a key for the new lock and then the doctor produced a few packaged drugs from his bag. He instructed me on his food and doses, then they were on their way out.

I’d been hoping to return to work after Gage’s treatment even though I was already late and I worried that I had been absent too many times already. However, when I got into the room and saw him lying so still and pale underneath the covers, his eyelids tightly shut in pain, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to leave.

I called work and told them I couldn’t make it and received an earful from Henry. It was going to be a busy night and they were counting on me. All I could do was apologize profusely. “Get your act together, Della, because you’re starting to slack,” Henry said as his parting shot.

I knew I would be in financial trouble again if I lost my job, but what could I do? I put thoughts of financial Armageddon away and carried a bowl of lentil soup into the bedroom.

I hated the idea of waking him up if he had already fallen asleep. As no doubt, sleep wouldn’t come easily to him given his state. His eyes were shut so I decided to wait a bit more. I was about to tip-toe out when he spoke.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his voice tense with pain.

My nerves instantly tightened with fear and anger that he would kick me out and for the fact that he’d put himself in this state. “I’m not here for you, but for my own peace of mind.”

“If you continue to remain here that peace of mind might be permanently gone.”

His voice was low but I could pick up on every strained word. I turned around then to face him. “How?”

“Why the hell did you come here? And why the hell did you go to Reno’s? And the fucking police?”

For a few moments, I was struck dumb. “How did you find that out?” I felt a mix of emotions ranging from confusion, dread, and fear rampaging through me, and none of which I was willing to explore. So I focused on the only pressing matter at hand. “Eat your soup. You need energy to heal.”

“Leave,” he breathed. “Now, and don’t come back. If you want to protect Jess and everyone else you love, don’t drag them into this mess.”

My heart constricted at the mention of Jess, but I couldn’t back down. Not when he was in this state. “Don’t worry. I’ll leave after you’re well. You won’t have to see me again.”

I was about to walk out when I heard a shuffling sound. I turned around to see that he rolled on his side and was in the process of sitting up.

His matted hair was all over his battered face. Strangely, it made his hooded blue gaze all the more piercing as he lifted his eyes up to me. “Why aren’t you listening to me? Do you think this is all a joke?”

I couldn’t even feel the sting of his rebuke because finally he was alive, the way I always knew him. I knew then that he would heal again. That no matter how bad it looked … Bone would beat it. The relief made tears gather in my eyes. I tried my very best to chase them away, but failed miserably.

A frown spread across his forehead.

“Eat your soup,” I said, my voice breaking. “I’ll be back tomorrow, but in the meantime, let me know if you need any help and I’ll be right over.” I left his apartment then and rushed to work. All the while, I wondered about those men who had come to help him. They must all really want revenge bad on that guy Bone had mentioned before.

Lena smiled when she saw me. “Oh, good you’re here. Table nine is asking for you,” she said as she passed me, a full tray in her hand.

I changed quickly and I was back at work. I smiled, laughed and chatted with my customers and felt better than I had all week.