There was a big, comfy chair and another chair set on wheels. A set of deep drawers was next to the wall.
“Sit here, button. Let’s see what we’ve got to make you feel better.” He moved to the small fridge/freezer next to the drawers and drew out a freezer pack. Grabbing a stool, he set her foot on it and placed the freezer pack that was in the shape of a monkey on her foot.
She stared down at it with a smile. “I saw monkeys at the zoo once.”
Just once?
“Which zoo was that?”
“One down in Charleston. I didn’t like it that much, seeing all the animals trapped. I know they do a lot of good too…” she trailed off with a shrug.
He sat on the other chair and wheeled himself close. She gave him a shy look.
“It doesn’t even hurt. Really.”
“Seems like it should have hurt.”
She shrugged. “Guess I’ve got a high pain tolerance.” She reached down to remove the freezer pack and he shook his head at her.
“Leave that there until I say otherwise.” He made his voice stern and she immediately removed her hand from the ice-pack. “Good girl.”
He frowned, still not liking the way she’d held in her reaction to the pain of having that piece of wood fall on her foot. No matter what she said, it had to have hurt.
She sucked her lower lip between her teeth. “I’m sorry I ruined things.”
“What do you mean?”
“You seem upset. You’re frowning. I should have been more careful. I shouldn’t have dropped the frying pan. I didn’t dent it or anything did I?”
“Brown eyes, I don’t give a rat’s ass about the damn frying pan. I care about you and your foot. I’m still not sure that we shouldn’t get it x-rayed.”
Her eyes widened and she burst into sudden laughter. He blinked. He didn’t see what was funny about his suggestion.
“Sorry,” she said between giggles. “It’s just…I’ve never had anyone fuss over me like this just because of a…a bruise.”
“Then sounds to me like it’s time someone did fuss over you,” he told her, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I…well…” She paused, seeming to think about that. “Thank you?”
He just grunted. He didn’t like that this sort of care seemed so foreign to her. Who the hell had been looking after this woman in the past that they hadn’t seen to her care when she’d hurt herself?
He pulled off the ice pack, giving her foot a soft prod. She winced and he put the ice pack back. “Wiggle your toes for me.”
Another surprised look. But she wiggled them back and forth.
“Guess nothing is broken then.”
He pulled out the drawer that held the medical supplies. A tiny bit of skin had been scraped off the top of her foot. Not enough to warrant a Band-Aid, but he knew that had never stopped a Little from wanting one.
He slid out the big container holding various Band-Aids and opened it, showing the supply to her.
“Pick one.”
“I’m not bleeding, I don’t really need…”
“Betsy. Pick. One. Now.”
Rein it in, you’re going to scare her.