“He’s fine, don’t worry,” Ryan said. “He’s awake, he’s lucid, and he’s already a pain in my ass. He sent me down for ice chips.”
“How’s his leg?”
“Bandaged up nicely,” Ryan replied as we closed in on Phil’s room. “The burns are second degree, so they’ll cause him some pain, but that should fade with time. He’ll have a few blisters and redness, too, but again, that should heal with time. He’s also got a sprained ankle, which means he needs to be on bed rest for about a week, which puts him out of commission as far as work is concerned.”
“I bet he wasn’t happy to hear that.”
“Not even a little bit,” Ryan agreed, with a smile.
Ryan led me to a door and then pushed inside without even bothering to knock. Phil was sitting in the center of the small room on a hospital bed with his leg bandaged up and placed carefully on a pillow. There were two other guys sitting beside him. Both I recognized from the trial, but I remembered their names because of all the stories that Phil had told me about them.
“Look who I brought,” Ryan said, gesturing me inside.
I walked in and went straight for Phil’s bedside, as the men moved out of my way.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Of course.” Phil nodded. “I’ve had worse before. What are you doing here?”
That made me pause. “Uh…the hospital called me.”
Then I saw realization dawn on Phil’s face. “Oh fuck, they asked me about family when they brought me in and… I didn’t have anyone, so I guess I gave them your information. I’m sorry…”
“Don’t apologize,” I said immediately. “I’m glad the hospital called me.”
Someone cleared his throat behind me, and Phil looked up with a start. “Sorry, Megan, these are my partners in crime, Mel, Kendrick, and Ryan.”
“It’s nice to meet you all,” I said, shaking their hands.
“It’s nice to meet you, too, Megan,” Mel said. “We’ll give you two some privacy. Come on, boys.”
When we were alone, I turned to Phil and took his hand, without worrying about what he would say or how he would feel about it. I just wanted to touch him.
“I was so scared when I got the call,” I said. “I think I jumped to worst case scenario.”
“You don’t have to worry… I’m fine, as you can see.”
“Still, this is all part of your job.”
“Always has been.” Phil nodded.
“When are they discharging you?” I asked.
“In a few minutes,” he replied. “The doctor will come in and change my dressing and then I’m free and clear.”
“I’ll help you get back home.”
“You should be at work.”
“Fuck work,” I said firmly. “You need me more.”
Phil looked amused, but he didn’t insist that I go back to work, and I took that as a good sign. Once he was discharged, Phil handed me his car keys and Mel, Kendrick, and Ryan helped him into the car. Then I drove us back to his building and helped him up the stairs to his apartment. It wasn’t the easiest job in the world, and his crutches kept getting in the way, but we managed.
Once we were inside, I settled him down on the couch and made sure he was comfortable. Then I ran around like a headless chicken, getting dinner ready while making sure the apartment was clean and organized.
“Megan, stop,” Phil said, unable to do anything more than talk to me. “You’re not my maid or my nurse.”
“You need clean sheets on your bed,” I insisted. “And I want to make sure there aren’t any tripping hazards lying about. Also, I’ve kept all your creams and medicines on the counter next to your bed, so you won’t forget to take them.”