Saving Della Ray

“You’ll make it worse. Don’t. Someone will be here …” He trailed off probably in exhaustion and unfathomable pain.

My chest tightened with helpless frustration, but I had no choice but to obey him. I understood so little about the rules and regulations he must submit to and I didn’t want my defiance to make things worse for him.

“Let’s get you up,” I suggested, and went to grab his hand, but he shook his head ever so slightly. To my distress even that tiny movement caused him to grunt with pain.

Beyond worry and wait, I couldn’t say or do anything else. I dare not even put a pillow under his head lest I cause more injury. I called Nichole and told her what was happening and warned her that I didn’t know when I would be back. She said she had everything covered and I was to only come when everything was fine. She could even take Jess to day care tomorrow if necessary. I thanked her and sat down on the floor next to Gage to wait. It was the most excruciating ten minutes wait of my life as I watched his battered bloody state and waited for whoever it was he was expecting to come.

After what seemed like a lifetime, I heard footsteps as they came through the door. I couldn’t help the fear that coursed through my blood as two men appeared at his bedroom door. The first man had a gun and my first thought was … he had come to finish the job and kill Gage.

Thankfully, the man behind him had a black medicine bag in hand. They immediately hurried over when they spotted us.

“Hurry,” I said. “He’s been beat up bad.”

I stood and backed away so they would be able to at least lift him up onto the bed.

It was the most agonizing sight to see him groan with so much pain. It made something freeze over inside of me. The man that had the gun began to inspect him while the other turned to me. “Would you please wait outside, Miss?”

“The hell I will. I’m not going anywhere!” I declared and folded my arms across my chest to monitor them closely.

To my surprise, he just made an exasperated noise and returned his focus to his examination of Gage’s injuries.

“How is he?” I asked, five minutes in.

“Badly battered but he’ll live. Could you please get me a bowl of hot water so I can wash and dress his wounds?”

“Be right back,” I said and rushed to the kitchen. It felt good to be able to finally do something.

“I’m going to get someone to fix the door,” the other man said.

A little while later, Bone had been given a sedative. Whether he was conscious or not, through the grueling process of the doctor treating his wounds, I didn’t know, but I heard only the occasional hiss of pain and even those tore at my soul.

When the doctor came into the kitchen to wash his hands, I asked him what kind of food would be best for Gage to consume at this time. He recommended soup. I quickly ordered some. Then while I was in the kitchen sorting out a grocery list, I heard the pound of tools. The sounds relieved me greatly. The door was being fixed.

Nichole called me. Jess was feeling restless because she hadn’t seen me all day.

She put her on and she was sniffing a bit. “Mommy, why didn’t you come and pick me up today?” she asked in a small voice.

“I had something very important to do.”

“What was it?”

“Someone was hurt and I had to help them.”

“Oh dear,” she said, her voice changing. “Was it like that time we helped that baby bird?”

“Yes.”

“Where do you think he is now?”

“Well, with his Mom and Dad, of course.”

“When will you come home, Mommy?”

“I don’t know, honey. But I promise to come as soon as I can, okay?”

“Will you come in time for us to water the wild flowers tomorrow?”

“I think so, but if I’m not there, Nichole will do it with you.”

“Oh.”

“You’ll have to teach her what to do because she won’t know where the plants are or anything.”

“Yes, I can do that,” she said brightly.

“That’s my girl. So anyway, how was playschool today?”

She launched into a story about her best friend, Mike. He was a little boy who had a speech impediment. No one else would befriend him, so Jess decided to make him her best friend. As I was listening to her both men came into the kitchen and I turned around to meet their gazes. I knew Jess’s story would go on for a long time so I told her I would call her back in five minutes and ended the call.

“He’ll be fine,” the doctor said to me. “He just needs time to heal.”