She crept up to the door, aware of the sound of her own breathing, and listened. There was no sound to give away the identity of her visitor. She allowed herself the tiniest bit of hope, though, that it might be Billie. Maybe Billie was coming over to check she was OK. Maybe she wanted a sleepover!
She pulled open the door, holding Goldie tightly for comfort. When she saw who was standing there, she almost squeaked in shock.
Shay.
She had thought — hoped — she’d never see him again. She still blamed him for making Conor and Finn leave her house on that last day she saw them. She still, somehow, felt he was behind the fact they’d all disappeared the following day.
Shay looked so much older, and even moodier than he used to, if that was even possible. Those dark, brooding eyes. That rough stubble and muscular frame. He looked like he’d just spent days wandering in the wilderness, and wasn’t too pleased about the fact he’d just stumbled uponher.
‘I, er… Hi, Shay. I saw Finn earlier, but I had no idea you lived here too—’
Shay stared at her, his expression still full of disdain. ‘What areyoudoing here?’
Tammy swallowed. ‘I’m, um, the doctor,’ she said. Then, she became aware of how ridiculous she looked in her little cartoon nightie, holding a cuddly goldfish toy. Oh man, this sucked. She felt vulnerable enough as it was right now without having to come out as a Little on top of everything else.
‘Yeah, well, I need your help, doc,’ said Shay. He held out his hand, and Tammy saw the blood-soaked dishcloth around it. Didn’t look great, but it didn’t look terrible either. She definitely needed to examine it, though.
Ugh. Effing awesome.
‘Come in, then,’ she said. ‘I’ll just put down my, er, fish, and grab a robe. Please, go through to the surgery.’
Shay walked in and she found herself watching him. His gait, his mussed-up hair. He looked tired. Had the air of someone who’d been under a lot of stress lately. Like he’d probably benefit from—
No. She didn’t need to do this. As much as she had that in-built instinct to nurture, to protect, she didn’t need to let it out at every available opportunity. Shay was just here to get his finger checked out. He didn’t deserve any more or less than that.
She ran upstairs and grabbed her bathrobe then raced back down again. It wasn’t ideal, because her robe was bright yellow with rubber duckies all over it. But it covered up her chest and thighs a bit, so it would have to do.
‘Righty-ho,’ she said, walking into the surgery. ‘Let’s take a look at this finger then, shall we?’
Shay was already sitting in the chair beside her desk. He looked a little pale. That was strange. She assumed someone like Shay would be fine with a bit of blood, but maybe he was squeamish.
‘I’ll let you look, doc,’ said Shay. ‘Not too fussed about seeing that kind of thing myself.’
Tammy tried to hide a smile. Tough Shay, squirming at the thought of a cut on his finger, was kind of amusing. Tammy was lucky she’d never been worried by the sight of blood. Probably due to all the gruesome medical textbooks her dad had lying around at home. Somehow, Tammy was able to distance herself from the gore of it. To see a wound simply as a problem to be fixed.
She unwrapped the dishcloth and took a look at the cut. It wasn’t the worst she’d seen by any stretch, but it wouldn’t hurt to give it a wash and put in a couple of stitches.
‘How did you do it?’ she asked.
‘Cut it chopping the herbs I foraged,’ he replied.
She frowned at him.
‘I’m a chef,’ he explained. ‘Work at the bar here.’
OK, well Tammy wasn’t expecting that. Shay the rebel had never seemed like the kind of guy who’d get a real job. Let alone one involving such discipline and creativity. She couldn’t help admiring him for that.
‘Was the knife you used clean or rusty?’
‘Perfectly clean,’ said Shay. ‘No rusty knives in my kitchen. Although, the plants I was chopping might have been dirty, so—’
‘Don’t worry,’ said Tammy. ‘I’ll give it a wash, make sure it’s sterile. Then I’ll put on some numbing gel and pop in a couple stitches.’
‘Nnng.’ Shay gritted his teeth.
‘You won’t even feel them,’ said Tammy. ‘And this will heal up in no time. It’s really not that bad. I’ve seen much worse. For example, this one time—’
‘It’s OK,’ said Shay. ‘I don’t need to hear about that time. Just… do it quickly, alright?’