“I know, baby. You just stay still. I’ll take care of everything.”
I hear him call Micah and Kane even though the nurse glares at him.
He fills out the papers after calling for them. Then he starts pawing through my purse looking for my id and insurance card. He finds the letter and pulls it out, unfolding it and reading it.
“What the fuck is this? Did they fire you?”
I nod. “Yep. Effective immediately.” My stomach flips again and I lean against his broad shoulder, his arm coming around me to hold me.
“Fuck that! We’re gonna fight that.”
I shake my head. “I don’t care right now.”
“Well, of course not. But as soon as you’re better we’re gonna crush these assholes. Sanctimonious fuckers.”
He grumbles and growls some more until they finally call my name. He lays me down on the bed carefully, his calloused hand delicately pushing my hair out of my face. “You’ll be alright, baby.”
The doctor walks in and takes a look at her chart. A nurse draws some blood and takes her temperature. Both of them mark some things down and then there’s a loud bang at the curtain as someone crashes into a cart.
“Jesus!” I jump when the curtains ripped aside and Micah and Kane come racing into the tiny room.
“How is she? What’s wrong? Why haven’t you told us what’s wrong?”
The doctor eyes us curiously but says nothing. “Settle down. She’s probably just sick.”
All three of us turn to him and he lifts a hand. “She’s not running a fever and her heart rate is a little elevated. Blood pressure too. Nothing to be concerned about. I just need to figure out what’s got her feeling sick.”
He nods to the nurse and she slips out of the room. “Has she eaten anything unusual recently? Been exposed to anyone who’s ill?”
“She’s a teacher. She’s always got sick kids around her.”
He nods. “Okay. Well, I’ve got a few things to check and we’ll see what we find. I’ll be back.”
Judas growls once he leaves the room. “You’re never gonna believe what I found in her purse!”
Both of them eye me like I have two heads.
“Those bastards fired her because of us.”
Micah curses under his breath. “I’m gonna kill someone.”
“I think I’ll see what my brother thinks about this. She’s family. He doesn’t like it when family’s messed with.”
“Jesus, Kane. Do not call your brother and get him down here offing half the school board or something.”
“He wouldn’t do that. Just find some dirt to blackmail them with.”
“No. Absolutely not.”
Micah growls and stomps around the room until I feel even dizzier. “Stop moving, dammit!”
I close my eyes and let their soft words drift over me until the doctor merrily strolls back in the room.
“Feeling any better?”
Judas grumbles. “Does she look better?”
“Well, sadly, that’s a side effect of her condition and we’ll get her some medication to help with that.”