Damage Repaired

Chapter 44

Nathaniel gently placed me in the back seat of his Audi, propping my foot up on the center console before running back to our tent to put clothes on as well. Luckily, the hospital wasn't far from the campsite, so I wasn't left bleeding in the car for hours before we reached civilization. During the drive, I watched Nathaniel's eyes flicker back and forth from the road to the rearview mirror, watching me.

"I'm not angry at you," he finally filled the stifling silence.

I nodded, grateful for his reassurance. "I know."

We arrived at the hospital in no time, thanks to Nathaniel's crazy driving. I was surprised we didn't get pulled over once. He scooped me out of the car, pressing a quick kiss to my temple then carried me all the way to a reserved room with doctors trailing at his heel. Once I was placed on the bed, he explained to them what happened while a Dr. Phillips started unwrapping the towel and bandages from around my foot to take a look.

Unfortunately for me, I needed stitches. The wound on my foot wasn't a small scratch but an actual gash which was probably why Nathaniel slightly paled when he first saw it. Knowing him and how dramatic he was when it came to me, he probably thought I was dying and needed immediate life-altering surgery. Getting the stitches was a breeze. The doctor numbed the area and stitched me up in no time with Nathaniel at my side watching the doctor's every move to make sure she didn't fuck up as if he would be able to tell.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, after the doctors were gone and I was officially taken care of.

"Good," I answered honestly. My foot didn't hurt as badly as it did a few hours ago. I could handle the faint residual stinging that occurred occasionally.

"Harmless huh?" His lips tilted upwards referring to when I told him swinging into the lake was harmless.

"Who could've predicted I'd step on a fucking rock and split my foot open?"

"Me."

I rolled my eyes and chewed on the ice chips a nurse brought for me per Nathaniel's request or more like demand. "You can't save me from everything you know that right?"

He leaned down and pressed his lips against my forehead, then my cheek and nose. "Doesn't mean I won't try," he whispered against my lips and I fucking swooned.

Dr. Phillips came back a few minutes later, to inform me how I'd have to keep my stitches in for two weeks and demonstrated how to care for them during that time. Nathaniel had to take a call during that time which gave me an opportunity to talk to Dr. Phillips about something else entirely that had nothing to do with my foot, something I didn't want Nathaniel to be there for.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" She asked after info dumping my already exhausted brain.

"I need a pelvic exam," I blurted.

Her eyes widened in shock for a brief second then she cleared her throat. "Of course. Do you mind if I ask why, or will this be a regular routine checkup?"

I swallowed hard and quickly gave her the rundown of the miscarriage I had a few years ago and how after I realized what happened I went to the ER to make sure everything came out of me and nothing was stuck or left behind. After leaving, I was supposed to show up the next day to get checked up but I never did because I was already on a flight out of the country. That was four years ago and if I wanted any chance of having kids again, I needed to know if my body would be able to handle pregnancy again after that trauma.

"I'll get a gynecologist down here immediately," she promised.

"I need this to be kept a secret," I added, glancing at Nathaniel pacing down the hall through the window still on the phone. "He can't know about this."