PURPLE HEART - Soliders Of Fortune [BOOK TWO]

Chapter TWENTY SIX

Sunday 'Sunny' Santos

I squirm uncomfortably, inside and out, sitting on a thin strip of sanitary paper at the end of an examination table in the clinical-blue doctor's office.. The friction of my frayed nerves rubbing against one another fills my body with an anxious energy, manifesting in all kinds of twitches and ticks that cannot be controlled or contained..

Meanwhile, as steely as I expect a soldier should be, Max stands still as a statue in the corner with his arms folded across his broad chest, as we await the doctor.. His calmness eerily disarming given the full blown panic attack that strangles me into submission..

Practically hyperventilating, I pant each breath, unable to get enough oxygen and feeling dangerously light headed for it.. "It can't be a good sign that he called me in here, don't you think? Doctors only ever call when it's bad news.. What if it's bad? What if Javier gave me something awful like syphilis or the scurvy? Ohh! What if it's terminal?! Dios me salve, la muerte viene a llevarme!" (god save me, death comes for me)

"Take a breath.." The Loan Shark soothes with a patient and lulling growl that is like a calming salve to my burnt out nerves.. "You haven't got scurvy.."

"How do you know that?!" I demand, desperate for any reassurance I can get, rational or otherwise..

He chuckles richly, feathered crinkles of amusement forming at the corners of his striking azure eyes.. "Because you aren't an 18th century pirate, Zayka.."

"Oh.." I sniffle with a smile, the constricting tightness in my chest giving way to the butterflies in my stomach, as a rare warmth radiates from his handsome visage.. "You're funny..".

"Funny how?" He smirks, quirking a brunette browz and I can only giggle at his subtle brand of dry humour

"Don't make me laugh!" I grin, leaning forward to rest my hands on my knees, suddenly feeling ten times lighter and liable to float away.. "This is serious, Maksim!"

"You're right.." The Loan Shark holds up his hands in surrender before he inclines his head in an indulging kind of way.. "Feel better?"

The smile on my face should be answer enough, but still I nod.. "Si.. A little.." (yes)

But the lighthearted reprieve is short lived and that feeling of peace is ripped away from me as the door pushes open and the familiar face of a certain handsome Irish Doctor appears.. "Hello Miss Santos, a pleasure it'tis to see ye' again!"

"Hola, Doctor O'Cleirigh.." (hello) I force out a pathetic peep as my breath stalls in my chest and terror seizes me stiff..

"Now old boy, let me see..." The doctor mutters indistinctly to himself while he flicks slowly through his little blue folder.. Crossing distractedly to sit at the small desk that lines the far wall.. "What do we 'ave?... What do we 'ave?"