I spent the rest of the week off college recuperating; Amber and her friends had beaten me pretty badly and I had a concussion and bruised ribs, both of which had been checked out at the hospital by a doctor who suggested that next time I try and avoid fighting. I didn’t bother trying to explain what had really happened and the way the doctor kept poking me and muttering to himself was getting on my nerves.
At least I sort of understand how Marisol feels a bit more now; this must really be annoying on a regular basis.
After humming and hawing to himself a bit more, which caused my Aunt to nearly pass out – apparently she speaks mumble – and my Uncle’s lips to thin grimly as he nodded I was finally allowed to go home on the promise that I wouldn’t lift so much as a pinky finger.
“Oh don’t worry doctor, we’ll take good care of our little Ephie. There’s no way she’s even moving to go to the toilet!” Aunt Fort exclaimed as the doctor exited the room and I blushed with mortification.
“Aunt Fort! Do you have to be so embarrassing?!” I squirmed and then gasped as I jarred my poor ribs and Aunt Fort immediately turned and began fussing with me, helping me to get dress which while making me feel like a five year old again, was strangely comforting.
Uncle Bertie wandered off to see about getting me a wheelchair – So not helping me to feel less like an invalid! – and when he finally returned he found me arguing once more with Aunt Fort; who was trying to barter with one of the nurses to let her buy a bedpan.
A bedpan for pete’s sake! Do I look like I can’t go to the toilet by myself!?
Note to self: chop Auntie up into little pieces and feed her to the fish!
With my cheeks burning, which caused Aunt Fort to ask if I was coming down with something – Yeah a major case of embarrassment! – we finally left the hospital and headed home, where I found Vere waiting for me with an anxious, yet furious look on his face, “Okay tell me who did this and I’ll go kick his arse!”
“A girl called Amber.” I said bluntly and watched the fury drain from his face; there’s no way Vere would hit a girl, no matter how badly she’d hurt his little sister.
“Oh for –“ Vere stomped off up the stairs muttering to himself; the few words I’d caught made me glad that he was on my side, and that Amber was a girl, even if she was a complete and total bitch.
After two days of doing utterly nothing, aside from talking to Mare on the phone for hours upon end –
Note to self: Hide the phone bill!
– I was glad to see a friendly-ish face in the form of Peggy who had come to visit me and get the dish for the college paper, although she said that she was just worried about me.
“It’s all over the college how Castiel saved you! Is it true?” She leaned forward and I could see her eyes were bright with curiosity as she shoved the microphone under my nose, forcing me to lean back slightly.
“Off the record?” I asked slyly, guessing why she was so interested and stifling a laugh – which by the way hurt like the dickens thanks to my sore ribs – as her whole posture drooped.
