He stood for everything she was against and he wouldn't be caught dead befriending someone like her, but when the worst happens and they find themselves in a similar situation, only then will they realize they need each other to discover the anatomy...
Dad was already knocking on my door by seven thirty this morning. I'd almost forgotten I had to take him to his physical therapy, but I didn't imagine it was so damn early.
"I'll be ready in fifteen!" I yelled through the door and heard as he shuffled away. Those meds really must be working wonders if he was able to climb up and down those stairs. The bathroom was freezing when I walked in barefoot, shuddering as my foot hit the cold tile. I opened the faucet and threw some water onto my sleepy face. My reflection startled me and made me jump a little. The brown waves that framed my face were unfamiliar and I looked almost unrecognizable. The bruise around my eye was already yellowing and didn't hurt as much as it had. While I lathered on my foundation, a stupid realization hit me like a ton of bricks. Dad had seen me last night without makeup on and he'd seen the glaring bruise that marred my face.
I was sure he'd noticed; it wasn't particularly hard to miss. But then, why hadn't he mentioned it? He was sure to say something today on the drive to the hospital. Maria didn't get her astuteness from mom. Definitely wasn't looking forward to that conversation.
I finished up in the bathroom and threw on some jeans and a long sleeve t shirt, and wrapped myself in a warm hoodie. When I walked into the kitchen, dad was drinking a cup of coffee at the table, reading the newspaper. He still read printed issues, claiming it kept the integrity of the written word or something.
"Ready," I said.
He peered at me through the top of his bifocals and smiled, getting up and folding his newspaper. He tucked it under his arm and followed me to the car. When I saw him grab his cane, I frowned. "I thought you didn't need to use it anymore." I pointed to the cane when he gave me a confused expression.
"Oh, well, this is precautionary. I'm usually a little sore after the therapy so I figured it's best to be on the safe side."
The drive to the hospital was a very short one, but dad didn't want to risk his muscles locking up if he drove the car. So, I drove the ten minutes it took to get there grateful that he didn't mention the bruise. He just looked out the window, staring at the passing houses until we got there. Once inside, we didn't have to wait too long for a nurse to come get him and together they disappeared behind two swinging double doors.
I used the hour I waited to message Caleb, telling him that I'd pick him up at nine. Moises, the owner of the book store called me to tell me I had to show up at noon to go cover his own shift for a few hours, for which I was grateful. The job was easy and the pay was minimal, but all the money I could get was welcomed.
When I hung up, I looked around at the people in the waiting room around us. None of them looked very ill, but many of them, like my father, suffered silently. One young boy sat in a wheelchair, his hand in his mother's. He reminded me a little of Caleb; they had the same leaden eyes. I could see his face contort quietly in pain every once in a while and I couldn't look at him anymore. His pain wasn't mine to feel, so I ignored it.
I focused instead on the doctors rushing around and the people exiting the building. There was something I enjoyed about watching others when they didn't know they had an audience. Nothing was done deliberately for me, but rather for whoever they were with. I watched as a young nurse spoke to an older woman quietly, a polite smile on her face. She seemed to be giving her directions and when she left, a doctor captured her attention. Her face changed instantly, breaking out into a real smile. The full force of it made her look almost frenzied, but the doctor seemed to not pay attention. He touched her arm and her head snapped down to where his hand lingered. It was fascinating to see how her character changed so immediately. I wondered if I did that. Did I look frenzied and wild when I was with Jasper? Was my forced affection to Caleb stoic and forced to everyone else? Maybe we did need to try harder to get people to believe we were genuinely together and not just each other's rebound.
Dad finally came out, leaning on his cane and trailed by Dr. Rosethorn. Caleb's father smiled when he spotted me and dad beckoned at me to go say hello. I really didn't want to. Especially not if Dr. R mentioned he saw me the other day.
"Hello, Miss Valencia. How are you this morning?"
"Hello doctor." I took the hand he offered and shook it.
"Your father here was just telling me how he met Caleb at your house the other day." His smile was warm, but there was an edge of question in his voice. A demand for an explanation, which I didn't have. Caleb must not have told him he and Ginger were through and I wasn't about to TMZ that mess.
"Oh, yeah." I left it at that, and his cold eyes didn't move from my face, obviously searching for some kind of tell or hidden information. I looked away and at dad.
"I have to go to work at noon." I hoped he got the hint.
"Oh, yes. Okay. Well, doctor. Thank you so much for everything. Like I said before, your son is a very polite young man. I can see the resemblance."
Come on dad. Wrap it up.
"I'll see you next week, Emiliano. Miss Valencia." He nodded once and left us.
Dad struggled a little to get in the car, obviously sore, so I helped him climb on. It was only ten, so when we got home, I took a quick shower and had time to do my hair. It ended up taking way longer than I'd bargained for, and I ended up running late for work. It was better that way, though. Free time was always unwelcome because it forced me to be alone with my thoughts. And my memories. And those were very dangerous at the moment.
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