New In The Territories (Book 1) COMPLETED

Chapter 29 Sam

Waking up, my arm throbbed, rolling out of bed to find the much-needed pain meds Dr. Bosje prescribed. Reaching for the empty glass from the nightstand and head for the bathroom for water to take the pills. 

"Good morning," a rough groggy voice said from somewhere in the room.

I screamed, dropping the empty glass which thankfully didn't break. I turned quickly towards the voice only to smash my bruised elbow against the door frame. The first tear rolled down my face as I fell to my knees, clutching the now pulsating elbow.

Holding my arm tight against my body, forehead resting against the floor, trying to catch my breath as pain radiates down my body. Distantly soothing sounds and the feel of someone rubbing my back registered through the fog of pain. Concentrating on those sounds and touch, I bring myself back from the pain.

"Shit that really hurt." I was to afraid to move.

"Sam, I am so sorry," Dmitri's voice came through the fog.

"I am so putting a fucking bell around your neck! What the hell are you doing in my room?" voice thick with pain and anger. Slowly I sat up and glared at the man crouched beside me.

"I was here all night. That shot the doc gave you knocked you out cold and your breathing was kinda funny, so we took turns sitting with you," he said wiping away the last tear with the pad of his thumb.

Resting my head against the warm touch of his hand, I whispered, "Thank you."

He gently lifted me off the floor without jarring my arm, setting me back down on the bed, and then disappears into the bathroom to return with a glass of water. Opening the pill bottle, Dmitri passed the pills, the water, and watched me take them. My guilt faded and headed right to confusion. Always the caregiver and not one to be taken care of made me angry for being thought of as useless, but on the other hand it felt nice to be taken care of for a change. Not knowing what might come out of my mouth, I nodded my thanks.

"Do you want or need anything else?" Dmitri now sat on the edge of the bed, never taking his eyes off me with his hand resting on my knee.

Anger winning out, I snapped, "No. I'm fine." That was so much colder then I meant to be.

"Sam, talk to me. What's going on in that head of yours?" Dmitri pleaded, staring into me eyes as if he could see into my soul.

The intensity becoming too great, I looked away first. Debating what I should say or just tell him to get the hell out of the room was a toss up. There had been to much change in such a short time and it was getting to me.

"Come on Sam," Dmitri lifted my chin with a finger so I had to look at him or act like a child.

"It's...Ok, here's the thing. I am not a useless boob that needs to be taken care of and it really pisses me off to be treated like one. I like you Dmitri and I'm doing my best not to just go off and tell you where to go and how to get there." I tried out this open and honest thing instead of sarcasm. Lets see how it worked out.

"First, I don't think you are a useless boob," letting out a chuckle, "In fact in the short time I've known you I think you're the total opposite. A strong pig headed woman would be a more accurate description. For the second thing, I want to do things for you, it's who I am. I take care of people I care for and for ones who cannot take care of themselves. And no, you are not the second.

A sigh of relief escaped through my lips. "Ok, so we understand each of us is definitely not on the list of people who need help. We are both stubborn and we need to work on the whole helping and accepting help." Looking at Dmitri on my own free will.