Boundaries

Conor: aftermath of truths

{Conor}

We were slower getting back to Ralph than we should have been, but I had a feeling Tish didn't want anyone to see the burns on her face. They were hardly her fault, but I could understand the face you thought you had being suddenly different. Of course, I had traded a wolf muzzle for a human nose, and it wasn't exactly the same, but I still wanted to be sensitive.

We strolled back to the medical bay. Grant and Ralph were playing video games though that was paused when we walked into the room.

"Tish!" Grant jumped up and wrapped her in a fierce hug. "How are you feeling? Should we call Victor?"

"Yes," I said before Tish could say no. "Thank you."

Grant let her go and darted out of the room. Ralph gave us a smile.

"I finally called Mel," he said. "Told her we're coming home. She doesn't need to know the details until we get home."

"She's going to be cross with you," I pointed out.

"But we'll be home," Ralph said. "Tish, Susie was asking for you; wanted to know if you were all right."

"Yeah, I need to email her back," Tish sighed.

"You can call her if you want," Ralph offered, pointing to his phone. "Or surprise her tomorrow, your choice."

Tish frowned at Ralph and then at me.

"I'm not staying here?" she asked.

I shook my head. "We're all going home. Sorry, I thought you knew that."

Tish sat down with a sigh. I sat down next to her, my arm across her shoulders. Ralph wheeled over. I hadn't realized how worried she looked until that moment. Now she seemed overcome by this knowledge.

"I thought you two were leaving," she said finally. "I thought...I'm glad to be out of this place."

She leaned against my shoulder as Frank came in the door. He frowned at the burns on Tish's face, but he had brought a tub with him, setting it beside me.

"Will ointments do anything?" Tish asked.

"It looks like a chemical burn," he told her. "So keeping it clean and hydrated is important. I'm sure you'll heal on your own once the silver works out of your system."

Frank spent a couple minutes carefully applying the cream to Tish's face. I let her squeeze my hand: the only sign that she was in pain was how tightly she had my hand in her grasp. For someone who kept telling me to communicate my feelings to others, Tish wasn't very communicative herself.

"And Grant is coming?" she asked.

"Yes," Ralph told her. "Conor, did you not say anything?"

"I assumed she knew she was included in 'we're going home,'" I admitted. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she turned to Ralph. "I'd like to call Susie Lynn then."

He tossed the phone to her, and she dialed. Ralph and Grant unpaused their game, but at a lower volume.

"Ralph?" came Mel's voice, filled with worry.

"It's Tish. Could I talk to Susie Lynn?"

"Susie!" we heard Mel shout on the phone. "Telephone."

"Is it Dad?" Susie Lynn questioned faintly. "He'll be home tomorrow, why is he...Hello?"

"Hey Susie," Tish said, a wide smile on her face.

"Tish! Oh my god, are you okay? I didn't hear back from you for ages; did you hear that my dad is coming home tomorrow! We're going to make him a cake but don't tell him!"