Wounded

Chapter 5...

It didn't take me long to get the things I needed to patch Brett up. As much as I wanted to slowly get the stuff, I had to get back to him and sew up his wound before it got infected. Before I re-entered the room, I took a deep breath. Don't let him get to you, Kayla. You are better than that, I told myself sternly. I knew that he could say one word and I would be putty in his hands. Well not this time. Things had changed; I had changed.

When I entered the room, Brett looked up and set his phone down on the bed. I could feel his eyes on me the entire time I moved around the room, placing down the things in my arms. Pulling a roller chair out, I sat down right next to his arm. I wanted to stay professional, so I cleared my throat and glanced up at him.

"I am going get you a shot to numb your arm so I can quickly stitch up this cut. It will also help with the pain of the burn. If you do feel any pain while I do that, just let me know and I can numb it even more, okay?"

"Sounds good." He nodded. I gently grabbed the edge of his shirt sleeve and rolled it up. I tried my best not to look affected as his muscular arm came into view. Even though I was wearing gloves, when my hand touched his skin, I felt a shock go up my arm.

As I grabbed the needle and wiped a small spot on his arm, I noticed the edges of what looked like a tattoo on his shoulder that also possibly spread onto his chest. Well that was new. Brett didn't even flinch as I gave him the shot. He used to hate needles; yes, a six-foot-three football player was scared of needles. But it seemed he didn't care anymore.

Waiting for the shot to take effect, I moved onto the burn on his hand. Cautiously grabbing his big hand in my small one, I dipped a finger in the burn salve before starting to rub it against the wound.

I was quiet as I made sure the entire burn was covered. I wasn't even sure what to say to him. Should I ask how he's been? How's the military treating him? Thankfully though, Brett broke the silence first.

"So...how have you been?"

"I've, uh, I have been good. Busy here at the hospital, but good," I answered, getting up to throw my glove away and grabbing a new set. "How about you?" I kept my gaze down as I readied the needle.

"I've been good," was all he said. The two of us clearly didn't know what to say to one another. Neither of us probably thought we would never see each other again, least of all here.

"Can you feel this?" I asked, poking his arm with my fingertip. He shook his head. "Let me know if this hurts."

I couldn't see him nod, so I started on stitching up his arm.

"You really became a nurse," he said a few minutes later, breaking the awkward silence once more.

"Four and a half years of school and internships, I did."

"I am happy for you. You always wanted to be in the medical field. Is it everything you thought it would be?"

"It has its moments, but so far I love it," I answered truthfully. My fingers slowly and precisely stitched up his wound. It wasn't too deep or that long so it would only take me a few more minutes to do.

There were two questions I wanted to ask but I was afraid of his answers. I wanted to see if he still was in the Marines or if he got out, and if he had a girlfriend. The last one I was more scared of, to be honest.

"So..." I started to say but trailed off. Just say it, Kayla! "Are you out or just on leave for a few days?" I finally spat out.

I tensed as I waited for his answer. My gaze was fully on his arm, which was now all finished.

"I'm out, actually." At his answer my eyebrows raised and I looked up at him.

"Oh."

"Been out for the last three months." I tried not to let that information hurt. He's been out for three months and he hasn't once tried to get in contact with me. Not that I really expected him to.

When Brett left for his first tour, he was only nineteen. It was the end of the world to me because the guy I loved was going to go fight for our freedom and I wasn't sure if he would come back. Just like we promised, we called and wrote each other when he couldn't use the phone.

For the first five months, we were fine. We talked religiously every chance we got. When he was able to come home for three days to see his family, I rarely left his side. It was even worse when he had to leave, not knowing when he would get his next leave. For all I knew it could be a year before I saw him again.

But like everything good in life, it had to come to an end. Suddenly my calls were ignored, my letters not replied to. I kept sending letters thinking his phone wasn't working, but I never received a reply. I did try to convince myself that he was just busy, adjusting to his new life and his training.

It wasn't until a good two months later I realized Brett wasn't going to reply to me. I wanted to call him or write him a letter demanding why he wasn't replying but I knew it would do me no good. Something must have changed for him.

I quickly shut down all memories of what happened between us. Just thinking about it made my chest ache and the tears burn at the back of my eyes. Some things take time to heal. Seeing him here now just brought it all back and I didn't like it.

Staying quiet, I opened a bandage and finished cleaning Brett up. He was probably ready to get out of here. Once I had his cut all sealed and his burned covered, I moved back. Taking off my dirty gloves, I finally looked back at Brett.

"Make sure to keep that dry and cleaned. I'll get you some medicine to take for the pain of both the cut and the burn. In about two weeks the thread should dissolve on its own. If not, come back and we can take care of it," I rattled off.

"Kayla—" Brett started to say but I interrupted him.

"Or any hospital will help you do it but it would be better to come back here. I will get one of the nurses to get you that medicine and then you can go home," I rambled on. I stood up and pushed the chair back in the corner.

"Kayla—"

"I better get going. I'll have another nurse come in and finish here. I hope you feel better soon." The words were tumbling out of my mouth. I was becoming a rambling idiot around him and being this close to him was making me feel like I was eighteen again.

"Kayla," Brett said a bit louder. His tone was firmer, which made me pause. I looked over at him. "Do you want to go and grab a coffee?"

"Uh..."

"We could catch up a bit." He had this weird look on his face and I could feel my resolve of not talking to him ever again, slowly fading away. I was going to just fix him up and pretend like I didn't talk to him after this but his green eyes were pulling me in.

"Well, I work until nine tonight. But I can tomorrow." For some odd reason, I was agreeing. Inwardly, I was cursing at myself, but the words were coming out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"Tomorrow at ten work for you? Do you know the Peete's Cafe?"

"That works for me." I nodded, my voicing coming out all squeaky.

"Sounds good." A small smile broke out on his face. "It's a coffee date."