There was a little tap at my door and then it opened without waiting for a reply.
“Hey honey, how are you feeling today?” My sister's kind face poked through the doorway and when she realised I was now awake she walked right in.
“I'm ok, still a little sore but I will live to humiliate myself for another day I'm sure,” I said in reply and she smiled and looked a little confused.
“What is it?” I said wondering what else could have gone wrong last night.
“Well I think you will need to get dressed as the Doctor’s here.” WHAT, no way, never going to happen, what was she thinking!
“AWW Lib's why did you go and call a doctor, I said I was fine and…” She cut me off holding her hands up in defence.
“I didn't call a doctor.”
“What! Then who did?” She smiled, clearly amused with the answer.
“He said that Mr Draven sent him.” Oh no, she was serious. This wasn't some cruel trick instead it was just a cruel reality.
She left the room giving me some privacy to get changed telling me she would give me ten minutes. But my mind wouldn't concentrate, as it was still fuzzy and light headed and not just with the huge lump protruding from my forehead. I got up and wobbled like one of those inflatable clowns you hit for fun. My brain wasn't up to the simple task of walking to the bathroom. Once I finally got there I washed and brushed my teeth but my throat still burned from last night's vomiting and the thought once more made me shake my head in shame. Once I'd finished in the bathroom I grabbed a pair of black sweat pants from my drawer and put on a fresh pair of grey sleeved gloves and a maroon coloured long sleeved top with a faded football logo of my dad’s old university team. I brushed through my hair quickly pulling it into a ponytail and then went to sit back on my bed waiting for a doctor I didn't want.
“May I come in?” A voice at the door asked and begrudgingly I agreed.
The man who walked in was at least in his fifties and had a familiarity about him that I couldn't put my finger on. His eyes were very dark and deep set into his skull. He had a very square jaw and a kind smile that lit up his eyes making him look like a sweet guy. This made me relax slightly but I was still cautious. I hadn't had a lot of good experiences with doctors and generally as a rule stayed away as much as I could help it.
“Keira I presume, it's nice to meet you my dear, I'm Doctor Spencer.” He held out his hand for me to shake and smiled showing an impressive amount of very white teeth.
“Hi, nice to meet you.” Ok so I lied but what I going to say “I'm dreading it so please get it over with.”
“Mr Draven tells me you took a nasty fall in the woods and was feeling some ill effects of it last night?” This wasn't really a question so when I didn't answer he came over to the bed to look for himself. He carried a black leather bag, one you might expect from a doctor, and placed it next to the bed as he sat opposite me. He lifted my hair out of my eyes, very much the same way Draven had done and the memory made me shiver.
“I'm sorry my hands must be cold, if you could lean your head back for me and I will take a closer look.” I did as instructed as he poked around the lump and cut that was in the middle of it. Then he took out a small torch, stethoscope and then the thing I was dreading the most...something to measure my blood pressure.
“That looks nasty. You should really have gone to the hospital and got some stitches.” He tutted and shook his head as though I was a naughty child. So I said the only thing in my defence, which so happened to be the truth.
“I know but I kinda have a thing with hospitals.” I said as his eyes fell on mine with a weird look of empathy.
“Bad experience I take it.” He replied as he shone the flash light in my eyes to measure my responses.
“Something like that,” I said before he wanted me to follow his finger. It was strange, his eyes looked at me with a burning passion and I felt something strange around him the same as I felt around Draven. It made me wonder if they were somehow related, as I could imagine Draven looking like this when he got older. He was handsome for an older guy like Harrison Ford or Robert Redford. He asked me about my symptoms last night and how I was feeling now.
“I feel a lot better today after a good night sleep.” I said knowing he would be the one I would have to convince to let me go back to work. He raised an eyebrow and asked,
“Do you usually have trouble sleeping?” Ha what an understatement!
“Yeah sometimes...well I mean lately.” I wish he wouldn't pry. That was the worst thing about doctors they had a way of picking up on everything. And they were usually right on the money.
“Do you take any medication for it?” Shit! I knew if I went down this route I could easily predict where it would end.
“No.” I don't know why but he looked at me as if he knew it was a lie because he repeated my answer, which is usually a pretty clear indication when someone doesn't believe what you’re saying.
“Ok, well let’s take your blood pressure.” Great, the bit I was dreading. This was the point they all thought I was a nut job!
“If you could just roll up your sleeves for me.” He was getting the strap ready to put on my arm and I paused not knowing what to do. He nodded to my sleeves when I didn't react, so I gave in and did as I was told and rolled them up over my elbow. He looked down at the gloves and frowned.
“Are you cold?”
“I suffer from bad circulation, cold feet as well, do you mind if I keep them on.” He didn't seem convinced and said,
“It won't be for long.” And he was about to roll them back when I pulled my arm from under his hands.
“Look I'm sorry Doc but I have this thing with people touching my arms, let’s just put it down to an accident and leave it at that ok.” He nodded and looked sad getting my full meaning on the subject. After all he was a doctor and I gathered he had seen this type of behaviour before.
“Ok... let’s measure it on your neck should we?” His jaw tightened when he looked at my arms and then softened when he touched my neck.
“I appreciate it and I assume that all this will remain confidential?” I nodded to my arms and he knew what I meant. I was at least happy to see we were on the same page.
“You mean Draven?” He smiled and I didn't understand the meaning behind it. I nodded not wanting to say his name in front of him.
“Mr Draven is only concerned and wants to know when you’re fit to go back to work, anything else will go no further than this room.” He said making me relax my tensed arms and sigh in relief.
“Thank you.” My voice said with strained emotion. I don't know why but I trusted this man and I couldn't for the life of me understand why. He handed me some pills to take that would help with the swelling and pain. He also re-covered the cut taking Libby's make shift stitches off and re-applying medical ones. He then left the cut uncovered letting the air get to it. I also noticed him studying me and I could see his eyes lingering on my father’s old sweater for a moment before my voice pulled his attention back to my eyes.
“So this means you will tell Draven I'm fit for work?” I asked in the hope that his answer would be the one I wanted to hear.
“Yes, after three days of rest, then depending if you’re fine in that time and have had no more dizzy spells then yes I will.” That was not what I wanted to hear.
“Aww come on Doc, look I feel fine, great even and I don't want to lose my job or anything.” I was hoping guilt would work but with the smug look on his face he wasn't buying it.
“I very much doubt that would happen and if I find out that you haven't taken my orders on board then I will ring up Mr Draven and tell him you’re not fit for a week!” Oh great, a Doctor with a PHD in manipulation as well as medical.
“Ok, ok three days off work.” I shook my head at the thought of not seeing Draven till then and the pain once again came back to my head.
“Not just work, college too.” I pulled a face as if to say hell no but he continued with �
�Doctor's orders” And handed me a note to be handed into the academic office at college.
“I can't. Look you have never met my History teacher. You have to be dying to get away with not turning up for one of his classes.” He laughed as though I was joking.
“I will speak to Mr Draven. I know his sister is in the same class, so I'm sure she could have a word with him for you.” Oh God that was the last thing I wanted, I had caused too many problems for Draven as it was.
“NO...I'm mean no thanks... that won't be necessary, I think I have caused more than enough aggravation for Mr Draven without involving him in any more of my problems.” He looked hurt at this and again I was baffled by it.
“That's not how Mr Draven thinks, I have known him a long time and he has always taken care of his staff.”
“Oh I have no doubt, but he did enough for me last night and considering it was only my second night I think he has done enough for me to last my life time, I wouldn't like to push my luck.” I said with the memory of me in his arms hitting me again like a battering ram.
“Never” My head whipped round to his at hearing the word that was barely spoken.
“Sorry, did you say something?” I asked wondering if I had mistaken what he had said.
“I said fair enough. Well in that case I will be off to report back to the man in question.” He got up and held his hand out again to shake mine goodbye. I placed my hand in his and the heat coming from his skin shocked me.
“Goodbye Keira it was a pleasure meeting you and until next time.” He said and then let go of my hand leaving me feeling confused. Why would he say until next time? What a strange thing for a Doctor to say, because let’s face it, when was going to the doctor's ever a good thing?
As soon as he was out of sight I fell back on the bed and covered my face with my hands saying out loud “What must he think of me?”
“What must who think of you?” Libby’s voice sprang from behind my door as though she had been waiting for the doctor to leave. I was not in the mood to talk to Libby about any of this so I said,
“Sorry Lib's but my head is still killing me so I'm just going to take some more pain killers and try and sleep it off, can we talk later?” She nodded and closed the door leaving me alone to fight with my thoughts. I grabbed the pills that the doctor had left and pulled the covers over my head, as little tears started to fill my eyes.
Chapter 20 – Obsessions
My three days off were all starting to merge into one. By the third, I was going slowly insane with boredom and Saturday night kept crawling its way back into my mind making me cringe every time. I just couldn't bear the idea of Draven thinking badly of me. But every time I went over how I acted that night, I just couldn't expect anything else. I was biting at the bit to see him again but I was also anxiously dreading it. What could I ever say to him to explain my behaviour? There was nothing.
Draven had become like a drug and I was like the junky needing another score. Was this my rehab? I was most definitely ready to overdose on my obsession, because there was only one thing that I wanted and it was the one thing that I would never get... Dominic Draven.
But going cold turkey wasn't exactly working for me either. Even his name brought Goosebumps to my skin. After that night of being so close to him I couldn't think of anything else. I replayed and replayed the scene over and over like a favourite movie. Only I couldn't decide whether it was a horror or a romance, as it stood, I would say it was equally both with Draven being the romantic part and me being the Horror.
Sunday was what I thought was day one, but I learned later that day that the Doctor had told Draven that I should only go back to work on Thursday night. Sophia had phoned me to tell me this and asked if I wanted her to come round with any history notes from the lessons I would miss. She had also reassured me that Draven hadn't said much about that night only that it wasn't an inconvenience and that he hoped I was feeling better. I almost jumped up and down with happiness at this but it was soon replaced with doubts. Maybe she had just said those things to make me feel better.
Unfortunately my obsessing over the whole thing didn't end there. I spoke to Libby about it when I had finally risen from my crypt, I say crypt because when I finally got up and looked in the mirror I looked as if I had been living in the seventh circle of hell!
I had walked downstairs to the most amazing smell of pizza and knew that they must have ordered take-out as, no offence to Libby, but her food never smelt that good. I realised that I was starving. I hadn't really eaten much on Saturday and what little I had, I had thrown up! It was now nearly seven in the evening and I was so hungry my stomach ached as it growled angrily at me.
“See Lib's, told ya, once she smelled the food she'd come down...how you feeling kid?” Frank was sat on the couch digging into one of the two pizza boxes, grabbing a massive slice and Libby was on his other side eating hers from a plate.
“I'm feeling better thanks, but man I could eat a horse.” I sat down and dug in taking one without anchovies. I couldn't get my head round anchovies on a pizza. In England you never got them as an option and it turned out that I wasn't missing out. But Frank loved them. Actually there wasn't much Frank didn't eat!
“So honey I thought now would be the time to...umm…discuss last night.” Libby said this in a quiet timid voice as though not to upset me and I knew she had a right to know but it was still so fresh in my mind, I really didn't want go into it.
“I don't really know what to say,” I said, which was the truth.
“Well, you could start with why you didn't tell us that you were working up in the VIP.” She was trying to keep her voice calm but I could tell she wasn't happy about being kept in the dark.
“I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I knew how you felt about me working there and I thought it would just make you worry even more.” Frank nodded, as he actually knew what was I talking about but Libby noticed and punched him on the arm playfully.
“WHAT! It's true, you have given her a hard time over working there and you would have given her an even harder time if she'd have told you.” Frank said sticking up for himself and me.
“Not necessarily,” Libby said sulking.
“Come on babe, sorry to say this Kaz, but ever since, you know the “Thing”, you have been a bit paranoid over your sister and I can understand why, I really can, but it's time to let her live her life without making things more difficult.” WOW this was the longest speech I had ever heard from Frank and it made me want to get up and kiss him! It was sweet the way he defended me and what he was saying was right but my sister hadn't always been like this, it was just ever since she nearly lost me and now she was terrified of it happening again.
Libby didn't say anything, she just pouted and I half expected her to start sucking her thumb!
“Look you know I appreciate everything you guys are doing for me and you were right, this really was the best move for me. And I know that you worry because you love me, I would worry too if ...” I stopped not being able to carry on. I would never ever be able to imagine if it had been Libby instead of me, so I physically couldn't continue that sentence. Libby looked round at me and saw my emotion, and her features softened.
“What I'm trying to say is that I understand, and I just want to start over. I actually enjoy working at the club and with the amount of security I'm sure it’s one of the safest places on the planet!” She smiled and I knew that her bad mood had passed and the gossip side of her was coming through.
“Sooo, can you explain how on earth you even got that job. Because I'm not being funny but you’re the first one in this town to ever do that!” She sat looking at me, like I had achieved some sort of a miracle, when really it was just a case of my being nice to his sister.
I told her the story of when I met Sophia in history and how I had to take some bottles up to the VIP area and that's when she saw me. I told them how she had offered me the job leaving out the part when Draven was rude to me. That wasn't enoug
h for Libby's appetite for gossip so she asked me about the night he brought me home.
“What do you want to know?”
“Well for starters how did it come about, that he would drive you home, I mean that would be like Alan Sugar driving home his cleaning lady after a tough day!” She was so right, but if I couldn't understand why, then how was I going to explain it.
“I don't really know myself, I mean I was outside feeling sick and then he was there.”
“What do you mean he was there... you mean he followed you?” Libby said, clearly loving this story.
“NO, no, nothing like that, no I mean why would he follow me? No he was probably just getting some air.” She smiled like she had hit a nerve and then looked at Frank making sure he was still listening. That's when I knew the two had obviously been talking about this. She made a gesture with her hand to carry on so I continued.
“So anyway, he found me and then I don't know, just decided to take me home himself.” I tried to make it sound light hearted and like it was no big deal but she wasn't buying it!
“OH come on, I need details!” Her hair bounced as she shook her head and I rolled my eyes.
“Like what, that was it, really...he just picked me up and carried me to his garage, we got in his car and he brought me home...end of.” I picked up another slice of pizza but Frank responded to the magic work of “Garage” and turned to get in on the act.
“Garage, OK now we’re talking, what type of garage? How many cars would you say? Did you recognise any?” Frank had now turned down the volume on the TV to listen to the rest of the story.
Afterlife (Afterlife Saga) Page 25
