by E. M. Leya
Tevon gave him a sympathetic smile. "I wish I could let you. We will see how you are later in the day, but it's too soon. Ideally, we should keep you from moving for a few days, but I can tell already that isn't going to happen. Maybe if we let you shift tomorrow night or the next day and you can at least soak and float in the pool." He gave him a stern look. "No swimming."
"At least it will get me off my ass for a while."
"Your brothers can get in with you if you want company."
Randy waved him off. "They are all too busy to deal with me. Already, Barron has delayed his trip for me."
"I'm sure they will make time for you. You five have always seemed close."
"We are when we need to be. Some closer than others. I just don't want to disrupt their lives. They have an active dig going that Sage is running, Heath is king, Barron is leaving, Everest has the shop. They all have their own lives. They don't need to hang around here, bored."
"Well, we need to find you something to do or you're going to be a bear." Tevon stood and filled a glass of water for himself. "I have some books around, but I'm afraid they may not be your kind of thing."
"What do you read?" Randy wasn't much of a reader, but was willing to consider anything to pass the time.
"Medical thrillers."
Randy laughed. "Might make me paranoid every time you go to do anything to me."
"Nah, not with my innocent bedside manner." Tevon picked up a scalpel and wiggled it.
Randy rolled his eyes and grinned. "Honestly, Doc. Don't you get bored in here? I never see you out and about. I never really thought about it before, but you don't even join in the hunts when we feed or anything."
Tevon set the scalpel down and frowned. "I'm just not that sociable. I do fine back here with my research and books."
Randy wished he could roll to his side to see the man better. "You have to eat."
"I go out. I might have to work a little harder to hunt alone, but it feels good to challenge myself."
"It's not safe for you to go out by yourself. What if the shark that got me, found you?"
Tevon shrugged.
Randy frowned suddenly wondering if the doctor really cared if he lived or died. The thought didn't sit well with him. A man with such great knowledge and the ability to add so much to the clan should look forward to each day. He didn't know what made him feel that Tevon was just living day to day, but the look on his face made Randy worry. "How often do you go inland?"
"Not often. I send Melan most the time when I need supplies."
"Maybe you should go more. Spend a few days at the safe house and find a female friend for a night or two."
Tevon took a long drink. "Not into women."
The news didn't surprise Randy. With no women in the clan, it wasn't uncommon for the men to pair up, even fall in love. Up until Heath had become king, each male was mandated to mate with a human female once in their life to produce an heir. Female babies were left with the mother, the males were brought here when they came of age. But since his brother had taken the throne, he had changed the law, finding that by allowing the men the choice of living inland, many were taking female mates and more children were being conceived than had under the old laws. "Then find a male or two. Go out with Sage and Gary one night. Gary knows a few single men." He smiled thinking of his brother's boyfriend. The two had met a year ago and now owned a small house near the beach.
"I wouldn't be comfortable."
"You seeing someone here? Maybe Melan?"
Laughter erupted from Tevon. "That's funny. Melan is a whore. He is inland every night looking for women. No, he isn't interested in men at all. He is a good student and will make a good doctor if he ever decided to go to school, but I don't see him settling down for a long time, and when he does it will be with a female."
How did he not know all this? Randy thought he knew what went on around the caves. It was his job to know so he could prepare the new members for the happenings around the clan. He wondered how many of the men were heading inland every night. "Well, I still say it isn't good for you to hide out back here in the medical center or your chamber. When I heal, you and I will go out for a beer."
"You will be glad I have no life once your boredom grows." Tevon's brown eyes filled with compassion. "A man like you, who is used to being active, is going to have a hard time being stuck in the caves for a few weeks."
"I was thinking I might still be able to hold classes once I can move a bit more. Not swim and stuff, but there is plenty the new clansman need to learn. I can teach them our laws and ways here, just as well as in the meeting chamber where we usually meet."
"We could set something up. I don't expect you on your back for weeks, but it could be weeks before you are swimming again, at least swimming like you need to when you train."
"How long until I can return to my own chambers?" Randy already longed for his own comfortable bed, with thick furs and blankets he had brought from the mainland.
"We will see how you heal, but I am guessing it will be a week or more before you can manage to walk that distance." Tevon stood and checked the IV bag. "I can go get you anything you need from there, if you like."
Randy waved him off. "I'll have Heath or one of my brothers gather stuff. I can't think of much I need. Thanks for the offer though." Randy sighed. "More than anything I just want off my back. Already I'm feeling like my back is numb and it's not from the meds."
"I won't keep you there too long. I don't want you getting pressure sores, but you have to give yourself at least a day to start to heal. If we were inland, I could help you with a soft mattress. We can try a few more furs and blankets, but I don't want to have stuff bunching up under you. That can be just as bad as moving you."
"I'll live. I guess I should try to sleep. Let you get a few more hours rest as well." Randy met Tevon's stare. "Just make sure the meds won't wear off. I don't want to feel that kind of pain again."
"I will make sure I'm back before it wears off. I'm also going to give you a little something to help you sleep." Tevon reached for a syringe and inserted it into the IV. "I'll be back in two hours or so and check on you. Melan will be in a bit before that, but he won't bother you if you're sleeping."
Randy stared up at the doc, watching him play with the IV tubing. He really was good looking. His long, brown hair flowed over his shoulders tonight, and it was a nice change from seeing it pulled back. Randy wanted to reach up and brush it back from his face. "Thanks for everything. I apologize in advance for any bad moods I might come at you with."
Tevon chuckled. "I have been doing this a long time. I'm sure I've dealt with worse than you." He pressed his hand to Randy's shoulder. "If you need me, just yell. My chamber is right next door and I'm a light sleeper."
"Night, Doc." Randy pulled the fur up around his neck.
"Sweet dreams, Randy." Tevon blew out the candles and left Randy alone.
CHAPTER SIX
Tevon watched Randy sleep. The two of them had formed a friendship as they talked over the last two days. At least in his mind they were friends. It was rare that Tevon had anyone around for this length of time. He and Randy spent hours talking and laughing as they shared stories and talked about their lives.
Randy's hip and pelvis hadn't healed as fast as the rest of him, but that was normal when dealing with bone. Tissue healed fast, but bone took time. Randy wasn't happy about the time on his back, but Tevon convinced him that it was better to remain down now, than risk injuring it more and having to be bedridden even longer.
He understood Randy's frustration. He'd been lucky enough to have never suffered a severe injury, but could only imagine how stir crazy he would be if he couldn't move around. For someone as active as Randy, it had to be even worse.
When they changed the bandages yesterday, both were relieved when Randy urinated without any problem. There had been a bit of blood in his urine, but that was to be expected. Tevon's biggest worry was that the swelling would be so severe t
hat nothing could pass through the tubes that he repaired. Relief was obvious on both their faces when things worked right.
Still, it didn't mean the rest would work, and as Tevon sorted through supplies, he worried that he didn't do a good enough job and would let the man down. No matter how many times he told himself he had done all he could, he still wondered if he could have done something more.
"You look upset." Melan stepped up beside him with another bagful of supplies he had brought over from the mainland.
"Just wondering how he will recover. If I did a good enough job." Tevon glanced over to where Randy snored softly.
"I've never known you not to do your best. Don't start to doubt yourself now." Melan folded the dry bag into a small square.
"I just keep thinking about how much more I could do if I had the equipment they do at the human hospitals. I hate that I can only do half the care that they can. Our people deserve better."
"Without electricity there is no way, besides, there isn't a way we could get some of the large machines here. You do the best you can with what you have."
Tevon pulled his hair back into a ponytail. "It's not enough."
"Maybe not, but it's all you can do."
"Did you have problems getting supplies this time?"
Melan pulled a wood stool up and sat down. "Not as bad as last time. They had your orders. They questioned why we were picking up such a large shipment of supplies instead of having it delivered. At least they didn't question the forms this time."
"We are going to need to set up a fake clinic inland soon. They won't continue to fall for our excuses anymore. Someone is going to start asking questions and it will all come back on me when they do." Tevon pinched his nose, trying to fight off the headache that was growing.
"Have you talked to Heath?" Randy's drowsy voice called from the other side of the room.
Tevon stood and smiled. "Good morning. You sleep well?"
Randy stretched and cringed. "Yeah, best I could. I'm not used to sleeping on my back."
"Pain?"
"A bit, but not bad. I don't want any of that shit right now. I'd rather hurt for a bit than feel numb." Randy glanced up at the doc hopeful. "Any chance I can sit up today?"
"Let me feel the bones and we can go from there." Tevon pulled back the blankets and furs and started to undo the bandages that still covered his hip and pelvis. "Any pain when I push?" He gently pressed his hands over the pelvic bone and then around the side of the hip.
"None." He smiled as he pushed up on his elbows. "Can I move?"
"Not yet." Tevon shook his head with a smile. He continued to palpate the area. "If I let you sit, you have to promise me you won't stand or put any weight on your legs yet. You must keep movement to a minimum."
"I promise. Hell, I would promise anything to get off this slab." Randy pounded his fist down on the stone bed.
"I'll let you sit for a bit, then maybe we will let you shift and you can go float in the pool for a while?"
The happiness on Randy's face made Tevon forget all about the things he was stressing over. This is why he was a doctor. He loved seeing the patient recover, watch as they slowly healed and started being able to do the things they were used to doing.
"Shit, I can't wait. I have felt so weak. I know the salt water sponge baths are supposed to help, but I don’t think they do."
"No. They keep you alive, but it's not the same as soaking in the water." Tevon placed his palm against Randy's shoulder. "Slowly, I will help you sit up. If you handle that well, we'll get you in the water in a few."
Tevon hoped they weren't rushing things. The last thing they needed was to reinjure the bone and muscles. He braced his hand behind Randy's shoulders and helped him sit up. It was slow and Tevon could see the strain from pain on Randy's face. Sweat beaded on his forehead and Tevon was about ready to change his mind, but something told him Randy needed this, and to hold off on letting him up would be more detrimental to his recovery than the risk of injury would.
"Fuck, it hurts." Randy's breath came in heavy gasps.
"Want to stop?"
"No." Randy shook his head, his long brown hair falling forward over his shoulders. "The pain reminds me I'm alive."
"I'll give you something for it as soon as I'm sure you can sit by yourself." Tevon moved one hand from Randy's back, and brushed the long hair back from his face. He pulled one of the blankets from the foot of the bed and placed it over Randy's bandaged waist.
Randy braced his hands on the edge of the stone bed. "Not much. I don't want to feel groggy. I hate feeling like I'm in a fog."
"You are still going to need something. Don't try and play tough guy. I know the pain you have to be in."
Randy glanced up at him. "It will only keep me from healing."
"No, it will keep you from moving too much, and that will help you heal. I can tell already that you're going to push this and risk damaging your body."
Randy moved slightly, using his hands to lift his ass from the slab and settle down again. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. "How we going to get me to the water?"
"I'll carry you."
Randy looked up, meeting Tevon's gaze. "You sure?"
"I'm sure. You aren't that heavy."
Even though Randy was one of the larger men in the clan, he had lost a lot of weight over the last few days. Tevon wasn't a small man either, he stood almost as tall as Randy and though he lacked the muscle tone Randy had, he was still sure he could handle the weight.
Randy nodded. "How long can I stay shifted?"
"As long as you want. It won't hurt you unless you decide to try and swim. I need you to keep your hips as still as you can. The salt is going to burn some. You still have areas the stitches haven't healed completely. You might not feel like staying in very long." Tevon stepped away from Randy and let him support himself. "You want me to have Melan bring fresh fish in?"
Randy's eyes lit up. "Yes. God, yes. Fresh fish would be wonderful."
Tevon smiled. For mermen, there was nothing better than catching fresh fish. He turned and called to Melan. "Would you go get a bucket of fresh fish and dump them in the medical pond for me?"
"Sure, Boss." Melan set supplies he was sorting down.
"Join me?" Randy glanced up at Tevon.
Tevon looked at Randy, his eyes going wide. "In the pool? Wouldn't you rather have one of your brothers?"
"They're all busy. I don't want to bother them. I'm your only patient, right?" Randy glanced around the chamber. "Besides, when have you been out to swim?"
Tevon bowed his head and shifted uncomfortably. He had a million things to finish, and with the shipment of new supplies, he really should stay and get everything put away. "I'm not sure…" He glanced back up at Randy. "I really should be here in case anyone—"
"You're only a chamber away. You can be here in a minute if you're needed. Besides, with you there I won't try to swim. If you aren't with me, I might just try diving after some of those fish."
Tevon narrowed his eyes on Randy. "Don't you dare." He brushed his fingers through his long hair and sighed. "Fine. I guess I can leave Melan to finish up."
Randy grinned. "It will do you good to get away. I never see you out of the office. When was the last time you just went swimming?"
"I went out to feed this morning." Tevon brushed his hands down his robe.
"That's not what I mean. When was the last time you put away your doctor's bag and just had fun?"
Tevon bit his lip and shrugged. "I don't dare leave for too long. What if they need me?"
"When I get better I'm going to make you take a night off and go inland with me. I know this great bar. We can take in the game and just kick back and have a few drinks. I'm sure you have trained Melan to handle things if you're not here."
"He's good, but he doesn't have training."
"So it's time he goes for training or we find someone else who wants to. You know Heath will pay for schooling. There is
no reason you should have to work yourself to death and never have any fun." Randy fidgeted on the slab. "Okay, how are we going to do this?"
Tevon took off his stethoscope and set it aside. He glanced back at the bags of things needing to be unpacked, almost ready to change his mind, but Randy was right, Melan could handle things, and he would be close should anything happen. "I'll just carry you into the pool. Once in the water you can shift. If you feel any pain in shifting, you need to let me know immediately."
"I will. I feel pretty good. More stiff than anything." Randy moved the blankets off his body. "Whenever you're ready."
Tevon slid his arm under Randy's legs and the other around his back. "Ready?" He glanced up at Randy, not wanting to move until he was sure he was ready for the pain that might come with being moved.
"Yes." Randy took a deep breath.
Tevon lifted him up and against his chest. The weight didn't bother him as he secured his arms around him.
Randy reached up and wrapped his arm around Tevon's shoulder as he released a breath and nodded. "Feels good to be off my ass."
Tevon grinned. "I bet. The water will help get the circulation moving again." He stepped away from the bed and made his way out of the chamber and down the short corridor to the pool.
Melan had lit several candles around the water's edge when he had dumped the fish into the pool and shadows danced off the walls as they stepped into the chamber. Tevon stopped at the edge of the pool and smiled. "Guess I should have taken my robe off before I picked you up."
"You can set me on the edge if you want."
"No, it's just a robe. It will dry." Tevon moved down the small stone steps and into the water. His robe pulled heavy against him as the water soaked the cloth. Once he was able to lower Randy into the water, he slowly slid his hands away and let him float. "How does it feel?"
"Like I'm floating on clouds." Randy closed his eyes and sighed, a smile tipping up the sides of his mouth. "This feels so damn good."
Tevon stepped back and pulled the heavy, water-laden robe over his head. He wrung it out and tossed it off to the side before stepping deeper into the water. Fish swarmed to the other side of the pool to get away from him. He stepped closer to Randy, taking in the way the water lapped against his body, and his long hair floated around his head.
