"Perish, I've heard you've been a troublemaker." Doctor Louis flashed a warm grin in my direction as he approached my cot.
"Always sir." I extended my hand for him to shake.
Dr Louis was once one of us. He served alongside Avery and i during our first year in the military.
Louis had preached about the military. Always recruiting and always supporting his fellow soldiers.
One day though, during an extraction mission, Louis was taken.
We had been ambushed by a few Germans and were caught off guard, as we were still recovering from the previous day.
While Louis was MIA,he was tortured. Both of kid legs were drilled through. Bones shattered and nerves ripped to shreds. He hasn't been able to walk since.
The first months following his trauma, he studied to keep his mind occupied. When that didn't work, he went to school. Did a speed through of courses and exams and ended up getting a doctoral degree. I'm pretty sure he spelt with teachers or played the victim card because no way this was possible.
But he made it possible.
"Well, being that it's only day 2 of recovery, I can't tell you anything new. Your wound looks clean and has began healing. You're lucky you're so resilient." Louis taped a gauze pad back over the wound and around my middle.
"I'll tell ya doc, if it wasn't for Dylan I'd be sobbing like a baby. But right now I just wanna buck up and get out of here." I chuckled.
"Oh my, Dylan? Which one?" Louis slid his blood stained gloves off and peered up at me with interest.
"Richards. The little blonde girl? Caramel colored skin and emerald green eyes?" I cocked an eyebrow at him.
He was clueless.
"Well bring her by someday! I'd love to meet the lassie who has stolen my man's heart. I'm going to have nurse Margot come sanitize the wound one last time then you are free to go home." Louis adjusted his wheelchair and began turning around.
"Work?" I called after him.
"Take a breather and enjoy time off!" He waved a good bye and vanished behind a curtain.
I missed the old bastard and his Welsh accent. It was truly amazing that everyone here is from different parts of the world. Different heritage.
"Riggs, lovely to see you again." Margot, the nurse from before, bit her lip as she closed in on me.
"Can I get a different nurse?" I asked loudly.
"Oh please. Don't be childish." Margot placed her hand on my abdomen and pushed me onto the cot.
"Just lay back and relax." She pulled my shirt up and pulled away the gauze.
What was the point of putting new gauze on if you guys are just going to take it off?
Wasteful.
I sighed and let her do her job. Maybe I was mis reading the signals earlier?
"So, I talk to a girl outside. Dylan?" Margot watched me as she spoke.
"Is she here?" I looked past her at the open lobby.
It was empty.
"No and she won't be coming back. I just think it's best if you cut the tox-"
"Stop. Stop. What the fuck did you say to her?" I sat up and pushed her hands away from me.
"Nothing. I just showed her my collarbone." Margot winked and pulled down her blouse to show me.
That was a hickey I made.
Not recently, of course. But years ago.
When I first arrived, Margot and I had a fling. No strings attached just pointless sex to release stress.
Guess she got attached.
"How the fuck is that still on you?" I squinted my eyes at the mark.
"Tattoo, sweetheart." She buttoned her shirt back.
"Crazy bitch." I spat.
"You didn't think that 4 years ago. You didn't think that when you were pound-"
"Margot! Quick!" Louis shouted from behind the tan curtain.
"Good luck hun!" She kissed my cheek quick and bounced off to Louis.
I re wrapped my own wound and hurried out of the clinic.
If she had really talked to Dylan, I needed to see her and clear things up.
For the last year, she is the only one I've seen. Only one I've touched. And the only one I've loved. She needs to know that.