The Adventure Continues

[abrightboy]

For thatsfascinating.



The villa Malcolm rented was in the Languedoc, not far from Marseilles, south of Avignon. It was a very historic region, though Malcolm was particularly not interested in visiting Marseilles again. There was a charming village nearby the villa and if they were going to go to an historic city for a day, he'd rather make the trip over to Montpellier, where he'd never been at all, much less with Dr Whitly.

The villa had six bedrooms. As the driver brought their luggage inside the bright and spacious main room, Malcolm handed him some folded Euros and thanked him and shut the door behind him.

"First choice of a room is yours," he told Edrisa with a smile. "But you might want to explore first."

Comments

[thatsfascinating]

They were all really good points, and Edrisa pressed her lips and nodded, glancing down. "I just don't want to keep anything from you. I worry it will make it harder for you to believe me when I tell you you're not hurting me, or ruining my life, or that I'm happy to be with you."

[abrightboy]

"I'd actually feel better about it if you worked through the issues with a professional instead of denying they're happening. You can be happy to be with me and also annoyed that I have so many panic attacks that I can't help you when you're having a problem. You can feel confident I wouldn't hurt you and also angry that I didn't stop someone else from hurting you fast enough. Pretending it's always sunny doesn't protect you from rain. It just leaves you unprepared for the rain."

[thatsfascinating]

He was making good points. She would disagree that she was denying anything, per se, but she could see how it would be helpful to be able to talk about things without having to always be worried it would hurt him. But then he mentioned her being angry, and she blinked.

"You think I'm angry at you for not stopping those men from hurting me?"

[abrightboy]

"I don't know how you feel about it, but I'm not sure you'd tell me if you were angry about it on any level. And that would be a perfectly natural way to feel."

[thatsfascinating]

"But I'm not angry with you. What happened, in either case, wasn't your fault. I'm not angry you weren't able to protect me, I'm grateful that you saved me." She studied his face. "Please believe me."

[abrightboy]

"I do believe you," he assured her. "It was just an example," he added, waving it off. "But I just mean you have things to deal with that involve me that you should talk about with your therapist without me, so you can be completely open."

[thatsfascinating]

She wasn't entirely sure he did believe her, but she'd leave it for now. She nodded at his points. It made sense, even though she still worried about him being afraid she was keeping things from him.

"You'll probably want to see Gabrielle on your own, too. You've been working together for so long. I don't want to get in the way of that."

[abrightboy]

He huffed a laugh. "Edrisa, none of my problems are you. But if I feel the need to go see her on my own, I will."

His decisions to go see Gabrielle were usually very spur of the moment things.

[thatsfascinating]

She opened her mouth to tell him that she didn't mean she was the problem, but was interrupted when the door opened and a nurse came in. The woman looked a little startled to see Edrisa in bed with Malcolm. "Oh!" Edrisa said, sitting up and climbing out of bed. "Let me get out of your way."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm almost protested as Edrisa got up, but swallowed it, looking at the nurse instead. Maybe she had news. Maybe he didn't have to stay the night after all.

[thatsfascinating]

The nurse gave Edrisa a small smile, and Edrisa smiled back, grateful that she wasn't lecturing her about being in bed with Malcolm. Man, she loved this place!

The nurse went to Malcolm and began talking in French. Edrisa leaned forward, trying to understand what she was saying. When she pulled a penlight out of her pocket Edrisa snapped her fingers. "You're doing an assessment!" she declared, grinning.

The nurse gave her a confused look, and Edrisa sat back. "Sorry! Do your thing. I'll be here."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm offered her a smile and a small nod under the nurse's elbow before letting her divert his attention to her tests. Once she was done, she told him someone would be there soon with his dinner.

"You should get something to eat. They're bringing me food soon. Maybe go back to the villa and change and clean up. You shouldn't have to sit here all night with that on you," he said.

[thatsfascinating]

"Oh." She stood and gestured toward the door. "The doctor...she said there was a cafeteria. I could get some food there. But..." She clasped her hands nervously. "I don't want to leave you alone. It's pretty far from here to the villa. If something went wrong..." She swallowed. "I could ask if they have a set of scrubs I can borrow. Or see if there's a gift shop."

[abrightboy]

"...Oh. Like. If my brain swells and they have to cut a hole in my head?" he asked uncertainly. Could that still happen?

[thatsfascinating]

She nodded. "It's unlikely," she said softly. "Really unlikely. But still possible. Or what happens if they can't wake you up? They'd want me to be there in case there are decisions that need to be made."

She hoped to god that wouldn't happen, but if it did?

"I need to be here."

[abrightboy]

He looked at her a moment, trying to swallow fear.

"W-why wouldn't I be able to wake up?"

[thatsfascinating]

She frowned, confused by his reaction...then her eyes widened.

"Oh! No, it's not the same as being sedated. It happens sometimes with a serious concussion. It's a sign that intervention is needed. Not necessarily surgery!" She wrung her hands. "I'm not being comforting, am I?"

[abrightboy]

"I just want to know what to expect; I thought I was doing well."

He thought it wouldn't be a big deal if she was gone for a couple of hours. He was restrained and he knew she'd come back. But he was scared again.

[thatsfascinating]

"You are," she assured him. "I don't expect this to happen. I just...need to be here, just in case it does.

She took his hand in both of hers.

"It's going to be okay."

[abrightboy]

"Can I still get permanent brain damage?"

It seemed like a fate worse than death to him; he had enough types of damage - he didn't need that.

[thatsfascinating]

it was possible. She couldn't claim otherwise.

She squeezed his hand.

"It is extremely unlikely," she said. "I promise."

[abrightboy]

An orderly came in with a tray and set it down for him.

Malcolm closed his eyes and turned his face away from it.

"Please take it; I don't want it."

[thatsfascinating]

The orderly looked from Malcolm to Edrisa. She thought for a moment, then pointed toward the table on the other side of the room. The orderly shrugged, brought the tray across the room and set it down, then left.

"Can I get in bed with you?" she asked, almost timidly.

[abrightboy]

He nodded, shifting back over, though he still looked a little distraught.

"But you haven't eaten. You didn't get to clean up... " He looked a bit miserable. "Other people's biting condemnation would be easier to dismiss if it were less... tangible." But he reached for her. He wanted to hold her.

[thatsfascinating]

She climbed onto the bed again and buried herself in his arms, hugging him tightly.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice muffled against his shoulder but still audibly miserable. "I made everything worse."