Page 57 of Waves
“Sorry,” Eric said, I assumed talking to me. “Whatever cut him left a nice flap of skin, but the cut itself is not too deep. Just messy to stitch since it’s slanted.”
“That’s a relief.” Ezra sighed, still combing his fingers through my hair.
“I flushed it first, but you are going to have to watch for any signs of infection. Got it?”
“Yeah, I’ll call you right away.”
“Oh, and he’ll feel like he’s been hit by a truck by the time he comes to.”
“I’ve got aspirin.”
“No, no, no,” Eric quickly objected. “I’m giving you my leftover painkillers from when I messed up my back.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I ain’t using ’em.”
Ezra sighed and dropped his voice to a whisper. I couldn’t really hear him speak anymore. The shores of sleep called to me with every gentle rub of Ezra’s fingers across my scalp.
* * *
Sea birds called in the distance when I woke to Ezra still petting my hair. Taking a deep breath, I turned my senses to the kitchen where something smelled... good. After lifting my head, I opened an eye. Mary had a spatula in her hand and she stood at the hissing stove while Eric stacked waffles on a platter.
“Hey, look who’s awake?” Ezra cooed.
I turned my head back in his direction and yawned. “How long has it been?”
“About a day,” he said while steadily combing through my hair. “You came here last night. Do you remember?”
“Not really,” I admitted. My hazy memory of last night felt incomplete. “Did you eat?”
“Mary is making us all eat. She stayed here with Eric last night, and I had them take the bed.”
“Did you sleep?”
“There is plenty of time to sleep. How are you feeling?”
I groaned into his legs.
“You want to try getting up?”
“Not really, but I want to pee then soak.”
“No pool,” Ezra firmly said. “Not at least for a couple of days.”
“Two days? Are you kidding me?” Eric interrupted. “He shouldn’t get in a pool at all until...”
Ezra cut him off with a growl.
“Now I know where Ishmael gets it from,” Mary snickered.
Ezra carefully wiggled out from under me, then held out a hand while he helped me sit up. My limbs were stiff, and the muscles taught, but I assumed this was from sleeping oddly on the couch. The aching, burning pain across my skin when not moving dredged a memory of what happened last night. Ezra discreetly reminded me I hadn’t dressed by nodding at Mary and Eric in the kitchen. I took the hint and held the stained blanket around my waist while he walked with me down the hall.
By the time I finished, Ezra knocked on the bathroom door. Among the clothes he presented me were the soft, saggy style of pants I loved so much, but he absolutely hated. Ezra said the only people who wear these pants in public didn’t care anymore. I felt inclined to agree. I didn’t really care what any human other than Ezra thought, and I found these pants to be the most comfortable since it felt as if wearing none at all.
Ezra shoved a glass full of water at me next. “Take this for your back.”
I tilted my head at the pill he handed me, but didn’t think twice about swallowing it with a large gulp of water. After drinking the whole glass, I could easily down another.