Blurred Lines by KD Williamson (7 page)

Kelli shrugged.

“I can empathize with your frustration at being stationary, but this…juvenile behavior is some sort of release for you, isn’t it?” Then again, maybe it was a release for her as well.

“Don’t judge. I get mine where I can. How do you get yours?” Kelli mocked.

Nora felt the flush of heat return to her face. The constant reoccurrence was disconcerting. “I assure you that it’s none of your business. Is that all, Ms. McCabe?”

“Mmm, I guess.” Kelli tilted her head to the side. “So you have to come if I ask for you?”

There were those warning bells again. “I have charts to complete, Ms. McCabe. Have a nice night.”

As Nora exited, she heard Kelli’s chuckle. The sound followed her to the elevator. Once inside, she leaned against the far wall. She was beginning to think that there was nothing that could prepare her for that woman, but she had to admit there was a part of her—a very small one—that was beginning to enjoy the skirmishes with Kelli.

CHAPTER 5

Nora pressed the soft, fluffy towel to her chest to soak up some of the perspiration that lingered, before she wiped it across her brow. She was pleasantly winded and enjoyed the slight burn in her muscles resulting from her morning Pilates. She pushed herself harder this morning in hopes of relieving some stress. The exercise helped a bit, but probably not enough to last throughout the day. She peered out the French doors at the fiery orange sky of the new day. For a few seconds, she enjoyed the sight before silently moving on. Nora grimaced in mild discomfort. Even though the Zella workout gear was designed to absorb moisture, the clothing still clung to her torso and thighs unpleasantly. In response, she plucked at the sleek black material as she wrapped the towel around her neck. Nora left the workout room and headed for the master bath.

The walls of the bathroom were a warm sage which complemented the sink and other essentials included by Spanish designer Ramon Soler. This added to the room’s sleek, monochromatic appearance. She undressed quickly and put her soiled clothing and her towel in the hamper. When she turned on the shower, hot water blasted from all sides and filled the room with steam. She stepped in and sighed as glorious rivulets of water massaged her heavily exerted muscles.

Nora was a person of routine. The expensive furniture, appliances, and the art that peppered the walls remained the standard, carried over from childhood. Beautiful things had always surrounded her. These trinkets were all she’d had when her parents were away. They were all she’d had when her parents returned as well. The Whitmore’s were never overly attentive, never fawning. They were never much of anything.

Why did she choose this morning to wallow in the past? Nora didn’t have an answer. She got dressed and brushed away the pang of insecurity caused by her memories and old wounds.
Nora reminded herself that she looked flawless in the green high-waisted Gucci pencil skirt and matching cream-colored blouse. No one was privy to her thoughts and feelings anyway. When Nora entered the kitchen, the well-timed espresso machine had already done its work. She opened the refrigerator and reached for the fresh fruit, as well as Greek yogurt. She ate quickly, mechanically, and left her home at seven-fifteen, the same time she did each morning during the week.

* * *

When she finished her story, Kelli threw her head back and roared with laughter. This was where she wanted to be, and this was how she liked it, hanging out with two of the people she cared about the most. They were loud, teasing, and completely inappropriate, and Kelli didn’t give a damn that they were in the hospital. Sean laughed so hard his face was red and sweaty, but Gerry Travis was something else altogether. That high-pitched squeal he had going on made it sound like he’d sprung a leak.

“Shit. You should have seen the way she looked at me. I was sure she was gonna drag me out of bed.” Kelli shrugged. “I thought it was clever while it lasted. Whoever came up with that phrase needs to be rich. It doesn’t even spell out the exact word, just sounds like it,” Kelli murmured.

Travis snorted. “I got it the first time you used it, and I didn’t like being called a cunt either. ‘You’re a real
see you next Tuesday
.’ You’ve gotten so sloppy. Nobody is that stupid!”

“Yeah, she’s a freakin’ nurse. She’s no dummy. She was definitely gonna catch on,” Sean added.

“At least I didn’t just come out and say it! I don’t wanna wake up with a bedpan as a pillow,” Kelli said.

“That’s what you’re worried about? Man, they 
probably control
everything
in the hospital by punching a couple of buttons. To be safe, you better check the apple juice before you drink it next time,” Sean said.

Kelli glared and waved it all away. “It’s not that serious.”

Travis raised a brow. “Oh, you don’t think so?”

“She had it coming! I’m the one that’s stuck in this place. She doesn’t have to be rude.”

Gerry shook his head. “You’ve been biting their heads off. I’m surprised 
any 
of them talk to you at all with the way you’ve been treating them.”

“You can be a dick. I swear! How could any woman want you?” Sean asked.

Kelli shrugged. “Hey, I have charm.”

“Whatever. You just show them your tits.” Sean nodded knowingly.

“You’d better straighten up. They’re going to be burning Kelli dolls in effigy on the hospital steps.”

Kelli rolled her eyes at her partner. “This is a whole new set of nurses. It’s gonna take more than one incident. I’m not in ICU anymore, remember?”

“This is a hospital. Word travels fast.” Travis looked at her as if she were an especially slow child.

She sneered. “So you’re saying nurses are like black people? They all know each other?”

“Ooooh,” Sean muttered. “Shit just got real.”

Travis’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t remember. I’ve been hanging out with Italians the past couple of years watching
GoodFellas
and eating spaghetti every fucking weekend.”

Sean snickered.

“That didn’t keep you from eating my mom’s cannoli.”

A nurse entered the room and glared at Kelli as she moved past her wheelchair.

Travis and Sean looked at each other, breaking into laughter all over again. The nurse silently checked his IV and left.

“In effigy.” Travis said it in this low creepy voice.

“Yeah, yeah. I just hate this fucking place. It doesn’t feel right being here. I don’t have my gun, my badge. I’m not doing anybody any good.” Just like that, Kelli stepped from behind the humor and subterfuge because, with these two, she was safe enough to do so.

“So, misery really does love company?” Travis asked. “These are some really nice people, Kelli.”

She felt suitably admonished. He was right. “I know,” Kelli mumbled. She knew she could be an asshole, and she accepted it, but Kelli had to admit that she’d gotten a little out of control.

Travis tilted his head toward her. “What was that?”

“You heard me.”

Sean leaned forward in his chair and shook his head, smiling. “I swear to God, you have some kind of super power to get this one to back down or admit anything.” Sean snapped his fingers. “What do they call those guys who can calm down horses and shit?”

“I’m not a damn horse.” Kelli growled.

“Whisperers?” Travis asked.

“Yeah.” Sean nodded. “Whisperers. That’s it.”

Travis made a face. “Oh hell no. She needs to find a woman to do that.”

Two more nurses filed into the room. “Time to take a ride, Mr. Travis.”

Travis nodded, and they watched silently as the nurses readied his bed for transport.

Out of concern, Kelli asked, “Where are you taking him?”

Neither nurse answered her.

Kelli sighed.

Travis chuckled. “I’m guessing radiology.” He waved. “Later, guys.”

Kelli waited for Sean to get behind her. She looked up at him and saw something shadowed in his eyes. The weird feeling in her belly returned—dread. Kelli had to admit that it had never left. It whispered to her and told her to pay attention to the little things going on around her. “He’s okay, right? I know it was serious, and they have to monitor his injury.”

Sean held her gaze for a few seconds before he turned his attention to the brake on the wheelchair. “He’ll be fine.”

Kelli continued to stare at her brother. That didn’t really answer the question, but she didn’t press. Maybe deep down, she wasn’t ready for the actual answers anyway. This
 
was dangerously close to running from the truth, from fucked-up reality, but Kelli did it anyway. Running made her feel weak and alone, even though there was life, love all round her.

* * *

Kelli flipped through the channels on the television, but found nothing that interested her. She dropped the remote. It hung from the cable that attached it to the bed frame and banged uselessly against the side of the bed. There had to be something to keep her occupied. She didn’t want to think. She didn’t want to feel, and anxiety shifted just under skin, leaving her uncomfortable and twitchy. Kelli was made up of rough, jagged pieces. In the past, they had cut into others, but oftentimes, they pierced her even more. There were no dark secrets or hidden monsters that could explain it all away. This was how she worked best. This was who she was. Kelli delved deep to get into a murderer’s mind. Sometimes touched the shadows and kept a little for herself. The subject of her own mortality and forced immobility had become triggers of sorts, and her emotions churned inside her, growing darker by the day.

Kelli stared at the crutches leaning against the foot of her bed. She wanted to ignore the pain in her torso and use those evil pieces of metal to get moving again, even if it was only throughout the hospital. She’d tried, but it hurt too fucking much. The crutches sat there, taunting her with the possibility of getting away from the images of violence, brutality, and blood that came to her every time she closed her eyes. It made total sense that she couldn’t sleep. Kelli didn’t like asking for a sedative, but the medicine was the only thing that helped her rest and kept her from dreaming.

Kelli felt like she was in some kind of alternate universe where everything looked shiny and normal, but underneath something brewed. Absolutely nothing seemed right. She had great instincts, and they were screaming for her ass to pay attention. It was her own fault. She hadn’t been asking the right questions about Travis and Tony. She avoided when he should have confronted, but shit, she could only deal with so much.

“How are we doing this afternoon, Ms. McCabe?”

The sudden sound of Dr. Rader’s voice startled her. She hid it well. ”Same as I was yesterday.”

Dr. Rader closed the door and stepped farther into the room. Kelli glanced at him as he flipped through her chart. He was pleasant enough, but it felt as though he was trying too hard. He was phony, and that made her uneasy. Rader was pretty much a shell with a TV doctor poured into it, which was the complete opposite of Nora. Something simmered inside Nora, hiding behind those incredible eyes. That something challenged Kelli at times and irked her during others. Nora was unique. She smirked at the thought. There was only one Dr. Whitmore.

“You tried the crutches?” He didn’t look at her as he asked the question.

“I did. Hurt like fuck or did you forget I have a chest injury?”

Dr. Rader chuckled. “I did not, but you’re healing nicely. The crutches are a motivator of sorts. I think it’s time for some physical therapy so we can start discussing plans to get you out of here.”

Kelli’s heart thudded. “Seriously? Now you’re talking. I figure I’ll be as good as new in a few days—”

“No, not that soon. Someone with your type of wounds is usually incapacitated for well past a month. We’ll be over the three-week mark when I re-evaluate you for possible discharge, which is remarkable. Not to mention, you’ve had no complications. Even then, you won’t be ready for anything except desk duty.”

Kelli deflated. Another week and a half. The churning in her stomach drowned out the rest of his words. The only thing she could do was nod.

Williams poked his head in. “Do I need to come back in a few minutes?”

The idea of company actually perked Kelli up a few degrees.

“No, if she’s okay with it, I am too.” Dr. Rader smiled and glanced from Kelli to Williams, who was still waiting at the door.

Kelli rolled her eyes and motioned him in.

“I’m just going to check her injuries and then be out of your hair.”

Williams stopped and turned around as the doctor lifted Kelli’s shirt. “My tits don’t bite, Williams.”

“Yeah, well I still don’t want to see them.”

Kelli chuckled. The doctor pressed around the wound. She sucked in a pained breath.

“Good. Tenderness is decreasing. By the way, I love your pajamas. I’m a huge Seahawks fan myself.” He grinned, and Kelli was surprised his teeth didn’t sparkle.

Kelli didn’t believe him. Why the hell would anyone lie about the Seahawks? She rolled her eyes. “Uh-huh.” She glanced at Williams only to see his back was still turned.

“Now, let’s check the leg.” Dr. Rader did more of the same, pressing around the wound. “I’ll send PT to get you in about an hour, and tomorrow they are going to start a daily regimen with you.”

Nodding, Kelli rolled her shorts back down and covered herself with the thin sheet.

“Okay,” Dr. Rader patted her on the knee. “All done here.” He winked. “You can turn around now. Your friend is decent.”

The comment annoyed Kelli, but right now, just about everything did.

Williams snorted but said nothing else as he moved to the chair beside Kelli’s bed. They stared at each other.

He tilted his head to the side and continued to look at her. “Anything else from the past you want to bring up while I’m comfortable?”

Kelli sighed. “Probably not.”

“You sure?” He looked skeptical.

“Yes, dammit.”

“Your mom needed a shoulder. Things got out of hand. I’m not holding some type of torch for her, but you know all of this. It’s not your business now, just like it wasn’t your business then, despite your reaction to it. Nobody meant for you to walk in on it.”