Read Online Necessary Evil of Nathan Miller by Demelza Carlton - Free Book Online Page B

offered. I meant it, too.
    Shakily, he replied, "Thanks."

Part 26
    “I’ll go get the laptop now – I’ll be
an hour, tops. Will you be okay for that long without me?” Nathan
asked, looking worried.
    I shrugged and summoned a small smile,
despite secretly wondering if he thought my sheets would turn
sentient and strangle me in his absence. “I’ll be fine.”
    Carol came in. “Time for physio!” she
sang out. “Your doctor pulled some strings and persuaded one of our
best physiotherapists to take you on, though she barely had space
for any more new patients.”
    Nathan stopped dead. “The laptop can
wait.”
    I ignored him. “Which one?” I asked
Carol.
    Her smile widened. “Althea. I heard she
asked for a very personal favour from the doctor as payment,
though. And he turned up this morning looking like he hadn’t slept,
so we’re all wondering just how personal it got last night...” Her
laughter was wicked.
    I didn’t believe it. “But he’s
married...” I objected.
    She shrugged. “You ask her. Maybe
she’ll tell you.”
    “ Nathan,” I said
suddenly. “You go get that laptop. It’ll be okay.”
    He shook his head. “What if she hurts
you?”
    I tried to smile, but I think all I
managed was a sick grimace. “She’s a physio. She’s supposed to hurt
me a little in order to help me get better. It’s probably best that
you’re not here for that. After the session, all I’ll want to do is
rest, which I can do if I’m telling you what happened so you can
write it down.”
    He bit his lip. “Are you sure?”
    I forced myself to nod.
    “ Then I’ll be as
quick as I can,” he replied, hurrying out of the room.
    I felt a twinge of fear, but I brushed
it away. Nathan wouldn’t have left me unguarded.
    “ Don’t you get sick
of having him here constantly?” Carol asked.
    I shook my head. “I like him. When he’s
here, I feel safe. That’s a lot for me.”
    Her eyes filled with tears. “I wish you
didn’t need it, but it’s good he’s so devoted to you.”
    You have no idea.
    “ You must be
Caitlin.”
    I didn’t recognise the musical voice
that spoke the words, nor the tall, African woman who entered the
room.
    I nodded.
    Carol smiled. “I’ll leave you two for
your session.” She left quickly.
    “ You must be Althea,”
I replied.
    She laughed. “I am indeed. My husband
said you needed the very best of care, but because of the trauma
you’ve been through, you wouldn’t trust a physio you hadn’t met. So
he asked me to take care of you and I promised I would.”
    “ Your husband?” I
asked, mystified.
    “ Your doctor,” she
replied with a smile. “We haven’t told many people at work. He
wants to keep his personal life separate. Something about how he
was engaged to marry another girl and she left him. He said
everyone looked at him with such pity he couldn’t stand it and he
didn’t want to jinx us. So, it’s a secret few people know. You were
there the day he proposed, so I thought you knew.”
    I drew a blank and it embarrassed me.
“I’m really sorry, but I don’t remember ever meeting you
before.”
    Her laughter was deep and infectious. I
wanted to hear it again. “We were trapped in a lift together once.
You fainted in the heat. I’m not surprised you don’t remember it.
He didn’t propose until after he made sure you were okay. His
patients always come first, even before me.” She nodded fiercely,
evidently proud of her husband. “Now. Tell me about your injuries,
so I can help you like I promised.”
    My hands she dismissed until later,
when I no longer needed the bandages. My legs were another matter –
and the subject of much poking, prodding and manipulation, before
she started giving me exercises to help strengthen my muscles.
    “ How often should I
do them?” I asked eagerly.
    “ At least once a day,
if you can,” she replied.
    I met her eyes. “You know the men who
did this are still hunting me, right? I need to recover as fast as
I