Being Neighborly by Carey Heywood Read Free Book Online Page A

are you feeling, Beau?”
    “I’m dizzy ,” I rasp, keeping my eyes closed. “And thirsty,” I add.
    “I’ll grab you some water in just a minute. That sound good?”
    A slight nod of my head is all I can manage.
    She takes my temperature and checks my blood pressure. I zone out, trying to remember what happened.
    “Can you feel this, Beau?”
    Huh?
    “Can I feel what?” I ask, my eyes opening.
    She’s standing next to my left leg, a grim expression on her face.
    I lift my head to try and see what she’s doing. Even though my vision blurs and the exertion of lifting my head is exhausting, I need to see. She has my foot in her hand and is turning it from side to side.
    I’m watching her move my foot . I see it. My brain recognizes that I see it, but I can’t feel it. Time stands still as I tell myself to feel it, as if mind over matter could come into play.
    “Well?” she asks again.
    I let my head fall back to the bed allowing the exhaustion to win. “I can’t feel it.”
    There’s a gasp from the doorway and I turn my head, opening my eyes to see who it is. Bethany. Her eyes are wide, her hands covering her mouth. She clearly just heard I can’t feel my foot.
    “Darling ,” I breathe and she rushes to my side.
    Her hands are on my face, her lips on mine. “Oh , my God, Beau. I was so scared.”
    “Shh.” I want to put my arms around her to comfort her , but I’m either too weak or medicated to.
    My nurse interrupts us, letting me know she is getting me some water. Bethany is so busy fussing over me; I barely notice when the nurse returns with my water. I open my eyes slightly, risking the dizziness to see Bethany. She’s holding my water, her hands shaking as she brings the bendy straw to my lips. Even here, no makeup, clearly sleep deprived Bethany is beautiful.
    When I notice the redness around her eyes , my chest tightens and my throat swells, making it hard to sip the water she’s offering me.
    “What happened ?” I manage.
    Bess walks around to other side of my bed, opposite to where Bethany is stan ding and pulls a chair forward before taking my hand in hers. “You were unconscious when I got to you with the truck. Thank God, Bethany was with me when you called. If I’d have come by myself, I never would have been able to get you into the truck.”
    A sniffle pulls may attention to Bethany and I watch her wipe fresh tears from her eyes. I try to lift my hand again , but am only able to raise it a couple inches before it falls back onto the bed, useless.
    “Don’t cry ,” I plead.
    She shakes her head and attempt s a brave smile. “I was so scared,” she croaks, her voice thick.
    “I’m okay ,” I try to reassure her.
    She leans over me, pressing her forehead to mine, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. Frustration bleeds from my inability to take her pain away, pain I caused. She drops a kiss on my lips before pulling away to collect herself.
    Bess clears her throat and I turn my head back toward her. “You had an allergic reaction to the venom and were in shock when we found you.”
    “Allergic reaction?” I repeat.
    “Yes,” a new voice confirms, entering the room.
    “Hel lo Beau. My name is Dr. Vanson.” An older gray-haired gentleman in a lab coat says.
    I lift my chin in reply.
    “Ladies. I need a couple moments with Mr. Hamilton.”
    “They can stay ,” I breathe.
    He goes right to examine my foot, turning it from side to side before lifting it asking me what that nurse had asked. I confirm that I still can’t feel what he’s doing. Instead of stopping like the nurse has, I watch as his hands move up my leg. He stops every inch to ask if I can feel anything. He’s almost to my knee before I do.
    As scary as the loss of sensation is below my knee , it’s a relief to know it doesn’t go farther than that.
    Bess asks the question on the forefront of my mind. “Is it permanent?”
    “Allergic reactions can present themselves differently from one patient to the next.