Chapter 10 - Leo's P.O.V.
2178 Words
Mallory’s P.O.V.
Why the hell have I agreed to meet his doctor?!
I fidget in my seat, twisting my fingers together, trying my hardest not to throw up.
Leo looks unfazed, and nervous at the same time, if that’s even possible.
He came to my room about an hour after I went to see him in his office. Told me Dr. Sam will be here in ten minutes.
I have been tense ever since.
“It’s going to be OK, Mallory,” he says, placing his hands on mine, stopping my nail-picking.
When did he even move from his chair?
A soft knock echoes in the room, making me jump.
Leo tells whoever it is to come in. I’m surprised by the person walking through the door.
I was expecting a hot young doctor, but to my utter dismay, she’s more like a very attractive middle-aged woman.
“Hello dear, you must be Mallory. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’m doctor Samantha, or Sam, if you're in my good books,” She says with a wink, extending her hand toward me.
“I’m Mallory, but you already knew that. Of course, you already knew that,” I say, my cheek burning with embarrassment.
I hear both Leo and Dr. Sam chuckle. I want the floor to swallow me whole!
“Why don’t we take a seat and talk for a bit?” She suggests, pointing at the seating area.
We sit and I start fidgeting again.
I can do this. Leo said I had nothing to fear. I can trust him, right?
“First things first.” She says, placing her intertwined hands on her knees. “I want to tell you how sorry I am for everything you’ve gone through in the past nine years. And I’m sorry you feel so nervous being around me.” She says, giving me a sympathetic smile.
“From the briefing Leo has given me, there seems to be an issue with your memory. Am I correct?”
“T-That seems so.”
“How have you been since you arrived here?” She asks.
“Huh?” I utter, furrowing my brows in confusion.
“I’m wondering if you’ve been well here? Have you had any issues? Mal treatment? Mal-nourished? Have you been well taken care of?”
I look at her, still stunned by her questions. This is definitely not what I was expecting. I thought she would prick and prod me straight away with needles or do some kind of testing.
“Would you be more comfortable if I left the room?” Leo suddenly asks, getting up from his chair.
“NO!” I screamed, reaching for his hand and stopping him from leaving.
He lowers his gaze to my hand and looks back at me with a smile.
I let go of his hand, turning crimson, and shrinking in my seat.
“OK, I’ll stay.” He says, his voice sounding much too satisfied by my reaction.
I exhale deeply, trying to regain my composure.
“I’ve been fine. More than fine. They treat me better than I ever expected after being..taken here.” I say, looking at Leo from the corner of my eye.
He tries to hide his smile behind his fingers, but I can still see it.
“I did apologize for that,” he says, laughing lightly.
“You did not!” I boldly say, outraged.
“I did,”
“When? I know my memories from the past are hazing and nonexisting, but I would remember you apologizing! It hasn’t been that long since I’ve been here!” I say frustratingly.
Doctor Sam laughs, making me remember that we're not alone.
Damn it!
I got so coughed up with Leo I forgot she was in the room!
“Well, I can definitely see that you are well taken care of,” she says with a smirk.
“Now, for the more serious questions. I apologize in advance if I make you uncomfortable, but I need to ask these.” She says a little more seriously.
I gulp and wait patiently for her questions.
“What do you remember from your accident five years ago?” She asks, making my eyes go wide.
What do I remember from that?
“ I…I’m not sure,”
“Do you remember when you woke up?” Sometime after? Do you remember having any injuries on your body? Bandages or anything of the sort?”
“Humm… I think… I think I had some bandages… On my head,” I say, my eyes closed, trying hard to remember that time.
“I think…I think I woke up in my room. But it was different.”
“Your room?” Leo asks, his voice on edge.
I nod before doctor Sam asks another question.
“Where was that room?”
I glance over at Leo, who was looking at me, waiting nervously for my answer. I gulp, fearing his reaction. Whenever Alexanders' name is mentioned, he gets this terrifying look in his eyes.
“I… It was... It…”
“It’s OK, Mallory. Take your time. And you, stop scolding your eyes! You're making her nervous!” She reprimands, looking at Leo pointedly.
He clears his throat and repositions himself on his chair.
“Sorry,” He mumbles.
“As you were saying?” Doctor Sam asks.
“It was…In Alexanders' home.” I say, choosing my words carefully. I almost said my home. But it was not my home. It was, sort of, but it never felt right calling it that.
This place has felt more like home than anywhere I’ve ever been in this world!
Why is that?
“Ok. And… How were you treated? When you woke up? Did they take proper care of your injuries at the time?”
“I think so. For a while at least.”
“What do you mean, for a while?”
I think hard as to why his attitude changed, but my head starts to pound hard.
“Mallory?” I faintly hear Leo asks.
I hiss at the intensity of the pounding against my skull.
“Mallory, what’s wrong?” I hear doctor Sam ask, seeming as concerned as Leo.
“My…my head,” I manage to mumble.
“Why don’t you lay down on your bed? Leo,” Doctor Sam says.
I’m about to protest when Leo picks me up bridal style and carries me to bed. He lays me down gently and places his cool hand on my forehead.
I sigh at the relief the coldness gives me. His hand slowly slid from my forehead to the side of my face, cupping my cheeks.
I nestled unconsciously into his hand, searching for comfort I didn't know I needed at the moment.
“What do you think caused this?” He asks doctor Sam.
“I’m not sure. But I need to ask this,”
“NO! No more questions for today!” Leo barks, making me jump.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to scare you,” he says, lowering himself next to my bed.
“Now, you apologized,” I say, smiling lightly.
He chuckles while shaking his head.
“What am I going to do with you?”
“Put up with me?” I ask boldly, making him laugh even louder.
“I can answer her. I’m fine,”
“No! You are not fine! You almost just collapsed. Questioning can wait!”
“Leo, please?” I pleaded.
He stared at me, searching for something, then let out an exasperated breath at the end.
“Fine. Two questions left for the day and that's it!” He concedes.
“Fine with me. One, can I take a blood sample for analysis? I have a feeling…A hunch, but the only way I can be certain is by analyzing your blood. Then we could make a plan to get you back in perfect health.”
I almost want to say no, but she makes a valid point. How can we know what’s wrong with me, if I don’t get tested?
“Ok,” I agree. “What your second question?”
“Why were you so nervous about meeting with me?”
“Samantha!” Leo bellows furiously.
“It’s a simple question to ask, Leo. I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. If my asking this can make me understand better and be appropriately prepared for the future, then I will!” She says, a little angrily.
“Don’t look at me like that! You know I only want to do what is best for her.”
I try sitting up, but Leo pushed me back down by my shoulders.
“You need to rest.” He says, pulling a blanket over me.
We all stay silent for a few minutes until I finally decide to answer doctor Sam.
“He, Alexander I mean, used to take me to the doctor every week for what he called a check-up. But it wasn't really always a check-up.” I close my eyes, trying hard not to let the tears threaten to fall out.
“They… They would..tie me to the bed, so I wouldn’t move, or tried to escape as I did a few times.” I take in a sharp breath, bracing myself for what I’m going to say next.
“They would examine me…and inject…something… in my arms. It would burn so much. I would scream for what felt like hours. But I think it could have only been minutes.”
I feel the sheets close to my arm bunch up. Looking down, I see Leo’s hand, balling my blanket into his vice-like grip.
“Oh, dear! I’m so sorry you’ve had to go through all of that. I can only imagine the amount of pain you must have been in. It’s no wonder you were terrified of seeing me!” She says, trying to approach me, but Leo blocks her way.
“That is enough for today. Leave.” He says sharply.
“But,” I’m about to argue, but the look he gives me makes me cower back into my bed, lowering my eyes in fear.
He let out a sigh before cupping my face again, making me flinch.
“I’m sorry, Mallory. I didn’t mean to scare you. We can meet her another day.”
“What about the blood test?” I ask nervously.
“It’s alright, dear. I’ll come back another day for it.”
“But, you’re here now, and I agreed,”
“Are you sure you’re up for it?” She asks, making Leo grumbles again.
“To be honest, it makes me nervous, but I think I’m OK with it. I mean, how else am I going to know what’s wrong with me?”
“Are you sure?” Leo asks
“No, not really, but you trust her, right?”
He looks at me with wide eyes, before nodding.
“Then…I think it should be fine. If you really trust her.”
“I do trust her.”
“Alrighty then,” Doctor Sam says, stepping out for a few minutes and coming back with a travel medical kit.
My heart starts to race as she takes out what she needs from her bag. I gulp as soon as I see the siring.
A hand wrapping into mine startles me. Looking up, I see Leo smiling tenderly at me.
“It’s ok. I’m here with you. I won’t leave you.” He says, giving my hand a tight squeeze as doctor Sam inserts the needle in my arm.
I hiss, fearing the burning sensation I would usually feel by now. But it never comes.
I tentatively opened my eyes, looking down to where the needle is poking out. She fills five small tubes with my blood before taking the needle out and placing a thick bandage over the tiny hole.
“All done. Now rest up, dear. I will be back with the results as soon as I can. If there are any issues in the meantime, give me a call and I’ll come straight away.” She says, packing all of the things before leaving the room.
That…that wasn’t so bad.
I’m surprised and confused about how I’m feeling. I was so sure that every doctor I would meet would be as bad as Alexender’s doctor. But I was wrong.
At least for now I was.
“Are you hungry? Thirsty?” Leo asks, still sitting next to me on the bed.
“No…”
“Are you sure? Do you need anything?”
“I-I am a little tired,” I whisper nervously.
“I’ll let you get some rest. Anything special you’d like for dinner?”
“Something light?”
“Anything for you,” he says, bedding down, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead before getting up and leaving my room, closing the door behind him.
What was that just now?!
- Writer
