Becoming Forever (Waking Forever Series) (17 page)

“
Could you sound any more casual? I talked to Michael, and he told me it was pretty serious. If the hot doctor hadn’t come along - and yes, we will talk about why she was at your apartment later - you would be crunchy toast.” Alan took a deep breath.

“Come to the hospital, and see I’m fine.” Ash wondered if she had just made a mistake. She still hadn’t had a look in a mirror and had no idea how bad the bruising and swelling was. Her efforts to console her friend may have the exact opposite effect.

“I’ll be there in a half hour. Room number, please?”

Ash gave Alan the information, and hung up. Laying her head back against the stiff pillow, she was hoping to rest for a while before Alan arrived. Her phone began to buzz again.

“Jesus Christ.” Ash reached for the phone, and seeing the text message smiled in spite of her irritation.

Do you need something to read?
Emma’s message read.
I didn’t see anything while I was there.

Ash quickly responded.
Don’t trouble yourself. It’s okay.

A few seconds later the phone buzzed again.
I’m still in the hospital. Went to visit colleague. No trouble.

Ash responded.
A few magazines then… please.

Okay.
Emma replied.

Ash put the phone on her lap,
closed her eyes, and laid her head back. Even though she was exhausted, the idea of seeing Emma again gave her a surge of energy. Her feelings for the beautiful woman were getting more difficult to define and ignore. She thought of Emma as a friend, and knew – given the appearance of ambiguity in Emma and Coleen’s relationship – Emma thought of her as only a friend.

There was som
ething in how Emma spoke to her and looked at her, though, that made Ash wonder if there might be more. The way Emma said her name, the way she focused so intently on everything Ash said made Ash feel like there was more to see each time she looked at Emma.

“Ash?” Emma spoke quietly.
Ash opened her eyes, and looked up. Emma stood next to her bed, a slight smile on her face and a stack of magazines in her arms.

“I hope I managed to find something you like.” Emma put the stack of periodicals on the nightstand next to the bed.

Ash watched her closely, feeling almost euphoric.
It’s the head injury, Haines. You know from all of the first aid and CPR classes, heightened and exaggerated emotions can accompany a head injury. But she looks really good.

“Any of these look good to you?” Emma asked, handing Ash several magazines.

Ash forced her attentions away from the beautiful doctor and onto the magazines. Thumbing through the stack she couldn’t help but smile.
All About Beer, Texas Monthly, Psychology Today, Discover,
and
Curve
were among the vast array of titles Emma had brought her. “Did you clean the place out?”

Emma smiled. “Variety is the spice of life
.”

Ash glanced around the room
, not seeing her wallet or bag.  “I don’t know where my wallet is, but I’m good for it.”

Emma shook her head. “My treat. You’ve had a rough day.” She took a step back. “I’ll leave you to rest now.”

Ash’s hand acted independent of her brain, and reached out to grab Emma’s. “Please stay.”

Emma’s eyes
widened and she looked down at Ash’s hand. “You have to be exhausted, and –”

Ash forced herself to release the doctor’s cool hand. “I am, but –” Ash wasn’t sure what she should say.
Telling her the truth that she wanted Emma near, and that she felt better with her seemed too forward and intense for where their relationship was. She managed some semblance of the truth.

“My friend Alan, who you met at Blue Box, will be here soon, and I know he would love to see you again.” Emma looked at Ash, and the blue in her eyes seemed to shift like a kaleidoscope. “
Emma, your eyes-”

Emma swallowed and took a step toward Ash
, whose heart began to immediately race. Ash thought a shadow of desire passed across Emma’s face as her eyes stayed focused on Ash’s. Then it was gone.

“
Did you know you have partial heterochromia iridis in your left eye? This appears as a cluster of reddish brown within the darker brown of the surrounding iris.” Emma walked around the bed toward the chair, and Ash blinked several times, feeling embarrassed that she had completely misread that exchange.

“There are a
number of causes. All genetic in nature.” She smiled reassuringly at Ash as she sat in the chair and crossed her legs.

“Yea, my mom had it too.” Ash f
orced a casual expression on her face, even though every part of her wanted to shake Emma and demand to know what was going on with the two of them. “Emma?”

The doctor looked at Ash, the smile leaving her face as Ash leveled her gaze at her. “Ash.” The hitch in Emma’s voice betrayed her calm demeanor.

Ash bit her lower lip as she considered Emma. “Can I tell you something? Something I’m not even ready to share with Cris yet?” Ash heard the words coming out of her mouth, totally independent of her judgment and reason. Something in Emma’s manner made her feel safe to share what she knew would sound ridiculous.

Emma nodded. “Of course.”

“It wasn’t a burglar. I mean he broke in, but he was there for me, not my stuff.” Ash exhaled.

Emma leaned forward in the chair and nodded. “What was it about then?”

Ash smiled, realizing Emma didn’t think she was being paranoid. “I think it has to do with the Garrett case. The whole thing has been wonky from the beginning, and there was something-” Ash clamped her mouth shut, chastising herself for nearly telling Emma all of her suspicions.

“Something
?” Emma got up and stood next to Ash.

Ash shook her head. “Nothing, I just think something isn’t right. I can’t prove it, but I know.” She looked up at Emma, hoping for some sign she understood. “I know to someone like you that seems ridiculous.”

Emma tilted her head to the side. “Someone like me?”

Ash looked down at her lap. “I don’t make assumptions in my line of work
, detective.” She grinned as she recounted their conversation from three weeks ago.

Emma chuckled. “Well,
in
your
line of work assumptions are synonymous with hunches, and those can get us headed in the right direction.”

Ash’s eyes widened as she looked up at Emma. “You listened.” Emma nodded, and Ash shifted in the bed so she was facing the doctor more fully. “But do you agree
, Emma?”

The doctor took a deep breath. “Why don’t you tell me what we’re
assuming
and go from there?”

Ash nodded, relieved her friend was willing to listen. “
The guy who attacked me was strong, I mean really strong. I work out and I pass my physicals, in some cases lifting more weight and running longer, faster than my male counterparts.”

Ash shook her head. “But this guy was on me so quick and he was so strong, I - there wasn’t anything I could do.” Ash was surprised and embarrassed when
she started crying. Emma reached for the box of tissue on the nightstand and without a word, handed them to Ash. “I just can’t put my finger on it,” she said as she blew her nose.

Emma sat down on the edge of the bed next to Ash. “What do you think it all means?”

Ash looked up at Emma, her eyes red from crying. She wanted to say it, but it sounded crazy in her head; so she knew it would sound insane coming out of her mouth. Looking at Emma, her blue eyes full of concern, Ash decided to trust her friend. “He wasn’t human.”

Emma’s face remained expressionless.
“Why do you think that?”

Ash swallowed hard, feeling encouraged the level-headed, fact-based
, logical doctor hadn’t laughed at her or worse, called Dr. Stephens in for fear the blow to Ash’s head had done permanent damage. “He smelled like rancid meat and wet dirt, and when he spoke-”

Emma’s brow shot up. “He spoke to you?”

Ash nodded. “Yeah, he said - remember I was this close.” Just saying the words out loud sent a chill up Ash’s spine.

Emma got up, and walked around the bed. “I don’t think you’re crazy.” Emma picked up her purse. “I know this is terrible timing, but I have to go.” Emma glanced at her watch. “Can we talk more about this later?”

Ash wasn’t sure what had just happened. One minute Emma seemed to be going along with Ash, and then she was bolting out the door again. Ash was getting tired of this on and off act the doctor had going. “Are you serious?”

Emma was reaching into her purse when she stopped, surprised by the harshness in Ash’s voice. “I’m afraid I am. Please, I’m truly sorry, but-”

Ash felt tears pushing at the back of her eyes, and she hated how emotional she got with Emma. “You know Emma, there are some things even good manners can’t make right. Telling your friend who was just vulnerable with you after having - what did you call it - a
rough
day, that you have to suddenly be somewhere, is definitely shitty.”

Emma stood, her purse dangling from her bent arm, her mouth open in shock. “I’m sorry Ash that you-” The woman shut her mouth, the sound of her teeth clenching was audible. “What I mean is-” Emma took a deep breath and forced the air back out of her lungs. “Fuck.” She ran her long tapered fingers through her hair. “I can’
t get this right.”

Once Ash got past hearing Emma swear for the first time, and the perverse thrill it gave her, she softened her voice. “Get what right
?”

Emma looked at Ash, her brow furrowed. Ash didn’t know if she
was unwilling or unable to speak. The tension broke as Alan walked into the room with a bouquet of wildflowers in his arms. “Emma, how lovely to see you again.”

Emma turned to Alan. “Alan, lovely to see you. I’m on my way out, but I’m glad Ash won’t be left alone.” Not waiting for a response, Emma turned to Ash. “I’ll call you later.” Pulling her car keys from
her purse, she left the room.

Alan lo
oked back and forth between Ash and the empty doorway. “What’d I miss?”

Chapter 9

D
r. Stephens had been pleased with the results of the MRI, motor skills and cognitive tests Ash had been subjected to, so Ash had been released from the hospital after two days. Cris had reported to her daily on her case and the Garrett case. His news was never good, since neither case was getting anywhere. Lieutenant Edwards had told her in no uncertain terms she was to take the remainder of the week off, and recover before returning to work.

Lara had come to the hospital both days, and brought Ash Las
Palapas tacos one day, and Five Guys cheeseburgers the next. “I can’t imagine the food here is anything good,” she had commented, handing Ash the grease soaked burger bag. She had stayed and played dominos with Ash, and whichever family members happened along.

Ash had never thought of herself as indecisive. Lara was beautifu
l, kind, funny and intelligent, but their moments together made no lasting impression on Ash. Nothing of the woman imprinted on her mind or heart, and there was nothing there for Ash to take out later and admire. She enjoyed her company, but the more time she spent with Lara the more cautious she became of confusing a fondness and attraction to her as anything more.

On the other hand, Ash seemed to be constantly pulling Emma from the back of her mind, and admiring her. This was in spite of the fact
Emma had not called or come to the hospital after their awkward exchange.

Ash assumed she had upset the doctor, or she felt guilty over her behavior and thought seeing Ash again would be uncomfortable.
Regardless, Ash was sick of feeling quietly uncertain about her feelings for Emma.

“You know I’m making you my five-hour marinara?” Alan sh
outed from Ash’s kitchen. “Five hours.”

Ash sat reclined on her couch, happy she was home again, and that CSI hadn’t completely annihilated her apartment. “I get it. It’s a big deal.”

“Damn straight, friend.” Alan’s voice filled the apartment.

Ash leaned over and picked one of the twenty magazines Emma had brought her up from the coffee table. She had managed to read five of them while in the hospital, and given the fact each magazine interested her, she decided to cart them home with her.

Alan walked in and sat down in the recliner adjacent to Ash. “Two hours and counting.” He reached for the television remote. “Aren’t the Longhorns playing today?” He pressed the power button.

“Yea
h, but not until four.” Ash glanced at her watch, it was half past two. “Pre-game hasn’t even started yet.”

Alan flipped through a few channels, and then muted the television. “Where did you get all these damn magazines?” He picked up
All About Beer
from the coffee table. “Did you lose a bet or something?”

Ash laughed. “No, Emma brought them to the hospital.”