Western Flame

Chapter 24

A hand on Tanner's shoulder shook him awake, and he blinked his eyes open to Caitlin smiling down at him. He'd fallen asleep.

"Hey," she whispered. "You two were asleep, I didn't want to disturb you, but—"

Tanner glanced down and lifted his hands in surprise. He expected to see the striped grey he'd fed earlier, but instead, their grumpy orange tabby tomcat was curled up on his lap, nose tucked under a paw. "What the—" Tanner muttered, and the cat startled awake. Sensing that his sleeping arrangement wasn't ideal anymore, he launched himself away from Tanner's lap, hissed at Tanner, and ran.

Tanner sat up in the chair, brushing orange cat hair to the floor. "You here to poke at me?"

Caitlin stifled a laugh and pulled over a chair. "If that's what you want to call it, sure. Any burns I should look at?"

"No burns."

Tanner peeled off his heavy canvas winter coat and set it on the floor beside him. Caitlin pulled out her stethoscope, and rubbed it against the sleeve of her shirt while she studied him.

"Get much sleep last night?"

"Not a lot. Didn't get back in until after midnight, and I was in the steam shower for a while after that," he replied, looking away as he mentioned the shower. Yeah, that. He was not going there while her best friend was standing in the room.

"I'm going to listen from the back, so untuck that shirt too. Big breaths for me, okay? In and out."

Tanner gave in as he pulled his shirt tail out of his jeans and turned. Caitlin moved the stethoscope around on his back while he breathed in and out, much like how Liana had him do. He felt ridiculous, and as he thought that, he coughed.

"Hmm," Caitlin said.

"What's that mean?" he asked, turning as she finished. She stuck her fingers under his jaw, massaging his throat and he braced. Here came the poking.

"You're still a little swollen. Did you use the saline this morning for your sinuses?"

"Yeah. Peony forced more tea on me as well. I hate that stuff, damned dirt water," he muttered.

"Well it's important. Your lungs are clear, and you sound a bit laboured, but I'm not worried about it. If you aren't better in a couple of days, I might get you a bronchodilator. Do you have any cough drops or hard candies?"

"No," Tanner replied. "Why?"

"Sucking on those can help soothe your throat. Plus, the extra moisture is good. Have you been coughing up any grey or black mucus?" she said, and grabbed his wrist, setting her smartwatch on it. She poked at it, and it glowed red underneath.

"No, just a dry cough, my lungs feel tight more than anything," he replied, watching the face of the watch. It vibrated and the result seemed to please Caitlin, so she pulled it off and strapped it back onto her wrist.

"What was that?"

"Blood oxygen levels. There's an app that can measure through skin. Neat huh? You're well within good percentages. You're fit, it helps."

"Oh. Anything else?" Tanner asked and shifted in the chair. He was appreciative of her examination, but he hated being prodded like she was. His irritation must have shown, because Caitlin stood and took a step back.

"Good. A day or two of recovery and you'll feel more normal is my guess, but you'll feel exhausted easily for a week or more. Don't do anything strenuous today."

"Yes ma'am," Tanner drawled and Caitlin snorted a laugh and then sighed. Every single woman in his life was prying at him today, it seemed. Well, every one but one. She had avoided him completely.