Ten Years

Chapter 5

It's been a week since Declan and I kissed, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I've tried keeping myself busy with the pub, working out, reading, watching tv... Even going out with Benjamin again. But it's been impossible. The moment I disconnected for a second, I'm back on that car, feeling his lips on mine.

"Ah, fuck, shit!" I yell.

"What happened?" Dom says, running from the other side of the pub to check on me.

"I burnt my hand with the coffee machine. Fuck!"

"How did you do that?" he says, quickly putting it under cold water. "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing" I say, the water easing my pain a bit.

"And that's why you burnt your hand. Because you weren't thinking. At all."

"I'm stupid, I know."

"You aren't stupid. But something is definitely going on with you."

"Dom, it hurts" I say, trying not to cry in front of everyone.

"I'm taking you to the hospital. This doesn't look good."

"It isn't that... Oh" I say when I see the state of my hand.

"Lily, can you manage on your own?" Dom says.

"Yes, of course. Is it too bad?"

"I don't know. But I don't like how pale she's getting" he says, covering my hand with a wet cloth. "Let's go."

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"It looks more than it actually is" the doctor says, putting some lotion on my hand. "Very painful, but not serious."

When we arrived at the hospital I was crying like a baby, Dom having to carry me on his arms because of the pain.

"Thank God" he says.

"But you must do something about this, miss" the doctor continues. "It's your second visit in a week. First you cut your finger on your other hand, and now this."

"Sorry" I say between sobs.

"Is there anything worrying you?"

"No" I lie. "It's just that during summer we have too much work."

"Well, we don't want to lose you and having the best pub in the area going to hell, so you better take some days off and rest."

"But..."

"You heard him, sis."

"Next time I see you, I hope it's at the pub sharing a beer, not having to take care of another wound."

"I'll try" I say, my hand throbbing.

"I'll give you some painkillers for the pain. You can take them twice a day, and put the lotion three times. As it starts healing, you can do it less often. But be careful with the blisters, we don't want to risk an infection."

"I'll keep an eye on her, don't worry" Dom says. "Thank you very much."

"Thank you" I repeat after my brother.

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"How are you feeling?"

"I think the painkillers are starting to kick in" I say, closing my eyes and resting my head on the car's headrest.

"Good, good. But sis, did you notice how the doctor was flirting with you?"

"What?" I mutter, my eyes still closed.

"He said that he hoped that next time he saw you, it was sharing a beer at the pub."

"And?"

"That's flirting."

"Whatever."

"Maybe you should ask him out since things aren't going anywhere with Benjamin."

"Dom, I feel like my hand is about to explode. Can we please discuss my love life later?"

"Of course" he says, definitely smiling from ear to ear.

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"There you are. Finally!" someone says as Dom helps me get out of the car. No, not someone. Declan. Why is he here? "How are you? Are you ok?"

"It's less than what it looks" Dom says.

"When we went into the pub and Lily told us you had gone to the hospital because you had burnt your hand, I thought the worst."

"I'm fine" I say, my voice sounding very weird on my ears.

"It looks nasty" Declan says, grabbing my arm to check my hand. "Are you sure it isn't serious?" he asks, his thumb doing small circles on my forearm, something he used to do to help me calm down when we were together. And something that if I wasn't feeling completely numb because of the painkillers, would definitely make my knees feel like jelly.

"It isn't" Dom says.

"Well, if she isn't dying, then we can go back to minding our own business. Can't we, Deccy?" Birgit says behind him.

"Deccy" I snort, everyone looking at me. "Sorry. The painkillers."

"I think you need to lay down for a bit" Dom says.

"Yeah, that sounds like a great idea."

"Take care of yourself" Declan says, finally letting go of my arm.

"I will, Deccy" I say, quickly realizing what I've said and trying to cover my mouth with my hand. But I use my burnt one, the pain making me feel dizzy.

"Let's go" Dom says, picking me up in his arms again. And I don't know if it's the pain, the painkillers or all of it, but I could swear Birgit mouthed something like "you are dead, bitch."