Chloe dropped Faye off at her back gate and she fumbled a bit with the key because her relaxed fingers refused to work. She looked down at them and flexed them before trying again and winning the battle. She tuned to wave at Chloe, who was waiting for her to get inside safely. She could hear her car drive away as she closed the gate to the world. Faye had to admit that she was surprised that Chloe hadn't taken the chance to see Dr. DeGraff.
She locked the gate and then turned to start the climb up the steps, but her toe caught the uneven bricks on the first step and she fell with a muffled curse as she felt the sting from the brick where it scraped at her palms and knees. She hadn't skinned her knees since she was a kid and she had forgotten how badly it hurt. She rolled over onto her bottom and examined them, wincing as her elbow caught the wall next to her. She had skinned that as well.
She leaned back on the steps with a groan and covered her eyes with her arms. She was a mess.
"Are you alright?" Dr. DeGraff's deep voice asked from above her.
"No, I can't even get drunk right!" she groaned.
"You seem to be doing just fine to me," he said with all seriousness.
"I only had one beer!" she held up her finger to emphasize the number. "I'm what they call a cheap date."
"I disagree, the medical bills after two beers would probably be anything but cheap," he pointed out, reaching for her arm and pulling her up and towards him. She was too upset with herself to be amused by the jokes he was making, but his sense of humor seemed to be set off by herself falling down drunk, and it was disheartening, to say the least.
"Do you have a first aid kit somewhere?" he asked, taking her hands and looking at her scraped up palms. She tried to pull her hands away from his but he held them fast, ignoring the hint that he should release her.
"Upstairs in the kitchen, I can look after myself, thank you." She tried to pull her hands away once more.
"You had better let me take a look, you might miss a spot since your drunk," he pointed out with his unfailing logic.
"Unfortunately, I'm no longer drunk," she insisted and this time when she pulled her hands away from his he released them. "Thank you," she said, turning to go up the stairs, but she turned to quickly and had to grab the handrail to catch her balance.
"Stone cold sober," Dr. DeGraff said drily from behind her as he took her arm and escorted her up the stairs.
"Are you one of those people who are only funny at other people's expense?" she asked hotly as she slowly made her way up the stairs.
"I'm only funny when something amuses me," he admitted.
"I amuse you!" she almost shrieked.
"Right at this moment, yes, you amuse me." He nodded, a smile playing around his lips.
"It must be because I'm a charming drunk, just liked I'm a charming innocent," she ground out as she tried to get her key in the backdoor.
"Actually, right this moment you are adorably charming in every way," he said as he watched her fight with the key, she was so focused on what she was doing she didn't hear him.
She stomped her foot then tried again, missing again.
"May I be of some help?" he asked, taking the key from her weak fingers before she could object.
He unlocked the door and ushered her into the kitchen and towards a chair at the table. Once she was safely seated, he followed her pointing finger to the first aid box on top of the fridge. Then he pulled out a chair and sat across from her, his massive body filling up the small room as he sorted through the first aid kit while Faye watched him boldly.
"How old are you?" she asked, noting the silver at his temples.
"I'm forty-one Faye, how old are you?" he picked up one of her legs and placed it across his thighs. She could feel the muscle beneath the fabric of his slacks. Perhaps he was as muscular as Ben.
"I'm twenty-nine," she said with a hiss as the antiseptic hit the scratched flesh.
"Are you married?" she asked, one thing about being slightly inebriated, she wasn't afraid to ask questions.
"No, not anymore," he said, switching out her legs. His touch was clinical.
"But you were?" Faye asked, just to be sure that she has heard right.
"Yes, I was," he confirmed. "Are you married?"
"No." she snorted at the thought. He only raised an eyebrow at the sound. His wife probably never made such a sound, she was probably tall and blond with every hair in place, and never said or did anything embarrassing or inappropriate, and she had probably never been drunk in her life.
"Do you have any kids?" she asked with another hiss.
"Two, twins, a boy, and a girl, they're at university." He picked up her elbow and looked at the scrape.
"Did you see me fall?" she asked, mortified at the idea that he may have been witness to her klutziness.
"No, I only heard your charmingly aggrieved voice after the fact. I didn't know you knew such words, Faye." He was teasing her, and he had called her Faye, she was now very sober.
"I'm a nurse," she explained. "I know a lot of stuff that I probably shouldn't."
He placed her hands on the table and started to clean them next. "Not so innocent," he said with a small smile.
"Perhaps in some ways and not others," she said, clearing her throat.
His eyes lifted to meet hers and she blushed. He didn't say anything as he looked back down at her hands. "Aaron and Andrea," he said, saving her from herself.
"What?"
"My children's names. Aaron and Andrea."
"How old are they?" She was pleased to change the subject, having just potentially revealed something very private about herself.
"They are nineteen." He started on the other hand while Faye tried to come to terms with the idea that he had two grown children. "You must have had them when you were very young," she said.
"Younger than I should have, life tends to take twists and turns when we least expect it." It was a cryptic reply that could have meant a whole bunch of different things.
A sound behind them caught their attention and they both turned to look at Hayes who had just entered the kitchen.
"Well this looks cozy; did you finally find yourself a man Faye?" he asked with a laugh. "Wait until I tell Alyssa, she'll be thrilled. She was worried about you turning into an old maid." Hayes moved to the fridge for a bottle of water like he always did.
Faye fought back a blush. "Hayes, this is Dr. Silas DeGraff, he's staying in the apartment downstairs. Dr. DeGraff this is my brother, Hayes," Faye introduced.
"Nice Faye," he said with a wink, "I didn't think you had it in you." Then he picked up his keys and left.
"I'm sorry, he doesn't always think before he speaks," she offered, pulling her hand away from his. And starting to clean up the first aid kit.
"Where are your parents?" Dr. DeGraff asked, watching her jerky but sober movements.
"They passed away about seven years ago," Faye explained.
He didn't say anything as he sat watching her. "You have grandparents, aunts, uncles?" he asked.
"No, only the three of us. Hayes is twenty-three and Alyssa is about to turn twenty-one." She placed the kit back on top of the fridge and turned to him with a forced smile. "Thank you for your help."
The backdoor opened and Hayes entered once more just as Dr. DeGraff was standing to leave. Hayes stepped back at the size of him, which seemed larger than ever in her small kitchen.
"Sorry," Hayes said, snapping a quick picture, "Alyssa is curious."
Faye closed her eyes in mortification. "Once again, I'm sorry," she offered as she followed him to the still partially opened door.
She opened it all the way in time to hear Haye's voice say, "I know, who knew dumpy, frumpy little Faye had it in her." The gate banged shut behind him and all Faye could do was pretend she hadn't heard it and hope that Dr. DeGraff had the decency to do the same.
She fought back tears, she couldn't look at him, so she focused on the buttons of his shirt.
"Be sure to keep your cuts clean and dry for a few days," he instructed.
"Nurse, remember?" She tried for a joke.
"There is very little I forget," he insisted.
"I bet that was a joy for your kids growing up." She tried again.
"I Couldn't say, I never thought to ask them." Then as always, he abruptly turned and left, she didn't take her eyes off the spot he had stood until she heard his door bang shut. When she did, she slowly closed her door and slid to the floor, burying her head in her hands.
Life could not get any worse she thought. It only proved how little she knew.