It took an additional ten minutes, but finally, as Cisco was about to say screw it and walk out bare-chested, an orderly arrived with a green scrub’s shirt.
“Thanks man,” Cisco said, taking it from him.
“No problem,” the guy returned before disappearing again.
Cisco sucked in a pained breath as he raised his arms to ease the material over his head.
“You need help?” Welker asked, standing up.
“No. I’ve got it,” Cisco hissed. He managed to get one arm in, then eventually and very gingerly, the other. He just wasn’t sure how he’d get the damned thing off later. “Looks like I might be sleeping in this piece of shit tonight.”
Welker grinned and shrugged. “It’s scrubs, buddy. Take scissors to it when you get home.”
Cisco chuckled. “And that, smart-ass, is why you get paid the big bucks.”
“I wish,” Welker quipped back, “but the bosses haven’t yet discovered just how awesome I am.”
Cisco laughed, as he always did when Welker boasted. But seriously, for all the man’s bluster, Welk was caring, astute, and a very good person to call friend.
Without being asked or making a big deal out of it, Welk stood close as Cisco maneuvered himself off the bed. His hand came out to stable Cisco while he got his pins steady beneath him.
“Thanks. I’m good now,” Cisco told him after half a minute, but Welker still walked close to him the entire way out of the ER, across the parking lot, and stayed by his side until Cisco was safely inside Welk’s car.
Cisco didn’t give him shit for his vigilance because…he was kind of woozy. Which was weird…
Fuck. When was the last time he’d eaten? A long freaking time ago. That had to be at least half the reason he was feeling so weak. How was a man supposed to replenish his red blood cells without calories?
“I need food,” he barked at Welker who had just gotten into the car.
Welker didn’t even blink. “Fast food or Door Dash?” he asked.
“Fast food. A couple large orders of fries and three or four burgers should do it.”
“You got it.”
Food had been consumed, the game played out as a win for the Sox, and Welker had said his goodbyes. Cisco felt so drained, it seemed like it had to be the middle of the night, but in reality, it was just before ten. Fatigued or not, his mind still wandered back to the woman who’d taken up far too much space in his brain since… Damn. Was it only this morning he’d met her? It seemed like it had been days ago, so much had happened in the meantime.
Would she have seen him on TV today?
Everyone who’d stopped by the hospital to comfort or razz him had said he’d made for extremely good entertainment.
Yeah. Break out the frigging popcorn.
He eyed his phone where he knew Hilly’s phone number resided, and before he could talk himself out of it, he picked it up and hit the call button.
Shit, shit, shit. He had instant regrets…until it connected and Cisco heard her soft, tentative voice.
“Hello?” she inquired.
“Uh, hi. I hope I’m not calling too late,” he began by apologizing, then realized she wouldn’t have him on caller ID. “Oh. This is Cisco.”
“Cisco,” she said on a relieved sounding breath. “I saw what happened earlier tonight. Are you okay? Do you need anything?”
Damn. Just like that, he was right back to feeling that inexplicable warmth in his gut that he’d experienced in her presence before.
“I’m fine. A little sore. A little tired. It could have been much worse.”
“I… They didn’t report on your condition, so I, um, might have crossed a line and called Ellen Sothard to make sure you were okay.”
Cisco grinned and relaxed into his couch. For all Hilly’s posturing, it seemed that she, like him, felt the odd connection between them. At least enough to check up on him. But…Ellen Sothard?
“You know Ellen?” he asked curiously. Of course, he and everyone on the team were well acquainted with her. The woman was Mason’s mother, but she’d also become a matriarch to all the squads; feeding them during long standoffs and even holding a handful of teammates’ weddings at her house. The woman was awesome.
“I do. She’s the new cook at camp this year,” Hilly told him.
Cisco did a silent fist pump. This was stellar news. At least two days a week he was sure to be fed like a king.
“That’s awesome,” he replied. “You’re going to love her.” He had a thought. “Wait. How do you know her? Or did she just apply for the job out of the blue?”
There was a long silence, and Cisco wondered if the connection had been dropped before Hilly finally answered.
“I’ve actually known Ellen all my life.”
Wait. What? How was that possible. Cisco pretty much knew everyone in town, and Hilly looked to be about his age. How had he missed someone so…compelling? Why hadn’t she ever been on his radar?
“You grew up around here?” he asked, with a crack in his voice.
