Tangled

84 Ava: Doctor’s Care

Dr. Ellison never appears before me again. @

My new doctor is an older woman who smells like a mix of raw meat and chocolate chip cookies. Like a bunny–slaughtering, chubby grandma. It’s an odd mix that makes my nose wrinkle a little.

“Good morning, Miss Grey,” she greets me, her voice gentle and sweet, belying her stocky frame. It only adds to the Disney grandma effect, still with a side of vicious killer. “I’m Dr. Annise Beaumont, and I’ll be taking over your care from now on.”

She moves closer, and I flinch without thinking, tensing at her approach.

The rational part of my mind knows she’s here to help,

but after the disastrous encounter with Dr. Ellison, I

can’t shake the sense of unease that settles in the pit of my stomach. I don’t want to be touched by people

who hate me.

Dr. Beaumont seems to notice my apprehension, knitting her brows together as she watches me. “I’ve heard of your issues with Dr. Ellison. He’s well known

C 84 Ava: Doctor’s Care

to be a bit of a problem child. Too big for his britches after heading

ng off to university. No need to worry, dear. I don’t care what pack you’re from. I’m just going to check your vitals and take a look at those wounds, make sure everything is healing properly.”

Of course. All important things a normal doctor would

1. do.

myself to relax a little beneath her

cookie grandma scent, her fingers surprisingly deft as they press

gentle, almost maternal touch is unfamiliar to

is a little elevated,” she murmurs, -more to herself than to me. “But that’s to be expected, given

my bed, clucking her tongue at my blood pressure. “That should go up with some medication changes,” she says, before launching into a casual story about how her daughter had spent a day in the hospital the other day because

been ill

13

217

Doctor’s Care

horrifying all the shifter parents at daycare. Turns out, she’d eaten something she shouldn’t, and there

myself drawn in by her soothing cadence, the tension slowly ebbing from my body as she works, carefully checking every wound on my face and neck before replacing each dressing.

angry and raw, has my breath catching in my throat. Vivid memories of the fight with Todd flash through my

Beaumont murmurs, her voice a gentle anchor pulling me back to the present. “Just focus

gaze on her face as she carefully peels back the soiled

professionalism, betraying none of the revulsion I would expect

Ava: Doctor’s

up well. We’ll need to keep them clean and change the

for a few

wounds. When she’s finished, she steps back, giving me an appraising look that makes me feel like I’m being evaluated on more than just my physical state.

dear?” she says at last, her voice laced with sympathy. “But you’re a fighter, I can see that. And with the right help, you’ll come through this stronger than ever.”

to respond, but she holds up a hand, effectively silencing me.

head. “Just rest and heal, Miss Grey. We’ll have plenty of time to talk later. I’m going to reduce the frequency of your pain medication, and now that you’re awake I’ll have you swallow them

Doctor’s Care

them through the IV.”

nod, because she pauses as though she’s waiting for

without the required licensing of the government. I’m not

her no–nonsense summarization

anything, your call light is…

takes a moment to

bed, picking it up from

“Here. Nurses

have any more questions, let them know, and I or my colleagues. can