Beneath It All (Beneath #1) (13 page)

I unbuttoned my shirt as he stepped over to the sink to wash his hands before slipping on a pair of latex gloves to check on my incisions. He helped me pull down the zipper on the front of my mastectomy cami when he saw I was struggling. Wearing a cami was a new experience, and it felt strange not to have a bra on. What felt even more awkward were the built in pockets that held my drain bulbs. Disgusting!

Dr. Forrester noticed me wince when I moved a little too quickly. “It’s okay,” I said. “I’m getting used to the discomfort, but it still catches me off guard. I feel like there are coconuts in my chest, and it’s hard to move.”

He started to remove the medical tape and pulled back the gauze slowly. “I’ve heard several women compare them to coconuts, and I think it’s an acceptable description.” He studied the incisions and gently poked and prodded the area.

“The incisions look very good. I’m happy with how everything looks.” He carefully zipped my cami back up. “You can go ahead and button up.” He turned back toward the sink to discard his gloves and wash his hands again.

“I’d like you to stay tonight, but you can plan on going home tomorrow.”

“Thank God. I’m going stir-crazy sitting here.”

He chuckled. “I’m sure. Have the nurses reviewed with you how to clean the lines on the drains and empty them?”

“Yes, I’ve been stripping them since this morning, and it’s pretty easy . . . disgusting, but easy.”

“They will be out soon enough. You will be sent home with instructions on how to care for your incisions as well. I would like for you to schedule an appointment to see me at the end of the week. I’ll see how the drains are looking at that time. Please keep a record of the amount of fluid that is draining and bring it with you.”

“I can do that.”

“Great.” He reached out to shake my hand and held on a little longer than I anticipated. “You’re very lucky, Victoria. You found it early, and the pathology reports are promising. I look forward to seeing you in a few days.”

“Thank you, Dr. Forrester. I’ll see you then.”

I AM UNAFRAID

A
s promised, I was released from the hospital the next day. We left loaded down with meds and a novella filled with instructions and restrictions. Noah was very attentive to my needs. My comfort was his main priority, and he even scheduled my follow-up with Dr. Forrester for Friday.

Get well cards arrived in the mail, and people came and went over the next few days. Nobody would fess up, but I was positive Jen or Bobbie Jo set up a schedule of visitors to stop by with magazines, books, movies, and treats. The refrigerator was fully stocked with meals with instructions for Noah on how to reheat. Having pre-cooked meals on hand was a godsend for Noah, who tried his best to work from home a few hours a day. He wasn’t sleeping much, and I could see the strain of it all on his face . . . everyone who visited could see it too.

“Hey, Noah!” Bobbie Jo yelled down the hall.

He came dashing out of his office, sounding out of breath. “What’s the problem? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything is fine, chill out.” She smiled slyly. “I was thinking, you have been nurse, cook, pharmacist, and man Friday for your lovely woman here, and you look like shit.” He glared at her. “I mean that with the deepest sincerity.”

“And . . .” It wasn’t a question, and he looked annoyed.

“How about you hire me to babysit Victoria for the night, and you go grab a few beers with your buddies.”

“Hire you? I can only imagine what you charge per hour.”

“I’m the best deal around.” She smirked. “I take payment in the form of wine or ice cream. I’m sure being the big, bad lawyer you are, you can afford it!”

A loud laugh escaped Noah’s mouth, and it was a welcome sound. He had been so serious the last few days, I was afraid he had turned to stone.

“Ice cream and wine will buy me a babysitter for my wife, huh?”

“Hmm . . . now that I think about it, my offer has changed.”

“Of course it has.” Noah rolled his eyes as he leaned back against the doorway and crossed his arms, waiting for Bobbie Jo’s new offer.

Bobbie Jo took her time in responding, “Yes, it most definitely has.”

I was thoroughly entertained by this point and couldn’t hide the smile that lit up my face as I watched the two of them square off in “the battle of the adult babysitter.”

“I’m curious as to what the going rate is for you to babysit your grown friend. This better be good,” Noah sarcastically replied.

“Oh, it’s good all right.” She winked at me. “I’ll need a bottle of red wine for me, a carton of Ben & Jerry’s finest for your wife, and two bars of Godiva dark chocolate with sea salt, one for each of us. That is my final offer, Counselor.”

Noah put his hand up to his chin, appearing to consider her request. “You drive a hard bargain.” He paused for effect; Bobbie Jo was getting antsy. “I accept your offer,” he said as he walked over and pulled her up from the sofa and into a hug.

I heard him whisper “thank you” into her ear as she patted him on the back. “You need a break, Noah. I worry about you, and you need to get out of here for a few hours.”

He released her and walked over to me and leaned down to kiss me. “Are you okay if I leave for a bit?” Concern was apparent in his voice, but I could see that he really did need a break when I looked into his weary eyes.

“Yes, I’ll be just fine. It would be good for you to get out of here for a bit. I’m in good hands, and I’ll probably go to sleep early again.” I tilted my face upward, inviting him to give me a kiss on the mouth. “Call one of the guys and head to a bar to watch the Thursday night game. My appointment with Dr. Forrester isn’t until one-thirty tomorrow, so you can stay out late and sleep in.”

“Thank you, baby,” he said to me as he stood and looked over to Bobbie Jo. “This means a lot. Please take good care of her while I’m gone.”

“Promise.”

*

I woke up early on Friday morning to an empty bed and the smell of coffee. After pulling on my robe, I strolled down to the kitchen to find Noah sitting at the breakfast bar, reading the paper. He was in his pajama pants and a white T-shirt and looked relaxed for a change.

“Good morning. How did you sleep last night? You must have been tired; Bobbie Jo texted me shortly after you passed out at eight. She’s still asleep in the guest room.”

“Really? She stayed the night?”

“Yeah, she said she was pretty tired and was going to make use of the guest room since she didn’t know when to expect me and wasn’t about to leave you alone.” He took a sip of his coffee and nodded toward the counter where there was a tropical fruit salad in a bowl and a flaky chocolate croissant. “I thought you might enjoy a special breakfast treat. Come join me.”

“When did you go to the store?”

“I couldn’t sleep, so I went for a walk and stopped at the bakery. I know they are your favorite, and I wanted to do something special so I could see your smile.”

He was right; it did bring a smile to my face. “Thank you. It was very thoughtful.”

I grabbed the croissant and bowl of fruit and sat next to Noah to enjoy my breakfast. It didn’t take long for Bobbie Jo to make her way out of bed and suck down a pot of coffee before heading to a meeting.

The shower was warming up as I started undressing. I still couldn’t look at myself in the mirror; I wasn’t quite ready to see what I looked like, so Noah continued to help me with my bandages. Once they were off, I hopped under the hot water and let it cascade across my back. It felt amazing. I had gotten pretty good at lifting my hands high enough to wash my hair without help and was feeling more independent while bathing. Drying off was getting easier, but it was nice to have Noah’s assistance when I stepped out. Once I was dry, he reapplied the dressing, and I was able to finish getting ready.

I had just slipped on my shoes when Noah appeared in the doorway to let me know that we should get going for my doctor’s appointment. “Do you need any help?”

“Nope. All good. Let’s go,” I said with a smile as I leaned up and gave him a quick kiss. I had a little spring in my step today and was hopeful about getting the drains out, well one of them at least.

The drive to the medical professionals’ building was quick, and Noah dropped me at the door before he parked. As I stood in the lobby, I heard a familiar but unwelcome voice: Stacey.

“Victoria Madison? Is that you?” I heard, but I pretended I didn’t hear her. The only problem was that she was walking right toward me, and there was no escape. Shit!

“Hi, Stacey,” I responded as I tried to sidestep her and make my way toward the building directory. My attempt to avoid her failed as she followed me.

“I just visited my dermatologist for a little boost. It’s never too early to start reversing the aging process,” she mocked, as she looked me up and down. “I heard you had a boob job or something like that.” She waved her hand in the air like it was no big deal.

“Yeah, something like that,” I scoffed, trying again to move away from her. “It was nice seeing you, but I need to get going. Noah should be walking in any minute, and we have an appointment.”

“Oh, really?!” she said, looking around for him. “Are you seeing a fertility specialist? I had heard Noah was eager to start a family and figured you were having troubles in that department. Good for you for realizing you need help.”

I stared vacantly at her, not knowing what to say. Considering I was recovering from a mastectomy, there was no way we would be trying to get pregnant. Was she really that dense? I was about to ask her that very question when I saw Noah approaching and thought it best to bite my tongue.

“Stacey,” he nodded to acknowledge her as he slipped his arm around my waist.

“Hi, Noah,” she purred, looking him up and down like a drooling dog. “It’s good to see you again. It’s been too long.”

Looking as uncomfortable as me, Noah guided me toward the bank of elevators and glared back at Stacey.

“What’s her deal?” I asked.

“I haven’t the faintest idea. I’m sorry she makes you so uncomfortable. Let’s forget we even saw her.”

“Agreed.”

*

“Everything looks great, Victoria. According to your notes, the drainage from your right side has been minimal for the last day or two. Correct?”

“Yes. I’ve only stripped the tube once a day and, even then, there hasn’t been much.”

“The left side still has measurable drainage, so I’m not comfortable removing that one quite yet, but we can remove the right one today if you’d like,” Dr. Forrester said has he scribbled something in my chart. “Shall we?”

“Definitely!” the excitement in my voice was clear, and he stood up to wash his hands and grabbed his gloves. There was a tray already set up with a few medical instruments, and he moved it toward me on the exam table.

“Do I need to leave for this?” Noah asked, a slight unease in his voice.

“No, you can stay if you’re comfortable with it. But I don’t want you passing out,” Dr. Forrester hesitated. “It’s a quick process: I just need to snip the two stiches, and the tube will slide right out. The incision is very small, and I’ll just clean the area and place a Steri-Strip over it. Are you good? Or would you like to leave before I start?”

“I’m good, go ahead.”

Dr. Forrester turned his attention back to me. “You will feel a slight tug followed by a little pressure, but it’s very quick.”

I took a deep breath and nodded, giving him the go-ahead. “It will take a day or two to completely close, so you need to keep the area clean and dry.” He spoke while he worked. “I’m pretty confident that the other drain will slow in the next day or two. Call the office when you notice this decrease, and we’ll get you in.” He paused a moment. “All done.”

“What?” I looked down and noticed the tube was out, and he was wiping up a slimy string of blood from my side. He cleaned and covered the area. “Wow. I didn’t even feel it.”

“I’m not surprised—the nerves are still recovering from surgical trauma.” He removed his gloves. “Truthfully, you might not get a lot of feeling back in the breast area at all, which is normal.”

“Good to know.”