The doctor’s finger was cold when he pushed it gently against Leo’s skin. “Swelling is starting to go down. That’s very good. Redness is less too.
“I suggest you make an appointment with your primary care physician as soon as you can. The stitches can probably come out in a week to ten days and can be done in an office visit.” He straightened and picked up the tablet, then made some notes on it with a small stylus he pulled out of his shirt pocket. “I’ve sent authorization to the nurses’ station to get you released. The nurse will be down shortly with a wheelchair and your prescriptions. Make sure you get them filled today and continue taking them until they are gone, except for the painkillers. Just take those as needed.”
“Thanks,” Leo said.
“Yes, Doctor. Thanks for patching up our Leo. You saved his life,” his mother babbled. It was the same thing she’d done the other times the doctor stopped by to see Leo. It was one of the many reasons Leo was happy to be going home.
“You’re welcome.” The doctor left the room without any further comment.
Leo breathed a sigh of relief. “I really hope he wasn’t standing out there listening to us. That would be really embarrassing.”
“Don’t worry about it, dear,” his mother said. “You’ll probably never run into him again.”
“Actually, we might,” Aud said. “I’ve checked with my lawyer on everything that will happen when Randal goes to trial. Since he was the doctor who did the surgery on Leo, he might be called in for the trial. It’s hard to say at this point, since we haven’t even had a preliminary hearing.”
“Well, it’s not like we weren’t saying anything that isn’t true.” Leo’s mother shifted in her chair.
A cheerful nurse walked in. “So, Mr. Caldwell, looks like you can go home. Did anyone think to bring you street clothes, or are you leaving in your hospital robe?” She grinned at him. “You know we’ll have to charge extra if you take it with you.”
“I brought something for him,” Aud said, holding up the gym bag. “Just sweats, a shirt, and clean underwear, but it should be enough to get you home. I couldn’t find any slippers at your place, so I bought you some.”
“Good.” Leo swung his legs off the bed. “I can’t wait to get out of this gown and into regular, nondrafty clothes.”
Aud handed him the canvas bag with a playful look. For a second Leo thought it would be fun to let Aud help him change, but then he realized it would slow things down, and he wanted to get out of the hospital as fast as possible. He took the bag and headed for the bathroom.
Leo’s side tightened painfully as he pulled the shirt on. He was thankful Aud had thought to grab him a button-up flannel shirt. Getting into a T-shirt without stretching things too much would’ve been very awkward. It felt good to have real clothes on again.
By the time he emerged from the bathroom, a young, handsome, and a bit goofy-looking orderly waited with a wheelchair. Leo’s parents stood near the windowsill. His mother held a plastic bag full of the clothes he’d been wearing when Randal attacked, along with her purse.
Leo slid the new slippers on; they were classy-looking moccasin style that could’ve easily passed as street shoes but much easier to put on. Then he did a quick look around the room to make sure his folks hadn’t missed anything before settling down in the wheelchair. He looked up at the young man pushing it. “Is it appropriate to say ‘home, James’?”
The kid blinked at him, apparently not understanding.
“You can wait until we make it to the car for that,” Aud said. “But I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
“Good.” Leo looked at the nurse. “Anything else?”
“I think we’ve got everything. You follow your recovery plan and get to feeling better.” She gestured to the orderly, who turned the wheelchair and headed for the door as the nurse, Leo’s parents, and Aud fell into step.
“I’ll do my best,” Leo replied.
“You make sure he does,” the nurse told someone, but from the wheelchair, Leo couldn’t tell who.
“Don’t worry,” Aud replied. “I will.”
Hearing Aud promise to take care of him made Leo feel great. He wanted to get out of the wheelchair and give him a big hug and a passionate kiss but didn’t want to scandalize anyone who might be in the hall.
The nurse left them at the elevator, and the orderly remained silent all the way to the curb. Aud hurried ahead of them to go get his car. Although Leo’s mother said they could use theirs to get Leo home, Aud insisted.
Less than a minute after they reached the curb, Aud arrived with his Jeep. He got out and dashed around to open the passenger-side door for Leo.