There was a knock at the door.
Of fucking course.
A chubby-faced nurse poked her head in. She frowned at the sight of Perry practically lying on top of me and gave us a forced smile.
“I’m sorry, the doctor will have to see him soon,” she said, then shut the door with a grunt of disgust.
Perry grinned, bright as sunshine, and straightened up. “I can take the hint.”
“She looks a bit like the nurse on Fawlty Towers,” I noted, remembering an episode we’d watched recently.
She climbed off of me and looked up and down my body. “Except you have more than an ingrown toenail. Dex, you know what happened to your ear right?”
I gulped. “I vaguely recall Ambrosia slicing it off.”
“The doctors tried to reattach it. They discovered it on Ambrosia when they found her body. But it was too late. Actually your body heals extremely fast, Dex. Almost all your cuts are healed. They can’t really explain it.”
No, but we could. I grimaced. “So I’m real ugly now, is that what you’re saying?”
“Well they said your ear should be more or less like normal when it fully heals. You’ll just be missing a little tip.”
“But the tip is the best part,” I groaned.
“Be glad she didn’t go after your dick then.”
“You should be glad she didn’t,” I said, then relaxed back, feeling suddenly exhausted. “Oh well, I guess it was about time I had a flaw.”
Her mouth twitched up. “Right.”
I looked at her in earnest, remembering Ambrosia, what I had done. “Am I in any trouble? For, you know?”
“No. I explained everything to the police. Self-defense through and through. She’s dead and they’re pretty happy about it. The attacks had been getting out of hand lately and contrary to what Ambrosia thought, they were trying to do something about it. I feel like it still might be swept under the rug and explained as bath salts…whatever keeps the public happy.”
“Miss Palomino,” the nurse said from the door. “I’m sorry.”
Perry looked at me, cheeks beaming, and kissed me quickly on the lips before she trotted out of the room.
The doctor came in soon after, pretty much telling me the same thing Perry had told me. Amazing immune system, ear will almost be normal, surprised I was still alive, blah blah blah.
But I wasn’t the only one who’d come alive. Perry did when told me she loved me.
She loved me.
She loved me.
***
I was in the hospital for another night for observation. The nurse started limiting visitor contact for fear of overexertion, so I didn’t see Perry or Maximus much until I was ready to leave.
I slipped on my clothes, careful not to hurt my rib or tear all my stiches. I was almost fully healed, the cut underneath my tattoo just a ruddy, faded line, but I didn’t want to push my luck.
“You ready to go?” Maximus asked having opened the door a crack and stuck his head in.
I shot him a look over my shoulder and went back to pulling on my shirt. “Can’t a man get dressed in private anymore? Thought you would have gotten a good enough look at my junk when I was in the swamp the other day. Though, I hope you accounted for shrinkage.”
He didn’t say anything to that, not even a snort of disgust, so I turned around and looked at him. He looked forlorn and serious, face wane.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I’m not going with you,” he said.
“What?”
He sighed and shut the door behind him, leaning against it. “I know I promised I’d do the show with you and Perry, I know Jimmy was counting on it. But I can’t go. I have to stay here. I’m sorry.”
I nodded, understanding. “Rose.”
He chewed on his lip thoughtfully. “Yeah. She’s doing a bit better now. She can talk and kind of care for herself. She doesn’t remember me though. She doesn’t remember any of us. She doesn’t know what she is.”
“Shit.”
“Doctors said amnesia is a side effect, that I should be happy that she’s at least improving. Dex, she has no one but me now. Maryse has now been proclaimed dead. She doesn’t have any family. She doesn’t have anyone to look after her.”
I straightened my shirt out and looked him in the eye. “Maximus, you go do what you have to do. Perry and I will figure things out on our own. We’ll be okay.”
I picked up my duffel bag that they’d brought to the hospital for me and made my way over to the door. I stood a foot away from the flannel-coated, red-headed giant and it struck me with surprising emotion that this might be the last time I’d see the douchecanoe again.
“Take care, man,” I said gruffly, holding out my hand.
He grasped it, squeezing tight enough to break a normal man’s hand. When I thought it was time for him to let go, he pulled me to him slightly and peered down at me.
“Dex, I know I can’t stop you two. And I know it’s not my place anymore to tell you otherwise. I don’t want to do to you what Maryse did to Rose and me. You love her and she loves you and I reckon maybe that’s just enough to even things out. You take care of Perry, ya hear? And take care of yourself.”
Fuck. I needed to get out of the room before I started having my period.
I gave him a curt nod. “See ya, Maximus.”
I left the room and walked down the hall. Perry was waiting for me.