Chapter 36
Laura was sitting on the edge of the bed, face red with anger and pain, breathing heavily. Remington practically slid past her bed on the slippery tile floor. He managed to grab the end of the stretcher before he fell. "Laura, love, what's wrong?" he asked, trying to calm her.
Laura was furious, "I tried telling this… this…. incompetent nurse that I could feel her flushing the cut on my head although she tried to tell me it was numb. No one, and I mean no one has put any kind of anesthesia on it yet but noooo she wouldn't listen!"
Remington moved beside her, taking her hand in his. Patting it gently he said, "Laura, you need to calm down. You're scaring the other patients."
"OOOhhhhhh, you calm down. See how much you'd like it if someone was poking around your head," Laura clenched her jaw.
"I believe I've been there a time or two with Nurse Ratchet myself. Why don't you lie back and I'll find the doctor, eh?" Remington tried to calm her again.
"I don't want to lie down, I want to go home," Laura said, quieter this time but still forcefully.
Seeing her doctor passing by, Remington stopped him. "Doctor, my wife… has anyone numbed the area that needs to be stitched yet?" he gestured toward Laura's head.
The doctor shook his head, "I'm sorry, Mr. Steele, Mrs. Steele, I was hoping we could flush it first but it appears I am mistaken. Is your headache and nausea any better?"
Laura sighed loudly, "Yes, better. But my head… is tender."
"We'll take care of that now," the doctor wheeled a small cart over to her bedside. "Can you turn your head that way?" the doctor pushed her chin gently away from him.
Remington moved up the bed to sit closer to Laura, taking her hands in his, tilting his head to look at her.
"Now, this may pinch then burn a little, but the numbing effects will kick in quickly," the doctor explained just before he began injecting lidocaine into the tissue surrounding the cut on her head. "I think we can do this without having to cut your hair."
Laura flinched when she felt the first few pinches of the injection, squeezing Remington's hand tightly. "Breathe, love, just breathe," Remington whispered as he gently rubbed her cheek.
Laura closed her eyes, concentrating on Remington's warm hands. The injection they had given for her headache was beginning to make her sleepy as well. Remington watched as her features softened as Laura began to relax.
The doctor prodded a few spots, asking Laura, "Can you feel this?" She shook her head no. For the next few minutes, Remington watched in horrified fascination as the doctor stitched the gash closed. Nine stitches later, the doctor declared he was done. He rubbed the area with an antibiotic cream. "I'd like to keep this covered but it's going to be difficult unless we cut-" the doctor started but Laura interrupted him.
"We are not cutting any more of my hair," she said.
The doctor thought for a moment, then picked up a square of gauze. He held it onto the stitched area then using a roll, wrapped it around Laura's head to hold the square in place, letting her hair fall over the makeshift headband. Picking up a plastic bag, he filled it with additional squares, and several more rolls as well as a tube of the ointment. He handed everything to Remington stating, "You're in charge now. I'll get her discharge papers ready."
Remington smiled, happy they could get ready to leave. He put the bag on bed beside Laura and leaned down to kiss her cheek gently. "I'm going to go check on Pace. Rest. I'll be back in a few minutes." Laura nodded, eyes still closed.
Down the hall, Remington found Pace his ribs now taped and his wrist in the process of being plastered. "Is Mrs. Steele going to be okay?" Pace asked nervously.
"Mrs. Steele will be fine. A young nurse found herself at the wrong end of my wife's temper, unfortunately. She's all stitched up and resting now," Remington informed him.
"Mr. Steele, what you said about paying for my medical bill... I can… I mean… I will find a way to pay you back, sir. I'm not looking for any kind of a handout," Pace tried to say.
"Pace, you saved my wife from certain death. There isn't enough money in this world to pay you for that. So, a small token of my gratitude… a job at Ashford Castle and the honor of taking care of your hospital account," Remington assured him once again.
The technician finally finished wrapping Pace's wrist. Remington asked, "Can you have his discharge papers sent to the emergency ward where my wife remains for the moment?"
"Yes, sir, I'll let the doctor know," the technician replied as he left the room.
"Let's go see if Mrs. Steele is ready to go, shall we?" Remington asked Pace as they walked back toward Laura.
She was still reclining, her doctor returning with her discharge papers. He indicated where Remington needed to sign, and went over her care instructions for the next few days. "I'll expect to see you back here in ten days to remove the stitches," the doctor stated.
"Thank you, doctor. Please have any additional information sent to Ashford Castle," Remington said.
"Ashford Castle? I heard there was a new Lord… wait… What did you say your name was again?" the doctor asked, his eyes wide.
"Remington Steele, my wife Laura Steele," Remington said slowly.
"Your Lordship, my apologies. I didn't realize…" the doctor stammered.
"It's quite all right, doctor. How did you hear about us?" Remington was curious.
"My sister, she works at Ashford Castle. She has spoken highly of you since your arrival," the doctor explained.
"Well, thank you then. I'd like to expedite the discharge processes of Mr. Magee so I can get my wife back to the castle to rest," Remington explained.
"I'll find his doctor now so we can get that done," the doctor stated as he walked down the hall. In just a few minutes, Pace's doctor returned with his instructions and discharge papers as well. Remington signed off on everything for Pace's financial responsibilities after Pace initialed everything else.
Remington gently woke Laura so they could transfer her to a wheelchair for the short trip to the car. He pulled it up close to the curb. Looking at the small backseat, he apologized to Pace.
"That's ok, Mr. Steele, I've sat in Christian's backseat packed with stuff. It's okay," Pace said smiling. He climbed in, and made himself comfortable, sitting sideways and leaning on the side of the car as much as he could. Remington reclined Laura's seat enough so she could relax easily. He laid his jacket over her before he climbed in for their drive back toward Knockree where Sarah and Fergus awaited them.
Laura had fallen asleep almost immediately where Pace settled in as they got on the highway. Remington drove in silence, knowing from experience, rest was the best healing medicine.
During the drive, the events of the day flashed through his mind. He couldn't get the image of Laura, blood running down the side of her face, trapped out of his mind. He swiped his mouth several times, changing hands on the steering wheel when he could, tamping down the urge to reach over and touch her. He didn't want to wake her but needed to touch her so very gently, he brushed the back of his fingers over her arm. She sighed in her sleep, shifting slightly toward him.
As they exited the highway, Remington cleared his throat, to try to wake Pace. At first it didn't work so he called to him. "Pace, we're almost at your house. Just a few more minutes and you'll have Sarah in your arms."
He heard Pace grunt from the backseat, "Thank you Mr. Steele. I'll be glad just to stretch my legs after this."
Laura was still sleeping as they pulled up in front of the small home Pace shared with Sarah and Fergus. Remington had barely put the car in park when the door flew open, Fergus stepping outside. Climbing out of the car, Remington stood, then reaching out, released the seat, giving Pace the space to climb out.
"Sarah. Sarah! He's home! Pace is home! They did it," Fergus yelled as he ran outside.
Behind him, Sarah stood, frozen in the doorway, her hand covering her belly protectively.
Fergus ran to Pace, as if he was going to tackle him, when Remington stepped between the men, taking the brunt of the embrace. "Easy… easy…. Pace has been hurt… nothing serious… but I don't think a greeting like that would be much appreciated on his ribs right now," Remington explained.
Sarah tentatively began to walk toward them, slowly, as if she was in disbelief. Pace moved as quickly as he could, to put his arms around her. Tears slid down her cheeks, as she held his face in two hands. She touched his face, his arms, his plastered wrist then back to his face again, all without saying a word. Finally she whispered, "You're safe? Home? How?"
Pace turned toward Remington, "Mr. Steele… and Mrs. Steele…"
Sarah looked for Laura but didn't see her in the car because of the tinted windows. "Where is she?"
Remington glanced inside the car then back to Sarah, "She's sleeping. She was on the receiving end of a nasty gash but thanks to Pace, she's alive. Tomorrow, if you're up to it, come by the castle for a spot of lunch. We'll tell you the whole story and how Pace is a hero. For now, I need to get Mrs. Steele back to rest."
Pace let go of Sarah long enough to walk back to Remington. Holding out his hand, he said, "Thank you, sir. I don't know what else to say."
"Don't say anything. Just take care of Sarah and that babe of yours," Remington said before climbing into the car and heading back toward Ashford Castle.
TBC in "Steele Chalming"