Days of Love and Blood

tonight. I honestly can’t even believe he volunteered. I thought he hated everyone. And you should have someone nearby who has a little more of a heart.”
    I smiled and almost laughed but the pain from the first hint of a tightened stomach stifled that idea. “It’s alright. Cooper will be fine. He saved my life tonight. I’m pretty sure he has a heart.”
    “But he won’t know what to do if anything happens.”
    “I don’t think there’s anything that can be done if something did happen. Right?”
    “True. I just worry that he might not be the best company for you. He can be abrasive. I don’t exactly see him as the nursing type.” Her look of concern morphed into a wide grin and I imitated the gesture.
    “I can handle him,” I reassured her.
    “Mom? Mama?”
    “I’m here Ronan.” Ronan wriggled in between me and Gretchen and bent over me with frightened, wide eyes.
    “Are you okay?” he screamed in a high-pitched voice.
    “I’m fine, babe. Just a bad bruise.”
    “Just a bruise? Are you sure?”
    “I’m sure, baby.”
    “Can you walk?”
    “I can, but right now I need to lie down. It hurts, sweetheart.”
    Cooper’s voice bellowed in the background; he was yelling viciously at someone.
    “Well, I hear your sweet-natured man— nurse coming just now,” Gretchen said as she rose from her kneeling position. “Good luck. I’ll be right behind you, okay?”
    “Thank you, Gretchen.”
    “You’re welcome.” For the first time since she arrived, I saw her eyes sweep the rest of the R.V. Her eyes lingered on the bags of food I pilfered from the grocery store before turning to leave. A few seconds later the camper shook as Cooper jumped on board.
    “We’re all set. But now they’re all comin’. Solomon, Ivy and Gretchen. I tried to say no but they’re acting about as stubborn as you. Guess it’s contagious or somethin’.”
    “You don’t have to stay with me.”
    “I want to.” His eyes shifted from the ground up to my eyes and then back down again. “Don’t worry, I’ll stay outta your hair,” he said in a defensive tone. “I’ll jus’ camp out on the couch.”
    “I’m not worried. I just don’t want you to feel obligated.” My calm reply failed to soothe his sudden change in temperament and he huffed away while shaking his head.

    Cooper found two ice packs in the freezer and Gretchen eased them down onto my stomach. With a great deal of difficulty, Ivy had managed to peel off my leather pants and remove my top, finding a comfortable cotton tank top to replace it amongst my things. Gretchen threw the heavy comforter off the bed and brought only the sheets up to me.
    “You don’t need any more added weight pressing down on you. Even a blanket.” My chest tensed as the cold touch from the pack melted through the tank top and into the bruise itself. “Just give it a few minutes; it’ll numb. I’m going to put a bowl by your bed, in case you get sick. And if you do, tell Cooper. And if you feel dizzy at all, tell him. The other thing to look for is blood in your urine and if you do get sick, blood in your vomit. If anything like that happens, tell Cooper. I’ll tell him that he needs to come get me if anything like that happens, okay?”
    “Yeah, sure. I’m sure I’ll be fine, though. I’m already starting to feel better. I can talk now.”
    “Good. I like to hear it.”
    Gretchen left me alone with Ivy who sat on the bed, holding my hand.
    “Please, Carson. Please don’t do that again. I just got you back. I can’t lose you. Not now. Not ever.”
    She was one of the few people who could make me feel guilty. I’ve been doing this for two months on my own and suddenly I realized the stupidity of what I had done. I wasn’t alone anymore. There were plenty of people I could have asked for help. I didn’t mean to be so careless. I wasn’t thinking about them, but I should have been.
    “I’m so sorry, Ivy. I was just doing what I have been doing. I didn’t think about how it could affect other people because until now, there hadn’t been anybody else. Just me and Ronan. And I was excited to be home. I got careless.”
    “You’re not a fucking superhero you know.”
    “I know,” I said as I squeezed her hand. “I won’t do that again , alone anyhow. I promise. I was just so used to being by myself. I do what I need to do to take care of my son. It was habit, Ivy.”
    “You’ve always been that way, Carson. It isn’t just now.” She was