Chapter 6: Another Wreck?

The following afternoon, Brandon’s eyes fluttered and struggled open. After a long pause, he recognized (a) that he was in a hospital room, and (b) Dee was leaning over him, smiling.

“Dee, did I wreck again?”

“No, nothing like that.”

“Then why does my head hurt so much? Was I driving?”

“No, sweetie, you were in the cabin. What do you remember?”

“It was 12:00, I think. I got hungry, and I tried to crawl out of the bedroom. On my butt, I think, then ... nothing.”

“It’s my fault!”

Dee started crying. To herself, Lisa thought her friend Dolores had some kind of artesian well supplying her tear ducts.

“Indians don’t cry like this,” she thought.

“Dee. Dee! Just tell me. Did you want to hurt me?”

“NO!”

“Then, just explain. Um, softly, because my head really hurts. Indoor voice, please.”

“I hurried out, forgetting that you might want lunch during my absence. I guess you managed to creep across the floor from the bedroom to the kitchen. Then, somehow, you hoisted yourself up into one of our kitchen chairs. You were still naked, of course.”

“I’m sorry, I need to stop you. Who is this?”

“Brandon, I’m Lisa Rivers. I’ve been a long-time friend of Dolores since she moved into the area. My husband is a tribal official, and he hooked her up with the clinic job that she goes to with Ron. I taught her how to cook the meat that Mae brings over to the cabin.”

“Who is Mae?”

“Yeah, I was getting to her, Brandon. Close your eyes, honey; you’ll feel better. Ever since I started living in the cabin, Mae Willows has been bringing me meat and fish. And I forgot to tell her, and tell you, that she would be coming by with her regular delivery.

“Mae walks into the kitchen and sees you sitting there, naked. Thinking you’re a criminal, she grabs her rifle and points it at you, frightening you, causing you to faint, fall off the chair, and crack your head on the floor. Badly. That’s why it hurts so much now.”

“I wonder why I fainted. That doesn’t sound like me.”

“Brandon, honey, you used up all your energy trying to scoot yourself across the floor, like a one-armed, one-legged crab. I would never have believed you would have had the strength to do that. And I didn’t put any clothes on you before I left, so Mae was certainly surprised and shocked to see you naked like that.”

“I am kind of ugly.”

“Oh, for crying out loud, Brandon, please stop that. For the rest of my life, I will happily stare at your handsome face and your warm eyes, kissing your soft, sweet lips. (Lisa, plug your ears.) And, for sure, fuck your brains out.”

Lisa snorted.

“Get healthy and let me make you happy—that is all I want.”

“Dolores, you already make me happy. I’m still working on healthy, though.”

“On that note,” Lisa said, “I’m going to go home now and check on Ron for you. But first...”

Lisa approached the bedside.

“Brandon, I’ve been Dolores’ friend for years. The change in her since you two met has been so amazing. If you hurt her or make her sad, Mae will come after you again with her rifle. But I know you won’t do that. Heal up fast, so she won’t worry over you, and then, let me tell you plainly: go fuck her brains out.”

Giggling, Lisa turned and strode from the room, with a final remark.

“My work here is done.”

“I can see why you’re friends with Lisa, Dee. Could you ask the nurse to bring me some delicious painkillers, please?”

“I will, but I need to kiss you first.”