Shaking Off the Dust Read online

  “I hate being a patient in the hospital. One night is all I will stay, and that’s only because I’ll be sleeping it away, so it doesn’t matter where I am. Takeshi, will you be okay?”

  He nodded.

  “Now show me to the bathroom.” I walked out of the curtain leaning to my left, but essentially stable. Takeshi stayed at my side. There were about twelve curtained areas and maybe five or six had patients. A nurse came up to us and spoke in Spanish.

  “Bathroom, please,” I asked.

  “Si. Yes, of course,” she answered in accented English.

  I could see my swollen cheek in my peripheral vision and decided I’d leave smiles for later. We followed her to the bathroom and I closed myself in there, peering in the mirror. I wasn’t impressed. I mean, I’d seen worse at my job. There was a dark bruise with swelling from my right eye to my lower jaw. No cuts, although there seemed to be a dented area where the ring had caught me. There was another bruise on my left cheek. Tom was right, you could almost make out the shape of a hand. Now I checked in a nonprofessional, non-nurse, vain-woman way and decided I’d hide my face from everyone.

  I sat on the toilet and had good cry for a minute or two, until the nurse knocked on the door. I yelled I was fine. Here was my plan—stay in a dark room, alone for a week at least, and send away anyone who came to visit. Not that it would be anyone other than Takeshi. If this didn’t turn him off from wanting me, nothing would. Unless I also morphed into a raving bitch, which considering how things were going was a possibility.

  Rinsing my mouth a dozen times, I tasted blood and suspected my breath was overwhelming. A toothbrush and toothpaste was what I needed and none were to be found in here. My finger and the soap would have to do and I was gentle enough to feel like I was making some progress. I splashed my eyes and dried off.

  Another knock on the door reminded me I should give the nurse a break, so I opened the door. Takeshi stood there, the nurse behind him. He gently touched my face and smiled at me.

  “Your room is ready.” He pointed to the wheelchair in front of him.

  I realized he was favoring his left leg. “I will go for this little joyride, but once we reach the room, you will show me your leg. If you get to see the elephant woman, then I get to see your wounds.”

  “That seems reasonable.” He helped me into the wheelchair and leaned into my left ear. “Don’t cry, Hannah. You’ll break my heart.” He kissed my forehead.

  The nurse led the way to a private room on the second floor.

  “Where will you sleep, Takeshi?” I worried.

  “The chair makes out into a bed.” The nurse opened the chair and showed us.

  I was already tired again so I made no demure and crawled under the sheets. “I hurt.”

  The nurse glanced from Takeshi to me. “I’ll bring you some pain medications.”

  I closed my eyes and felt the bed move. Takeshi was sitting next to me.

  “I won’t be separated from you again.” He caught my hand in his, bringing it up to his lips to kiss my fingertips. “Not ever again.”

  The nurse brought a pain shot and I rolled over and took one in the behind. Takeshi stayed sitting on the bed until I fell asleep.

  I woke to the new day with a raging headache and pain in my face. Intense throbbing from my jaw to my neck brought a sob when I tried to move my head. I groaned and tried not to cry out again.

  Takeshi came to me. “Hannah, I’ll get the nurse for another shot. Try to breathe through it. I’ll be right back and begin some pressure points.”

  He was gone for only a minute. He pulled me up as he slipped into the bed behind me. It made me dizzy and I almost threw up. But he settled me against him and started to use those magic fingers on my neck and my wrist. The headache seemed to grow less intense, by the time the nurse came in I could move without throwing up.

  Dr. Santiago came in to check on me during this episode and decided I needed to stay in the hospital. To tell the truth, it was a relief. I drifted back into a half-sleep for the entire day and the next. Takeshi was always there.

  The light through the window was my early morning wake-up call. I sat up to find Takeshi sleeping on the foldout bed. I felt so much better that I crept past him and into the bathroom. When I came back out, he was sitting, watching me as I went to him.

  “I need to see your injuries.” I sat down and made him put his leg up into my hands. I touched the long suture line. There were twenty-nine stitches along his calf.

  “My poor Takeshi, and here I got all the attention. That doesn’t make any sense to me.”

  He pulled his leg out of my hand. “Perhaps Dr. Santiago will see how much better you are. I’d like to move to a bed that we can share.”

  “You have some high expectations if you think I’m letting you stay with the elephant woman. I don’t want anyone to see me up close for at least a week. I don’t even want to think about it.”

  Takeshi spun me to face him. “I told you already. I will not be separated from you again. I’ll sleep on the floor, but I will be with you.”

  “I’m hideous, Shimodo. I don’t want to be seen, especially by you,” I whined impatiently. “We will be in the same place. I don’t want you waking up to this.” I pointed to my face.

  “Hannah, you don’t understand me at all if you think you are disfigured. I would kiss every inch of your face, if I didn’t know it would cause you discomfort. It angers me to see it, because I feel that I did not protect you enough. I failed you.”

  I hugged him. “You could never fail me, in that I have no doubt.”

  There was a knock on the door. “Well, look at you, Miss Campbell. You are up and much improved from yesterday. How do you feel?” Dr. Santiago asked.

  “I’m much better. Do I get to leave the hospital today?”

  “If you think your pain is under better control. What about your head?”

  “It doesn’t hurt so far. My face hurts. But my headache has eased and the nausea is gone. I think I’m cured, although this face is still very scary.”

  Takeshi looked seriously at Dr. Santiago. “I think she needs something for constipation. I’ve noticed she is more full of it lately. I expect it’s the pain medications.”

  Dr. Santiago shook his head. “You two are perfect for each other.”

  Takeshi nodded. “I’ve explained that to her, but it is good for others to remind her.”

  “No, don’t make me smile or laugh, it hurts too much,” I complained grimacing.

  Takeshi made me take pain pills at regular intervals throughout the day and although I complained I didn’t need them that often, I was glad. Minutes before they began to kick in, the pain would begin throbbing in my face.

  It was late afternoon before Enrique and Bill drove us out of Madrid to a private estate in the wine country of Spain. Takeshi demanded assurances that it would be safe.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The home sat nestled in rolling hills dotted with grape vines. It wasn’t exactly a house. It was a villa with breath-taking views and large richly embroidered furniture. Our bedroom was beautiful, with a king-sized bed and heavily embroidered drapes and chairs. I threw back the doors that led to an overhanging porch and walked out to see a cacophony of colors in the landscape. “Takeshi, come here. This is stunning,” I called, but it sounded like I was upper-crust New York rich as I talked through clenched teeth and closed mouth.

  He came up behind me and wrapped himself around me. “This is the Spain we need to see. You can relax here. This whole place is restful and everyone, including me, will cater to your every need.”

  “You always do cater to me. Aren’t you sick of it yet? All you do is take care of me. I know I’m tired of it.” I leaned back into him.

  “There’s a huge bathroom with a claw-foot tub big enough for four people,” he whispered in my ear.

  “It’s a shame you can’t join me.” I stepped out of his arms. “All those stitches won’t let you soak like I plan to.”
>
  “You are so cruel to me,” he murmured.

  I went to the bathroom with him trailing behind me. I started to run water in the tub and rummaged around until I found towels, soap and shampoo. I undressed, with Takeshi removing my clothes one piece at a time. His hands lingered on my shoulders and my legs as he helped pull down my pants, but he didn’t initiate any caresses. He helped me get into the bathtub. Sinking into the warm water I sighed. The water relaxed every aching muscle.

  I opened my eyes to see Takeshi leaning over the tub. Half the water had been drained out and he replaced it with more warm water. “You fell asleep. It’s been forty-five minutes. You’re getting pruned.” He handed me a pill and a glass of water, and nodded his head.

  Too content to argue, I took the pill. “These will put me to sleep again. I suspect you prefer me that way, none of the backtalk.”

  He was stripped down to his pants and wasted no time taking them off after the water stopped. He slipped in behind me, resting his left leg on the edge of the tub. I traced the long line of stitches, tiny sutures, like a plastic surgeon would place.

  “You need the rest to heal, Hannah. I miss your sassy mouth, but I can wait until you are feeling better.”

  I settled back against him while his hands drifted down my arms. It was the barest of touches, but I felt safe. I woke in a warm bed, with the familiar scent of Takeshi behind me. He’d changed his side of the bed, so that I lie on the less painful side of my face. His hand lay over my hip and his breath caressed my neck. He’d honored my request, that he not see my face first thing in the morning, in the only way he could.

  The villa was staffed with a cook and servants. They brought tea and toast in the morning. I stayed in bed to eat. Takeshi rose early and was doing Tai Chi or something similar on the porch. After, he left to discover what was on the agenda for the day.

  My hair, wet when I was put in bed, had reached new heights of hideous, so as soon as I finished slurping my tea and soggy toast, I headed into the bathroom to wet it down.

  My cell phone read no service. I needed to go hunting for online computer access to contact my folks before they got worried. Work was another issue with which I would have to deal. Obviously, I would be longer in Spain than the time I had off. I guess I could have sent along a picture of my face, but I didn’t want anyone else to see this particular look.

  I took a last peek at myself in a mirror, screw it, there’s nothing I can do about the face. I headed out to explore my surroundings. The bedroom was on the second floor, but the place was huge with many twists and turns. A maid found me, or maybe I found her. Either way I was relieved to see someone.

  “Can you tell me how to get to the…well, anywhere there are more people?” I waved my arms, which I suspect didn’t help.

  She curtsied and spoke Spanish at inhuman speed.

  I shrugged at her.

  She bowed her head, motioning for me to follow. I hoped we’d find someone to translate. We passed through one beautifully appointed room after another until we reached a dining hall with food at a side table, buffet style. All of our group were sitting down to breakfast. Enrique thanked her for bringing me. At least that’s what I thought, based on the one or two words in Spanish I knew. I did know thank you, and that’s what I said to her.

  Sometime during the night or morning, Hector, Rachel, Jack and Mateo had arrived. The only one missing was Takeshi.

  “Where’s Shimodo?”

  “He went to bring you down.” Enrique looked well rested and marginally better than yesterday when he drove us here. “How are you feeling?”

  “Peachy.” The smell of the food was compelling, but I was determined not to eat with an audience.

  Enrique rang a bell at the sideboard table and another maid appeared. He spoke softly, and she nodded and disappeared.

  “The cook prepared a special porridge for you. You must at least try it, Hannah.” Enrique was at the head of the table and I suspected this place was his home.

  “Oh, that’s not necessary. I’d rather eat alone somewhere,” I insisted as Takeshi came back into the room.

  I stood at the end of the table, trying to figure out how to get information without interrupting their meal. Takeshi pulled out a chair for me and when I started to decline, he gave me a stubborn expression. Coward that I am, I caved. He took the seat next to me.

  A servant brought in two bowls of porridge and put them in front of Takeshi and me. He looked like he was expecting it. I was hungry after two days of not eating, and dipping my toast in the tea hadn’t filled my ravenous appetite. The thin oatmeal smelled like brown sugar and maple flavor, my favorite. I wanted to taste it, but was afraid I’d slurp or dribble. Everyone ignored me. Mateo discussed the Ramirez leads while Takeshi tried his porridge and started eating in earnest. Damn, I was hungry.

  “You were right about the PDA. It had numbers to half the crime families in the city of Madrid and Barcelona. Their muscle for hire is used by all the kinds of people we keep tabs on. There was no direct number to Tomas Ramirez, but Vincent was listed. So were half-a-dozen other local mercenaries working for the cartels. We are trying to follow the phones and see where they lead,” Mateo reported. “I brought the DNA samples, at least everything we have. I was with Bill and Dr. Shimodo when Tom passed us information. I think we can continue our interviews with the other passengers using the professor as a liaison, until Hannah recovers.”

  “Who talked to Ramirez on the phone, when he had us? I don’t know what you told him, but you kept his attention,” I said.

  Bill spoke up. “That was Mateo. He’s pretty smooth. He led off with a story about you being touched by God and able to talk to ghosts, then told him all the information his sisters revealed about personal nicknames and pets.”

  Takeshi leaned over to me. “Try the porridge. It’s very good.”

  I put a dab on the spoon and it tasted wonderful, which was even more frustrating because now I did want it. I turned to Takeshi.

  “Can I take this back up to my room to eat?”

  “No one’s watching you. Eat your porridge and stop worrying about how you look.” He returned his attention to the others.

  Everyone seemed caught up in the conversation on where the plane crash investigation was going. I started taking tiny spoonfuls and I ate while they all talked. I listened and tried not to make a sound. I felt like a ten-year-old at the adult table. I finished half the bowl and was tired of working so hard to eat quietly, when I needed to slurp.

  “See if there’s an online computer I can use. I have to get in touch with my parents before they get worried and my job to try to extend my time off. I need that job,” I whispered to Takeshi.

  “My Hannah, afraid to speak up.” His voice was teasing.

  “Just ask the question please. I don’t want to be seen by all these people, like this.” I pointed to my face.

  “Don’t talk nonsense.”

  I scooted the chair back to leave, and he frowned and took my hand. “Wait, stay.” His fingers squeezed mine, to reassure me.

  “Hannah was wondering if a computer is available that she might use to go online to email her family before they become worried. She also needs to contact her work. She is concerned she could lose her job.” Takeshi’s clear voice rang in the large room and they all turned in our direction.

  Enrique nodded. “In the library there is one that you may use anytime. I’ll walk you there as soon as you are done eating.”

  “I’m done,” I said quietly.

  “You must eat more than that, Hannah. We want you healthy and strong. You’ll not heal if you don’t eat properly.” Enrique sounded concerned.

  I stood. “I’m ready now, if you don’t mind.”

  Always the gentlemen, Takeshi and Enrique rose also and led me to the library. It was about twice the size of our hospital library and exactly as I would imagine it should be, with dark wood and the walls covered in leather-bound books. I knew where I’d be spending my day
s.

  “This is your home, Enrique?”

  “It is my family home, yes.” He bowed.

  “What do your parents do?”

  “They are deceased. After my father retired from his diplomatic career, they lived here and oversaw our family’s vineyards.”

  “Your home is beautiful. Are you able to visit often?” Takeshi asked.

  “I reside here one weekend most months. At times, I rent it out to corporate organizations for retreats.”

  “Do you have brothers or sisters?” I walked around the library.

  “No, I was an only child.”

  I came back to face Enrique and touched his face where his stitches were placed. “You are not the spoiled type. You are far too serious. Does your daughter come to stay with you?”

  “Yes, she does. She lives nearby, so I come here for our time together. She is five and much spoiled by the staff.”

  “Her mother was foolish to let you go,” I said.

  “Her mother is English, and was too young to marry when I met and fell in love with her. I realized very soon she didn’t know or understand me. She became disenchanted with the older man quickly. We separated a year after Esperanza was born and she met a man her age who suited her much better than I ever could. I am glad she found happiness. I think I fell in love with her youth and beauty. I thought she’d learn to know me better.”

  “I’m sorry, Enrique. We all make mistakes in our younger days, but don’t give up hope. I bet I can find you someone perfect.”

  “You should direct your thoughts to better things,” he advised. “This is the computer. It is set up for Spanish, but I can change it to English right now.” He pushed some buttons and the English came on the screen. “Now I will be taking Dr. Shimodo away for most the day. Tom will stay with us also, I hope. We will find you for lunch.”