[Quinn 04] - The Silenced

the rice around.

“I need to get back to Garrett,” she said. Her son was still living in Vietnam at that point.

“Sure, I get it.” He squeezed his eyes closed as pain spiked up his leg into his torso.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“I could get the nurse. Get you some painkillers.”

“I’m fine!” His voice leaped from his throat, harsh and loud.

Neither of them said anything for several seconds.

“Sorry,” Nate said. “I just … I …”

“You should eat,” she said.

“I’m not hungry.”

“What are you talking about? This looks great.”

“You can eat it, then.”

She picked up the spoon from the tray and scooped up some vegetables, a piece of chicken, and some rice, then held them in the air. “You sure?”

“Be my guest.”

She slipped the food into her mouth, then smiled. “This isn’t bad.” She sat on the edge of his bed.

“I thought you were leaving?” he said.

“In a few minutes.”

He shrugged.

She filled up the spoon again, but this time held it out to him.

“I’m not hungry,” he told her.

“Just try it.”

“No.”

She moved the spoon to his lips. “Come on.”

“I said I’m not hu—”

She slipped the spoon into his mouth.

Having no choice, he started chewing the food. “I wouldn’t even let my mother do that.”

She filled the spoon again and held it back up.

“I can feed myself,” he said.

“Yeah, but will you?”

He scowled at her for a moment, then picked up the fork and stabbed a piece of chicken.

Smiling, Orlando redirected the spoon into her own mouth. “Could use a little spice. But this is a hospital, so I guess bland makes sense.”

They both chewed in silence for a moment.

Finally Nate said, “Where’s Quinn?”

“Back at the hotel.”

Probably either sleeping or having a beer in the bar, Nate thought. Moving on, no doubt. Maybe even thinking about getting a new apprentice.

“He’s trying to arrange appointments for you back in California,” Orlando said, like she was reading his mind.

“Appointments?”

She helped herself to another spoonful. “Doctors. Physical therapy. Prosthesis fittings.”

“Oh. Great,” Nate said with no enthusiasm.

“Are you going to take another forkful, or am I going to have to feed you again?”

Reluctantly, he got some more food and put it in his mouth.

Orlando watched him eat for a moment. “Look. You can just take this, go home, and live out your life thinking what could have been, or—”

“Or?” Nate said. “Seems to me there’s no ‘or.’ ”

“You’re still in shock. Your system is full of drugs.” She paused. “You lost your leg, for God’s sake. Of course that’s all you can see.” She worked a piece of broccoli away from everything else, then picked it up and popped it between her teeth. “But it’s not the only choice.”

“What then? I’m done being a cleaner.”