reception area had emptied. It was Jillian’s turn. Whether she wanted him or not, Remi followed her back to the last room. While the nurse helped her to sit on the end of the examining table, he found a chair and sat down.
“Dr. Filartigua will be right in.”
As soon as she went out the door, Jillian darted him a glance. “This is it.” Relief filled his system that her first words hadn’t told him she wanted to be alone. “Did I tell you I couldn’t see anything the last time I put in the drops?”
She’d prepared herself for the worst, but no one was truly ready to hear bad news, least of all Remi. If he hadn’t been on the highway at that moment, he doubted the accident would have happened. Regardless, he had to be strong for her now.
“That was four days ago. A lot of healing has gone on since then.”
He heard her take in a deep breath. “Whatever happens, thank you for seeing me through this.”
“Where else would I be?”
“At work.”
“Not today.” Before he could say more, the door opened and the doctor walked in. “Senora Gray. Has it been a week already?” He nodded to Remi.
“How are you, Doctor?” She sounded casual. Her courage would always humble Remi.
“I’ll know when I’ve removed this and learn what’s going on in there. Lift your head a little higher.” She did his bidding.
Adrenaline drove Remi to his feet. He watched the doctor remove the tape and peel the patch away.
“Oh!” she cried out at once. “I can see!”
Remi’s body quivered in reaction. Those first joyous words were the sweetest he’d ever known.
“That’s fine,” the doctor murmured. “How much can you see?”
“It’s blurry in the center, but the sides are perfect!”
“How blurry?”
“Um, like a piece of wadded-up cellophane.”
The doctor nodded, then got up to turn off the overhead light. “All right,” he said, coming back, “let me take a look inside.” He moved the eye equipment around and told her to fit her chin into the groove for the exam. “Look straight ahead and try not to blink.”
As she cooperated and followed his subsequent directions, Remi held his breath, waiting for a final verdict.
Finally the exam was over. The doctor pulled the machine away and turned on the light.
“Will the blurriness clear up?” she asked in a hopeful voice. Remi wanted the answer to the same question.
Dr. Filartigua walked over to her, cocking his head. “The hazy part of your field of vision will remain permanent.”
Permanent …
A groan rose in Remi’s throat.
“You have a condition called corneal scotoma. In lay terms it’s the blind spot left by the shard that went through to the retina.”
“I see.”
“In time you’ll adjust to the impairment. If the Conde hadn’t acted as quickly as he did, the internal bleeding could have affected the whole eye. Frankly, I didn’t think your peripheral vision would be saved. That means your right eye won’t be as dominant. It’s a great plus.” He patted her shoulder kindly.
“It is,” she whispered. “Thank you for saving what you could, Doctor.”
“You’re welcome, Senora. You only need to wear the patch at night to protect the eye while you sleep. Continue the drops from the purple label twice a day for three more weeks, then I want to see you again.”
After a silence, she asked, “Can I wash my hair yet?”
While Remi smiled through his unshed tears, the doctor chuckled. “If someone else does it for you. In three weeks you can return to your normal life and no more patch. On your way out, make an appointment with the receptionist.”
She nodded.
Remi shook the doctor’s hand, then turned to Jillian to help her down off the examining table, but when her feet touched the floor he found he couldn’t let her go.
Pulling her closer, he buried his lips in her hair. “You’re the bravest woman I’ve ever known. Gracias al cielo you’re still able to see something out of that eye.”
Her hands slid up his chest beneath his suit jacket. The sensation felt like liquid fire. “If it hadn’t been for you …” She rose on tiptoe and softly kissed his lips. “Thank you, dearest Remi.”
It wasn’t enough. He wanted to really kiss her, but she eased away from him too fast.
“We need to get going.” She reached for her patch and put it in her handbag. “You have a long drive back to the estate.”
He chose to keep silent a little longer and followed her out the door. At the desk she made an appointment. The receptionist gave her a pair of throwaway sunglasses. “Use these if the light is too bright.”
“Thank you.”
Remi noticed she didn’t put them on. He cupped her elbow and ushered her down the hall to the doors, but the moment they stepped outside, she halted. His arm went around her waist, fearing she felt faint. “What’s wrong?”
“N-nothing,” she stammered. “I’m sorry if I alarmed you. But without the patch it’s like seeing everything in Technicolor after being used to black and white.”
“I’m sure it will take some getting used to.” She nodded and put the sunglasses on.
“Better?” he murmured near her ear.
“Much.” She let out a little laugh. “Ironic isn’t it, when I’ve been praying to see anything at all? You don’t realize what your eye takes in until it can’t.”
Her comment reached right into his heart. He squeezed her waist before removing his hand. They walked to the parking lot at the side of the building and he helped her into his car.
Once behind the wheel he turned to her. “I know you want to phone your brother and tell him the good news, but before you do, I’ve a favor to ask.”
Her head was bowed. “After what you’ve done for me, how could I refuse?”
He stared at her appealing profile. “Stay at the estate until your next appointment.”
“I—I couldn’t do that.”
Her breathing sounded shallow. Why?
“You’ve done too much for me already,” she added.
“You haven’t heard me out.”
