had my dad but...” Tears welled up in Eira’s eyes and she wiped them away with her good sleeve. “He drowned.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Betty said gently. “Was it recently?”
“Two years ago. My uncle Axel was my guardian and I went to live with him after he recovered.”
“Recovered?”
“My uncle Axel was in the same accident as my father. They were both doctors in the tactical navy. They were in a helicopter on a training mission over stormy seas when there was an engine failure. The helicopter crashed. Everyone but my uncle died.”
Betty’s heart sank. It explained so much. The aloofness. The aversion to water. That must be a hard thing to overcome.
It made her issues seem silly.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Betty said. “How about I get you cleaned up so you can get out of here? Do you want me to talk to your uncle? Explain what happened?”
Eira nodded, a relieved expression on her face. “That would be great, Dr. Jacinth.”
Betty smiled. “You can call me Betty and, I don’t mean to overstep, but if you have any other questions I’m here in Reykjavik for the next three months and I would be happy to help you any way that I can. Your grandfather and my father were friends so it’s the least I could do.”
“I would like that.”
“Good. Now, sit tight and I will be right back.”
Betty collected up the soiled gauze and disposed of them. As she went to get Eira some sanitary napkins, she found Axel pacing outside the pod, not charting as he’d said he was going to do.
And she couldn’t blame him.
“How is she?” Axel asked.
“She’ll be fine. I haven’t done the sutures yet. She wanted me to talk to you about something delicate.”
Axel frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“She fainted. She was probably overwhelmed she had her first period. She’s been worried because she hadn’t had it yet and there’s no one to talk to about it. She passed out from the sight of blood and cut her arm on a metal grate in the bathroom when she passed out.”
“Oh, I see.”
Betty nodded. “She said they taught it in school, but for a young girl without a mom, it can still be a shock. I know I had a similar uncomfortable conversation with my father when it happened to me.”
Axel scrubbed a hand over his face. “I should’ve prepared her better, but...”
“I get it.”
“Did she tell you what happened?” Axel asked cautiously. “About her father?”
Betty nodded. “She did.”
Axel seemed uncertain.
“I asked her what happened to her parents. She told me.”
“Of course, I’m sorry. It was hard for me and I’ve been trying to be there for her and apparently what I’ve been doing is not good enough.”
“It’s good enough.”
He shot her a disbelieving stare. “Well, I’m glad she was able to confide in you.”
“I told her that if she had any more questions she could ask me. I hope I didn’t overstep my boundaries.”
“No, but I don’t want her burdening you either. You have a job to do,” he said quickly.
“It’s not a burden. I know the special circumstances of the situation she’s going through.”
Axel cocked an eyebrow. “How so?”
“My mother died shortly after I was born and it was just me and my father after my grandmother died when I was a bit older than Eira. It’s hard and you shouldn’t be so tough on yourself. You’re doing a good job.”
“You’ve only just met me. You have no concept about whether or not I’m doing a good job.”
It was a snarky retort, but she couldn’t blame him. They were still strangers and he’d been through a lot.
“I’m going to get her what she needs and suture her wound. You should take her home and watch for signs of infection.”
Axel nodded, but he didn’t look at her.
She turned to walk away and he reached out and touched her arm.
“I’m sorry for snapping. Thank you.”
She smiled. “You’re welcome, Dr. Sturlusson.”
She turned and left him standing there. She had a newfound appreciation for him. He still might be closed off, but at least she understood that it was because he’d been through the wringer himself and for that she could cut him a little bit of slack.
But only a little.
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