a place we know| ✓

seventy four

"And find a place where every single thing you see tells you to stay."
S E E K E R
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March 23rd
9:52 PM
Los Angeles
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"Everything is looking good so far, but we're going to watch your progress for the next few days before we finalize a discharge."

Gunner's doctor was younger than he anticipated and extremely pesky with the coquettish glances he sent Audrey's way when he thought attention wasn't being paid. He was handsome, irritatingly so, lips furled in a dallying smile that his wife mistook for kindness. But Gunner was a man, he wasn't a stranger to that expression. In fact, the number of times he had looked at Audrey that way was uncountable. Using eyes of desire and infatuation and she was still oblivious while he was next to her, driven mad but holding his tongue.

"Do you have any questions or concerns?" He turned to Gunner and his smile morphed into a less genuine display of goodwill.

Yeah, can you take your eyes off my wife?

"Actually yes, I do," Gunner claimed, knowing that he was only asking to be petty. "How long until I can have sex with my wife?"

The doctor's face paled and his mouth housed a tight grimace. "I recommend waiting a week."

"But I feel fine."

Gunner glimpsed Audrey crack an amused smirk and shaking her head from side to side. He looked at the doctor again. "I missed her. So I wanna know when I can be with her, you get me? I bet you've felt this way before about your wife or girlfriend." His eyes darted to the man's left hand, spotting no wedding ring. Ha! He was feeling distinctly victorious. "We can go ahead if I feel I can handle it, right, doctor," he drawled the word doctor with much mockery.

He turned his back to Gunner and began tweaking the machines while he thought of a response. "Sure, if you feel alright then I don't see an issue. Just let me know if you start feeling any exhaustion or pain."

"Thank you for answering my urgent question. It helped." He followed his wife's agile figure as she walked around the doctor and sat at the edge of his bed. Feeling exceptionally territorial, he placed his hand on her thigh.

Audrey passed him an annoyed look. He could read her mind, and she was definitely saying something like stop acting so jealous.

"Anything else?" the doctor asked when he turned around.

"We're fine," Gunner said, clenching and unclenching his jaw. He squeezed Audrey's thigh as he pushed himself up to sit on the hospital bed with little struggle, heedful not to wake Leah.

David, like his photo ID tag showed, redirected his attention to Audrey and his smile returned full force. "Don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything," he mused. "Have a good night, Mrs. Shaw."

"You too, David."

Gunner scoffed, noticing how he deliberately spoke to his wife only. He dropped his eyes to the covers and impatiently counted down from ten as he awaited the moment David slipped out of their room. By the time he reached four, the doctor had disappeared and Gunner could finally breathe.

"You're on a first name basis?" He asked as soon as the door closed.

"It doesn't mean anything, baby. He was the one who told me to call him that anyway. Otherwise, I wouldn't."

"He's into you," he grunted then scowled. "Way too into you, Rey."

Audrey choked on air. "What?"

"Didn't you see him?" Gunner didn't want to repeat what he figured was true. "I saw the way he looked at you when he was talking. He wants you bad."

"That's not true. He was just being friendly. When you were comatose he always used to check on Leah and I. We'd talk, but he never made any moves."