Reunion - Michael Jan Friedman [62]
“Actually,” Selar told him, “it is not a bad time at all.” And without further ado, she led him back to the critical-care area, where they stopped as she leaned around the barrier. “Commander?” “Mmm?”
“A visitor for you.”
A rustling of the bedcovers. “By all means,” the patient said, “let him in.”
Riker smiled. Cadwallader’s voice was stronger than he had expected it would be.
But Selar didn’t allow him to go right away. “Please be brief,” she advised. “Her progress is exemplary, but she looks better than she feels. We must help her conserve her strength.”
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I won’t wear her out” The Vulcan gave him a wary look before departing to attend to her duties. Riker watched her go.
Then he came around the barrier and found Cadwallader looking up at him. She was propped on a pillow, her arms entwined across her chest.
She wasn’t as pale as when he saw her last. But he remembered what Selar had said about that appearance being deceiving. “You look rather comfortable,” he told her. She shrugged. “I suppose-considering I took a phas-er beam not so long ago. Isn’t modern medicine wonderful?” He looked into her eyes. They had that old sparkle. “Listen,” he said, “I promised Dr. Selar that I’d stay only a min-was Cadwallader frowned. “Bugger Dr. Selar,” she told him. “I’m in much better shape than she thinks. Stay as long as you like.” His eyes narrowed in mock-reproach. “I think Dr. Selar deserves a little more respect.”
Cadwallader grunted. “Dr. Selar deserves a good pinch.” She considered him. “And for that matter, so do you.”
He gave her his best apologetic look. “I know. I’m sorry.” “That was a lousy thing you did, Will Riker.”
He nodded. “Just try to see it from my point of view. At the time, you were a murder suspect.”
She looked at him questioningly. “You didn’t really think that, did you?”
Riker shook his head. “No. But I couldn’t take the chance that I was wrong. And even if you weren’t the murderer, I couldn’t just come out and tell you about the investigation. You might’ve given it away without realiz-+ it—a nervous look at the wrong time, a slip of the tongue …” He let his voice trail off. He shrugged.
Suddenly, Cadwallader grinned. “You look pretty foolish when you’re trying to apologize-you know that?”
He feigned injury. “Thanks a lot.”
“Especially,” she added, “when there’s no need. I’ve had a little time here to think, you know. And it didn’t take me long to understand why you did what you did.” She put out her hand; he took it. “So don’t get all maudlin on me. You’re forgiven, as far as that goes.”
Riker squeezed her hand. “I’m grateful.”
“Besides,” she said, “you’ll have plenty of opportunity to make it up to me. That is, after we catch the murderer and give this subspace phenomenon the.slip. And dodge whatever other perils pop up in the meantime.”
He chuckled. “You sound pretty confident.”
“I am,” Cadwallader replied. “But then, I’ve looked death in the eye and lived to tell of it.”
Riker rolled his eyes. She laughed softly—just as he intended. “You know,” he told her, “you’re pretty remarkable, Tricia Cadwallader.”
“Yes,” she said. “I know.”
Someone cleared her throat behind him. Even before the first officer turned around, he knew it was Selar standing there. She looked at him, one eyebrow arched meaningfully, not needing to say a word to make her message clear.
He turned back to Cadwallader. “Time to go. I’ll see you soon,” he said.
She nodded. “Soon,” she echoed-,-showing just the least bit of doubt, and thereby giving the lie to all her brave talk.
It was with that unsettling impression lingering in his mind that he headed for the exit.
Beverly Crusher flopped down on her bed, bone tired. Not so much from tending to Cadwallader, though seeing to the woman’s care had kept her in sickbay for quite a long time. After all, that was her job; she was prepared for it.
What had really worn her out was the wondering.